Cruise Control Recall

[Keydo]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/06/16/ford.vehicles/

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/06/16/ford.vehicle.faq/?section=cnn_latest

Ford cruise control switch FAQ

Friday, June 17, 2005 Posted: 3:54 AM EDT (0754 GMT)


(CNN) -- Below are details on the Ford vehicles with the cruise control deactivation switch that have been recalled and steps you can take if you are worried about your vehicle catching fire.

What should you do if your vehicle has been recalled?

Ford has recalled more than 1 million vehicles in two recalls to replace the switch. The first recall was in May 1999, affecting 279,000 Ford Crown Victorias, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Cars for model years 1992 and 1993. The second, issued in January 2005, affected 792,000 vehicles, including model year 2001 F-Series SuperCrews, 2000 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators, and 2000 F-150 trucks. If you own one of these vehicles, you should contact your local dealership to disconnect and replace the cruise-control deactivation switch free of charge.

What vehicles have not been recalled?

A Ford document obtained by CNN shows the same or similar switch was installed in a total of 16 million vehicles. Those vehicles include:

# Lincoln Mark VII/VIII from 1994-1998

# Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable and Taurus SHO 2.3 L 1993-1995

# Ford Econoline 1992-2003

# Ford F-Series 1993-2003

# Ford Windstar 1994-2003

# Ford Explorer without IVD 1995-2003

# Ford Explorer Sport/Sport Trac 2002-2003

# Ford Expedition 1997-2003

# Ford Ranger 1995-2003

What should I do if I'm concerned about my nonrecalled vehicle catching fire?

If your vehicle has NOT been recalled, safety experts say you can take your vehicle to your local Ford dealership and have the cruise-control switch disconnected at your expense. At the very least, experts consulted by CNN suggest that you park your vehicle away from your house.



So, it looks those of us who have the cruise-control switch are out of luck unless your model year happens to be year 2000.

Anyone disconnect the cruise control switch by themselves?

 

[Keydo]

Here is a post by Dexter explaining how it works.

http://www.fordf150.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17633&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

Here's what I know about the system: The switch being recalled is the redundant brake pedal position switch (it's a pressure switch). The speed control on newer trucks controls throttle plate using an electric motor that pulls the throttle cable. Older systems used vacuum to move the cable. The older systems used both the brake lamp signal from your tail lights AND a vacuum dump valve to disengage the speed control when you stepped on the brakes. Redundant for safety. Since the newer systems use electric instead of vacuum, the vacuum dump valve is not there for redundancy. What they did was continue to use the brake lamp 'on' signal as one input and use a new, brake PRESSURE switch as the second, back-up signal. If either switch fails to send a signal, then the speed control does not engage. The brake pedal on/off switch (the BOO switch) is mounted up under the dash at the top of the brake pedal assembly. That is not what is being recalled. The brake pedal PRESSURE switch is the one out on the end of the master cylinder. That is what I believe is being recalled.

Every time you step on the brake pedal with any significant amount of force, the brake pedal switch under the dash sends 12V to the speed control module and the brake pressure switch removes its 12V from the speed control module. Both are signals that flip flop from each other. Apparently that pressure switch has bad contacts or something and is arcing and carboning up over time. This arcing and carbon tracking is causing a high resistance short that gets really hot at some point of no return, and burns your truck to the ground.

 

[BONESTOCK]

So if we unplug what is shown in the pic we're all good? I don't use Cruise control anyway.

 

[Keydo]

It sounds like the cruise control switch is live all the time. So, whether it's in use or not, it might still burn out (from the sound of it).

I borrowed that picture from another site and it sounds like if you have that model with the switch shown as such - that should do the trick.

I haven't verified yet, but I think the '03 switch is directly below brake master cylinder.

 

[geeserteg]

Another solution would be just to tie it into a switched power source. Also.. you could find out what the amp draw is on it and then install an inline fuse such as a 0.5 or 1amp. If the switch then shorted it would blow the fuse instead of your expy. I wonder how much time and money will be spent until Ford figures this little solution out. They would be much better off if they got rid of the cheap plastic POS switch in favor of a metal cased one...IMO

 

[icegrill]

another expy got burned along with the owner's house as a result of the switch.

 

[Keydo]

Do you have a link to the news report?

 

[icegrill]

There are a number of stories on this type of accident; here's two:

http://www.click2houston.com/news/4619048/detail.html
http://www.click2houston.com/news/4174920/detail.html

 

[Keydo]

http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.com/forums/topic.ten?pos=3&id=349430

Link to another site that has good info and other pictures of the cruise control switch.

On the 2003 EXPY, it looks like the cruise control switch hangs directly beneath the master cylinder. Difficult place to reach and disconnect, but not impossible. Will take pics of disconnect and possibly see about puting a fuse inline with the live switch as Geesertag suggested.

Anyone who has a 2000 vehicle with the recall performed know what the repair was? I'm curious if they replaced the plastic housing with a metal one to keep the possible fire contained?

 

[jimboh247]

Is it as easy as simply plugging the switch and taping up the end? The 99 is not on the recall list, but if the truck goes up in smoke, the wife is gonna be pissed!