A number of accidents have been associated with safety issues caused by the recalled parts.
In the case of Ford, the recall covers 1.2 million vehicles ranging from the Ford Super Duty to the massive Econoline van. The issue involved the camshaft position sensors. Apparently the sensors can overheat and malfunction, causing the engine to stall out while driving. (Inconvenient to say the least.)
The recall comes just months after Ford recalled 3.6 million vehicles for a faulty cruise control switch. Apparently that switch could short circuit and fail, causing a fire hazard. A similar recall on the same switch was released in 2005. As an ex-Ford service advisor, I also remember a number of cruise control switch recalls for different models in years 2001-2003.
There have been over 300 vehicle fires reported due to malfunctioning switches. Who is making these switches and why aren’t they being redesigned so they work? My advice? Use cruise control with caution, Ford owners.
On the other side of Motown, Dodge has announced a recall on nearly 600,000 Dodge Durango, Dakota, and Ram Van gearshifts in model years 2001-2002. Apparently the shift interlock blocker can erode and allow the vehicle to be shifted out of park without the key in the ignition.
This is, obviously, not a safe thing if you leave your kids in the car when you run into the bank. As a kid, I would always play with the column shifter in my mom’s Buick Electra Estate, Wagon and I cannot imagine what would have happened if it just accidentally clicked into neutral. Nine incidents have been reported in connection with this problem. How does a shift interlock erode? Is it made out of aluminum foil?
The Big Three have made huge strides in initial quality surveys in recent years. However, these recalls prove that progress still needs to be made. Recalls can be a true litmus test of how well a vehicle will age in the long term.