More than 6 million Ford car and truck owners could be driving vehicles still equipped with a faulty cruise control switch that can start a fire under the hood even when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is turned off. As of July 31st, in its most recent report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Ford Motor Company estimated that 4.9 million vehicles of the more than 10 million cars and trucks involved in the massive recall are now repaired. Some vehicles were included in more than one recall, making it hard to calculate precise numbers. But, it’s clear that millions of Ford vehicles products produced with the faulty cruise control switch are on the highways, in garages and even at junkyards, where they are at risk of bursting into flames at any time.

Ford reported on its Web site that the parts needed to fix the fire-prone speed control system in Ford cars and trucks are available at dealerships around the country. The automaker said: “Affected customers should contact their dealer to schedule a service appointment to have final repairs completed.” The Ford recall has consumed most of a decade as safety investigators struggled to identify the cause of the fires.

When NHTSA announced the recall in August of 2007, Ford was unable complete many repairs because of insufficient parts and offered to disconnect the cruise control system as an interim fix. Ford is now prepared to install a fused wiring harness into the speed control electrical circuit or to replace the speed control deactivation system if it is found to be leaking. In the latest announcement, Ford described the recall as “voluntary,” but it warned consumers not to use the speed control system in a recalled vehicle until the repairs are complete. NHTSA has warned owners of Ford cars and trucks that carry the defective speed control system to have the vehicle repaired or the system disconnected immediately or risk the vehicle catching fire. We have a list of Ford’s most recent list of recalled cars and trucks. The NHTSA advisory cautioned:

This condition may occur either when the vehicle is parked or when it is being operated, even if the speed control is not in use. Failure to have the switch disconnected could lead to a vehicle fire at any time, whether or not the key is in the ignition, and whether or not owners use the cruise control system.

NHTSA concluded that the fire danger is present regardless of the age of the vehicle. Ford car and truck owners who have either not heard of the recall or failed to request the need repairs continue to report fires, some with devastating consequences. Ford truck and SUV owners wanting more information about the fire danger in their vehicle or the recall may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673 or NHTSA 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

Source: Consumeraffairs.com