Ford has issued what is now the largest single recall in its history. Drivers of an additional 4.5 million Ford vehicles have been alerted about a fire hazard from a faulty switch. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this was the eighth recall, involving a total of 16 million Ford Motor vehicles, concerning the cruise control deactivation switch manufactured by Texas Instruments.
According to the Associated Press, the latest voluntary action pushes Ford’s total recall due to faulty switches to 14.3 million registered vehicles over 10 years, capping the company’s largest cumulative recall in history involving a single problem. The faulty switch can leak hydraulic fluid, overheat, smoke and then burn, and risks causing a fire even when the ignition is turned off, parked and unattended, according to the NHTSA.
The voluntary recall affects models of vans and trucks including Windstars, Rangers, and Explorers. NHTSA reports that Ford drivers should look for warnings of possible imminent fires, including malfunctioning cruise control systems and brake lights and antilock braking system and brake light warnings on the dashboard. Difficulty in getting the vehicle out of the park mode should also be treated as a warning.