January 27, 2004
Ford's initial press release for the speed switch recall announced today is printed below. The automaker has determined that the existing switches are prone to overheating.
Press Release
Ford is voluntarily issuing a safety recall to address under hood fires related to the speed control switch in four-to-five year old 2000 model year Ford F-150s, Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators, as well as 2001 F-Series Supercrew trucks manufactured during the same time period as the other 2000 model year vehicles. Ford has been working closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate this issue.
Ford will notify owners of approximately 792,000 2000 model year F-150s, Expeditions, Navigators and 2001 F-Series Supercrews equipped with speed control to have the electrical connector from the speed control disconnected. Ford is in the process of acquiring a sufficient supply of replacement speed control switches but, in the interim, our first step is to deactivate the speed control to eliminate the risk of fires. Once replacement switches are available, we will issue a second owner notification to have the switch replaced and the speed control reconnected.
Obviously, this interim action will disable the speed control. We recognize this may be an inconvenience, but we believe this preventive action is in the best interest of our customers' safety.
Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail the beginning of February. Customers may also contact Ford's Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-392-3673.
