Ford Expands Existing Recall to Include 1.2 Million More Vehicles

By Amy Teeple

Published on August 04, 2006

The initial recall, which took place in January of last year, included about 700,000 Ford F-150s and SUVs, but was soon expanded to include millions of additional vehicles. The combination of last year’s recalls and the recent addition of vehicles makes this one of the largest vehicle recalls in American history.

Ford’s expanded recall includes the 1994 to 2002 models of the Ford F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks; 1994 to 1996 Econoline vans; 1996 to 2002 E-450 vans; 1998 Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers; and 2000 to 2002 models of the Excursion.

The recall expansion was prompted by research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which revealed that the deactivation switch on the faulty cruise control system can cause brake fluid to leak into the system's electrical components and spark a fire.

To date, the NHTSA has received 1,472 complaints related to the cruise control system. The safety administration has confirmed 65 vehicle fires, but no fatalities. Despite this finding, several families have filed wrongful death lawsuits against Ford.

Comment on this article →