The Hidden Danger of Fire May Be Lurking in Your Automobile
There is nothing quite like taking a short trip to the grocery store and coming back to your car engulfed in flames. It could even happen in your own driveway or garage, day or night. It is being reported by AutoWeek Magazine (http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/FREE/971532585) that Ford is still having some cruise control fire-causing issues. Ford has recalled almost twelve million vehicles since 1999 to repair the fire-prone cruise control system and recently reiterated the recall of 9.6 million cars and trucks on its web site. It is reported by the Detroit News (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/BIZ/805190419/1361) that Federal regulators are looking into 130 complaints that fires occurred in the engine compartments of Ford Windstar mid-size vans from the 1995-2003 model years. The fires can occur either during use or while parked.
The Ford Speed Control Deactivation Switch, also known as a "brake pressure switch," costs about $21. The Texas Instruments switches were installed in over sixteen million Ford vehicles over ten years before the automaker stopped using them in 2002. The switches supposedly have been linked to nearly 550 vehicle fires and 1,500 complaints. The switch shuts off the cruise control when the driver applies pressure to the brakes. The switch is located under the hood of the vehicle and is attached to the brake master cylinder on one end and wired to the cruise control on the other. This position places it above flammable reservoirs of brake fluid. On most of its models, Ford designed the switch to be powered or "hot" at all times, even when the vehicle is off and the key is removed from the ignition.
Inside the switch is a thin film barrier that separates brake fluid from the switch's electrical components. Investigators say fires can break out under certain conditions, such as when the film cracks and brake fluid from the master cylinder seeps into the electrical side of the switch. This can cause a fire, even when the engine had been turned off and idle for days. In February 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urged owners of recalled Ford vehicles, which did not include the Windstar model, to get them fixed or at least have their cruise control deactivated immediately (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.f2217bee37fb302f6d7c121046108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=1e51531b2220b0f8ea14201046108a0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_1e51531b2220b0f8ea14201046108a0c_viewID=detail_view&itemID=067c4b7cc9c58110VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD&pressReleaseYearSelect=2008). If Ford were to issue a recall for their Windstar models, over 1.7 million minivans will be affected.
For a list of Ford cars that are involved in the recall, please visit Ford’s website at http://www.ford.com/dynamic/metatags/article-detail/223_important_notice_voluntary_recall_update. To file a complaint on any vehicle or get up-to-date information about safety, visit the NHTSA website at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/.
If you are in need of an attorney because you or a family member has suffered a serious injury as a result of a defective car part or car fire, please call the experienced product liability lawyers at the law firm of Reiff and Bily (http://reiffandbily.com/).
