The Ford Motor Company issued the largest single recall in its history on October 13, 2009.  Ford recalled 4.5 million vehicles from cars made from 1993-2003.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it was the eighth recall for Ford, totaling 16 million automobiles for the Detroit-based auto maker.  This products liability recall concerns a default in the Texas Instruments made cruise control deactivation switch.

Our car accident lawyers in San Diego want to remind all consumers that there is a certain risk you take when you buy any car, but buying a used car can be especially tricky.  You never know how the previous driver treated the car or what kinds of products liability is attached to the vehicle.  Combine that with recalls like this, and owning a car becomes a little more dangerous.

The 1997 Ford Windstar is one of the many cars recalled by Ford because of a defect in the cruise control switch. The defect can lead to car fires. (SOURCE: edmunds.com)

According to the recall, the faulty switch can cause hydraulic fluid to leak leading to overheating of the liquid.  The fluid then begins to smoke and then burn causing a fire risk even when the car is turned off.

A fire can be extremely dangerous in an automobile because of the highly flammable fluids in the car (i.e. oil, gasoline).  If any of those is ignited with people in the car, a minor design defect in a cruise control switch can lead to thousands of dollars in medical bills or dealing with a wrongful death when and if the car explodes.

The recall that happened on October 13 includes the 1995-2003 Ford Windstars, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-Super Duty diesels, 1995-2002 Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Rangers, 1994 F35 motor homes and the 2000-2003 Excursion diesels.

The safety recall is supposed to begin around October 26th.  Owners of these cars should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673 or NTHSA’s vehicle safety hot line at 1-888-327-4236.  You can also visit the NHTSA for more information about the recall.

Our San Diego car accident attorneys urge all people who have these model cars to get the problem corrected before something tragic happens.  Even if you don’t think your Ford truck isn’t part of the recall, check it out, anyway.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.

And if you are unfortunate enough to get in a car accident, make sure that you are given several options by your doctor before you undergo medical treatment in order for you to pick the best choice.

Please contact us for a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney — we speak both English and Spanish — at (800) 655-6585.  Click here and you may also submit your case for a Free Review.  No fee if no recovery.