The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 6 million additional Ford vehicles could contain the same cruise-control part that led to the investigation of 3.7 million Ford trucks and SUVs. NHTSA is monitoring for reports of fires in this new group of  Ford vehicles. 

Reports of  cruise control switch fires are being studied for evidence of overheating, including the 1995-1999 and 2001-2002 F-150 pickup trucks, and 1997-1999 and 2001-2002 Ford Expedition/Lincoln Navigator. Ford has recalled some vehicles already for problems with the switch, including 750,000 trucks and SUVs from the 2000 model year. The agency said it would examine Ford F-150 pickups from the 1995-1999 and 2001-2002 model years, and Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators from the 1997-1999 and 2001-2002 model years.

NHTSA officials said they have received 218 complaints of engine fires from the cruise control switch in those models. No injuries or fatalities have been reported.

The new investigation does not include the 2000 model years of the vehicles, which was covered by the January recall of almost 800,000 vehicles. Ford said the cruise control switch could short circuit and cause an engine compartment fire when the vehicle was parked or being driven, even if the cruise control was not being used.

FORD RECALLS  F-150 PICKUP TRUCKS, FORD EXPEDITION & LINCOLN NAVIGATOR

The recall in January affected about 792,000 Ford F-150 pickups, Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators from the 2000 model year. The 2001 F-Series Supercrew trucks were also affected.The company began notifying owners of the recall in February and dealers were instructed to deactivate the cruise control switch for free. Deactivating the switch disabled the cruise control in the vehicles. NHTSA opened an investigation into the defect in November after receiving 36 reports of fires. All of the incidents occurred when the vehicle was parked and the ignition was turned off. According to NHTSA and Ford no injuries have been reported. The agency has received 193 complaints about the 2000 model year vehicles alone.

NEWS ALERT:

WILLIS & AMMONS LAW FIRMS FILE NATION’S FIRST CRUISE CONTROL DEATH CASE

MOHLIS vs. FORD MOTOR COMPANY, TEXAS INSTRUMENTS AND DuPONT

FACTS: In the early morning hours of May 2, 2005 an Iowa couple woke to the smell of smoke coming from her pickup truck in flames parked inside their attached garage of their house. While the Mr. Mohlis went to put out the fire that was coming from under the hood of their Ford F150, the garage and house became engulfed in flames. Before Mrs Mohlis could escape, she was overcome by smoke and died from smoke inhalation. The Mr. Mohlis attempted to rescue his wife from the burning house, but his attempts were unsuccessful. He was later found by fire personnel outside the residence suffering from smoke inhalation, cuts and bruises. He was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released. The Mohlis family contacted product liability attorneys David P. Willis & Robert Ammons of Houston, Texas to represent them. Immediately Mr. Willis and Mr. Ammons initiated a full investigation hiring some of the nation's top fire investigators and experts to assist in the fire inspection of the vehicle and the couple's burned home. On June 15, 2005 a legal action against Ford Motor Company and others was initiated. It is the nation’s first lawsuit filed against Ford & Texas Instruments concerning a fire death believed to have been caused by the cruise control deactivation switch.