Ford recall

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Rollie

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May 31, 2005
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144
I guess this could be in a couple of different  topics but I thought I would start here.  So I have a Ford chassis  built in 2000 which means that my motorhome can burst into flames even while parked next to my house.  Ford sends out a recall notice and advises to get it to a Ford dealer ASAP.  Which I do.  My Ford dealer disconnects my cruse control and tells me the parts will be in sometime in January  or March.  Great!  But I plan to drive to AZ in late December ... this is our first time to try the winter thing in the Sunbelt so I am a little apprehensive about the trip anyway ... where will we stay on the way ... what will the traffic be like ... how long will I want to drive each day ... what about the weather .... and now, will my leg cramp up so much I won't be able walk when I get there!! 

So my question dear friends is this ... yes, I am old enough to remember the days before cruse control ... and I know some of you purists  out there never use your cruse control anyway ... but do any of you know if there is a way to get the parts early?  I would really like to not drive all this way "el natural" the "old fashion way" ... and how am I going to put it in cruse and go get a sandwich!!! ;D
Rollie
 
Don't get excited  You don't have have it repaired there.  Any Ford dealer anywhere can do it.  It is mandatory for any Ford dealer to disconnect the Cruise control.  We have a 92 Lincoln Town Car (it';s been one of our favorite cars) and went to the Ford Dealer in ILL, With more than 319, 000 Miles on it, and replaced the tires.  They disconnected the Cruise and I came unglued, because I use in all the time.  They showed me their letter and I cooled it.  I'd rather the do that than have it catch on fire.  It was an error and they are trying to correct it.  No big deal.  Now that I'm aware of the problem, I'm glad they caught it.  JMO
 
Rollie said:
Ford sends out a recall notice and advises to get it to a Ford dealer ASAP.  Which I do.  My Ford dealer disconnects my cruse control and tells me the parts will be in sometime in January  or March.

I got that same letter. Called my local Ford dealer - which I had used before - and found they had discontinued servicing RVs.
You will find on that letter a number you can call to find a Ford dealer that will perform the recall work. I did and they were very good (though they first gave me the number of the dealer who had discontinued working on RVs).

Get the names of several of the nearest dealers and call them. If you have trouble call the Ford people back (I did) and let them sort it out.

Hope it works for you,
Dexter
 
You can call/write Ford.  A letter to the CEO asking why it's going to take MONTHS to get the parts in and advising of your travel plans can often light a fire where a fire needs lighting (instead of under your hood)

Story goes that at a press conference the CEO selected a reporter at random and ask him if he owned a company product (NOT FORD in this case) He allowed as he did, And are you happy with the service? He allowed as he was having a small problem with the local dealer on that.. They seemed to never get around to his ride.

Press conference ended and he had cause to call his wife.. Porter from the dealership was there picking up his car for service, they did not even require he drive it in!!!!! (The CEO and motioned to an aid who called the field rep for the company who paid a sudden visit to the dealer, That car was SERIVICED! By the field rep himself (he was trained) and returned the same day 100%)

Of course, don't expect this level of service!  This was a special case
 
Actually, it is very simple to disconnect the plug that is concerned with the recall and you do not have to go to a dealer to get it done. I called the Ford Chassis Hotline and they gave me several dealers close to were we are now (we are fulltimers) and I went by to talk to one of the service folks. He showed me where the switch is and I disconnected it myself and then taped it up to keep dirt out of it, then fastened it back where it is out of the way, per the instructions. Then I called the hotline back to see if there was any reason that I had to go have a dealer look at it. He said not if I am sure that I have it correct. (I am) I then made an appointment with a Ford dealer in the area where we plan to be next Jan. when they will have parts for our RV.

The initial fix is very simple. There is only one switch that is mounted into the master cylinder of the chassis brake system. It is the switch which opens to turn off cruise when you step on the brake. The issue is that the way that switch is mounted, if it were to leak the brake fluid could get inside of the switch body and actuation or shorting could cause a fire. The fix is a kit which will plug into the switch and then the connector removed from the switch will connect to the new part. What that part is to be is a simple fuse holder and fuse in the line to the switch to open in the even that the switch should leak. I can't find what value that fuse is, or it could be done yourself. The parts are now backlogged into January because there are so many of us. It will only take five to ten minutes for the call to disconnect the switch and about the same to put the new part in. If you contact me, I would be happy to send you a picture of mine with the plug removed and taped up to keep dirt out, as Ford instructs.
 
IMHO the manufacturer should be making a much better effort to get parts available and avoid requiring multiple trips to the dealer to get this recall taken care of permanently.  Just doesn't seem very customer friendly they way it sounds like their doing it.
 
Someone I know has a Ford Expedition. She got the paper recalling hers 2 years or so ago when it first became a problem. She took it to Ford and they disconnected the switch from the master cylinder. In her research as to why it needed to be done she found that the only ones reporting any trouble had a leak in the master cylinder. Three months later, heading on the road for an extended trip, she opened the hood and plugged it back in. Used the cruise for her trip and then disconnected it again. I saw the new part when it finally arrived and got installed. It was simply an in-line fuse with a male plug on one end and a female on the other which fit in-line with the original wiring. How can it take 6 months for someone to make? I think I could have done it myself in about 5 minutes.
 
Regarding going to the dealership:  Ford has records and if you don't go to the dealer then your record will not be updated.

I'd hate to be in an accident, but if I were to be in an accident and it was possible that the Cruise on a ford product had contributed in any way to the accident I'd be asking for the recall record on the other car's VIN,  If it turns out that they had not had a dealer certify the recall as having been satisified...  I'd be considering additional legal action for "Knowing and willingly allowing an unsafe vehicle to be operated"

However when the dealer enters your VIN in Ford's computer and says "Taken care of" that settles the charge
 
When I had the same recall on my F150, the final fix was to physically replace the cruise control deactivate switch on the master brake cylinder. On the work order, it stated that the switch was OK upon replacement. Guess now, they are going to a fuse so it will open if excessive current is drawn - still doesn't fix the problem, only a bandaid fix leaving the original problem intact.

Larry
 
Well Shyne, it's like the fuel clip recall on GM's 8.1 L engine,

I went to my dealer to schedule some routine maintance and the clip replacement.. They told me that the oil change would be no problme (Sixty five bucks for full synthetic on a motor home, AT A DEALER!!!) but they were not sure they could get the clip in time (2 weeks notice) so I came home and alled Alan (National service manager for Workhorse) six pm that very day he put the clip in my hand.  Told me to let the dealer do the install though cause if I tried it myself there was sure to be a fire.

Well, considering I'd already scheduled the vist, and Workhorse was paying for the job.. There was no way I was going to get MY hands dirty.  And now the computer shows the job done.

I should add they don't give me that "Takes us over two weeks to get parts" line any more... Might have to do with the business card I clipped the clip to when I handed it to the service consultant.    I think they took note of who's name is in my phone directory :)  He's a nice guy, and that particular day he wanted to chat with someone who would not attack him, he had just done something that upset a bunch of unreasonable folks, and knew that I was on his side in the issue. 

(In truth what he'd done that upset folks was absolutly nothing, but they were upset over the way he did it, Long story but it amounts to issuing a statement: If we did something wrong, We'll fix it but if you break it it's you get to pay for the repair"

I'm not an expert mechanic but I do know enough to comment on the warranty and the fact that "Engine upgrades" can damage an engine.
 
2006F350 said:
When I had the same recall on my F150, the final fix was to physically replace the cruise control deactivate switch on the master brake cylinder. On the work order, it stated that the switch was OK upon replacement. Guess now, they are going to a fuse so it will open if excessive current is drawn - still doesn't fix the problem, only a bandaid fix leaving the original problem intact.

Larry

Kinda like the Cummins fix for defective parts installed during manufacture.  They provided a warning on the dash to let you know to pull over soon as your engine is about to spill its guts and oil all over the road.  Still can't figure out how the feds alloud this.
 
Ron,

If you go to the following URL, you will see where the Cummins "FIX" didn't and that the engines had more miles than were expected for the problem to show up. 2 instances, 6,000 and 13,000 miles if I recall correctly. 

>> There is a report of a wrist pin failure at the following URL on a recall  engine.

  http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/20537759.cfm


 
James Godward said:
Ron,

If you go to the following URL, you will see where the Cummins "FIX" didn't and that the engines had more miles than were expected for the problem to show up. 2 instances, 6,000 and 13,000 miles if I recall correctly. 

>> There is a report of a wrist pin failure at the following URL on a recall   engine.

  http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/20537759.cfm

Just goes to support my opinion that the Cummins fix for their manufacturing defect is just plain stupid and idiotic.  The Fed should have never agreed to it and the fact they did just shows another instance of Washington incompetence in action IMHO.

IMHO Cummins should be replacing all suspect engines instead of installing a warning light.
 

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