NEWS:  Feds warns Ford owners about recalled vehicles

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is urging owners of 5 million recalled Ford vehicles to bring them to dealerships to repair a cruise control switch system that has been tied to engine fires.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday issued a second consumer advisory to owners of certain unrepaired Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, vans and passenger cars who have not responded to previous recalls.

NHTSA said about 12 million vehicles have been part of the recall and nearly 5 million still have not been fixed. A similar warning was issued in February but officials said the rate of the vehicles being repaired has declined.

The recalls have affected Ford's popular F-Series pickup trucks and led to hundreds of complaints and dozens of lawsuits over engine fires.

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said the Dearborn, Mich., company supported the effort to communicate with owners. He said owners have received several recall notices but "the return rate has been lower than expected or hoped (for)."

Dealers have installed a fused wiring harness into the speed control electrical system as part of the recall, and the government said replacement parts are available. Owners can take their vehicle to a dealer to have the cruise control deactivated until the parts arrive.

NHTSA issued a lengthy list of older vehicles covered by the consumer advisory, including 1993-2004 Ford F150 trucks, 1994-2002 F250 through F550 Super Duty trucks with gasoline engines, and 1998-2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer SUVs, which were among the best-selling vehicles in the nation during those years.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Ford F-150
• Ford F-250/350/450/550
• Ford Explorer
• Mercury Mountaineer

APRIL 2008 -- Ford is recalling 3,331 MY 2008 E-350 vehicles built with a 138 inch wheel base. The drive shaft may have been manufactured with a slip yoke that has cracks. The effect of the cracks on fatigue performance is variable, but on some yokes with cracks, the performance is reduced below design specification. Cracks in the slip yoke would progress over time and the slip yoke could fracture without warning while the vehicle is being driven allowing the drive shaft to separate from the vehicle increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will have the drive shaft inspected for manufacturing date and replace it free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during May 2008. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. 08V-165

APRIL 2008 -- Ford is recalling 64,754 MY 2008 F-250 and F-350 single rear wheel, 4x4, 156 inch wheel base pickup trucks equipped with a two piece drive shaft for failing to conform to the fuel spillage requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 301, "Fuel System Integrity." During a 30 mph frontal impact into a rigid barrier, the fuel tank can move forward and contact a frame cross member, potentially causing damage to the fuel delivery module which can result in fuel spillage. Fuel spillage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will install a bracket on the affected vehicles free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before May 26, 2008. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. 08V-191

FEBRUARY 2008 -- Ford is recalling 57,199 MY 2006-2007 E-150, E-250, E-350, and MY 2007 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 5.4L engines. The fuel rail cross-over hose may contain weak areas. As a result, the hose may crack, which could cause a fuel odor and/or fuel leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the fuel rail assembly. The recall is expected to begin during March 2008. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. 08V-057

FEBRUARY 2008 -- Ford is recalling 87,515 MY 2008 F250, F350, F450, and F550 vehicles for failing to comply with all the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 207, "Seating Systems." Some 40% split and captain's chair driver's seats, equipped with lumbar supports, may have improper welds at the joint of the seat back pivot bracket and the seat back frame. In the event of a crash, the seat side pivot bracket may crack or break, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant. Dealers will add reinforcement to the driver's seat back frame on the 40% split or captain's chair seat equipped with lumbar support or, if necessary, the seat back frame will be replaced. The recall is expected to begin on or about March 24, 2008. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. 08V-096

NEWS:   Ford Recalls F-250, F-350 Trucks for Fire Hazard

Consumer Affairs -- April 29, 2008 --  The Ford Motor Company is recalling 64,754 of its heavy duty 2008 F-250 and F-350 trucks because of a potential fire hazard.

Federal safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report that the trucks do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard imposed to maintain “fuel system integrity” and prevent fuel spills.

NHTSA warned on its Web site that single-rear-wheel versions of the trucks with 4-wheel drive and the 156-inch wheel base, equipped with a two-piece drive shaft contain a fuel tank system that can rupture or leak in a crash.

“During a 30 mph frontal impact into a rigid barrier, the fuel tank can move forward and contact a frame cross member, potentially causing damage to the fuel delivery module which can result in fuel spillage,” according to the NHTSA Web site.

The federal safety agency warned that “fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.”

Ford dealers will install a bracket in the trucks to remedy the safety problem when the recall gets under way in late May. The recall number is 080C04. Truck owners may contact Ford at 1-800392-3673 or NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

NEWS:   Ford Recalls F-Series Trucks

Ford Recalls About 100,000 2008 F-Series Trucks

Yahoo News -- March 6, 2008 -- WASHINGTON (AP) -- Ford Motor Co. is recalling about 100,000 2008 F-Series trucks because the front driver's seat does not conform with federal standards.

Ford says the weld connecting a bracket and the driver's front seat back could crack on a small number of vehicles. As a result, the vehicles do not comply with federal rules for seat back strength.

The recall covers F-250 through F-550 Super Duty trucks. More than 87,000 of the trucks are in the United States and 14,000 are in Canada.

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said Thursday that no injuries have been reported. Ford discovered the issue after receiving reports of the weld cracking.

NEWS:   Ford recalls 1.2 million trucks for engine flaw

DETROIT (Reuters) - December 6, 2007 - Ford Motor Co. said on Thursday it had recalled about 1.2 million vans, sport utility vehicles and heavy-duty pickup trucks because of a flaw in an engine sensor that could cause sudden stalling.

In a notice posted with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the No. 2 U.S. automaker said vehicles equipped with a 7.3-liter diesel engine could stall without warning, causing a crash.

The recall covers vehicles built between 1997 and 2003 including Ford's E-Series full-size van, the Excursion SUV and the F-450 Super Duty pickup truck.

Ford said its dealers would inspect the potentially flawed camshaft sensor in the affected vehicles and replace the part with a new version without charge

NEWS:     Ford recalls Super Duty trucks after tailpipe fires

DETROIT (Reuters) -- March 22, 2007 -- Ford Motor Co. said on Wednesday it was recalling over 37,000 of its new 2008 model-year F-Series Super Duty trucks after reported tailpipe fires in the diesel version of the pickups.

Ford said it had received reports of three cases where leaking fuel or oil ignited when trapped in a diesel particulate filter near the tailpipe of the new trucks.

In one case in Texas, a truck's hot tailpipe set off a grass fire when the driver pulled off the road, a Ford spokesman said........Ford dealers were advised on Wednesday to stop selling the roughly 29,000 Super Duty trucks with 6.4-liter diesel engines on their lots until engine control software can be updated.........Customers with the first 8,400 diesel Super Duty trucks already on the roads will be notified that they should bring their vehicles into dealerships for the same fix...

NEWS:   Ford recalls pickup trucks, SUVs to repair cruise control switch

WASHINGTON (AP) -- March 5, 2007 -- Ford Motor Co. recalled about 155,000 pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles on Monday to repair a cruise control switch system that already had led to millions of recalls.

Ford said the latest recall involved 2003 versions of the F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty truck, the Ford Excursion SUV and the Lincoln Blackwood pickup.

The No. 2 U.S. automaker previously had recalled 5.8 million vehicles in the past two years because of engine fires linked to the cruise control systems in trucks, SUVs and vans. That recall, one of the largest in history, covered vehicles from the 1994-2002 model years.

Ford officials said Monday an internal check found the switch systems in some early 2003 trucks and SUVs and the company acted to allow owners to get it repaired. The switch system could corrode over time, overheat and ignite.

NEWS:   Ford sues diesel maker Navistar over warranty costs

Ford Motor Co. sued Navistar International Corp., the sole supplier of diesel engines for one of the automaker's most important models, in a contract dispute over warranty costs and engine prices, Bloomberg News reported today.

Navistar builds diesel engines for Ford's Super Duty pickup trucks, which comprise about 40 percent of F-Series truck sales. Ford's lawsuit alleges the Warrenville, Illinois-based Navistar owes the automaker money under an agreement to share engine-related warranty costs.

NEWS:  Ford recalls 1.2 million vehicles over possible engine fires

WASHINGTON (AP) -- August 3, 2006 -- Ford Motor Co... recalled 1.2 million trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans Thursday amid concerns about potential engine fires.

The recall involves vehicles fueled by gasoline or natural gas and equipped with speed control, including the 1994-2002 F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 F-Super Duty trucks, 2000-2002 Excursion SUVs, 1994-1996 Econoline vans and 1996-2002 E-450 vans, and 1998 Explorers and Mountaineers.

NEWS:   Ford recalls 1.2 mln trucks to fix cruise control

DETROIT (Reuters) -- August 3, 2006 -- Ford Motor Co. said on Thursday it is recalling about 1.2 million trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans in the United States because a faulty speed control deactivation switch may cause fires.

The recall covers F-Series pickups, Explorer and Excursion SUVs and Econoline vans, and includes vehicles from 1996-2002.

NEWS:   Cruise control switch short circuit

• Production delays hamper Ford recall

WASHINGTON -- (December 21, 2005)  - Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday that replacement parts used in its recall of 3.8 million pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles would not be available until February because of production delays. In September, the automaker recalled 1994-2002 model-year vehicles amid complaints of engine fires linked to the cruise control switch system. The recall covered the F-150 pickup, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator and Ford Bronco. (AP)