DETROIT (AP) - Ford Motor Co. says it will add 4.5 million older-model vehicles to the list of those recalled because a defective cruise control switch could cause a fire.
Ford says 1.1 million Ford Windstar minivans will be recalled for repairs due to a small risk of fires.
The company says another 3.4 million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles with the same switches also will be recalled even though there have been no reports of fires.
Those vehicles mainly are trucks and SUVs.
All vehicles covered by the recall are from the 1992 to 2003 model years.
Sherwood says this is Ford's seventh recall due to the Texas Instruments speed control switches.
The recalls cover a total of 14.3 million vehicles and combined are the largest in Ford's history.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Tuesday's warning applied to the following models:
1995-2003 model year Ford Windstars
2000-2003 Ford Excursion diesels
1993-1997 and 1999-2003 Ford F-Super Duty diesels
1992-2003 Ford Econolines
1995-2002 Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers
1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Ford Rangers
1994 Ford F53 motor homes.
FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS FOR THE SCDS. DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 26, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. FORD'S RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS 09S09.
OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153)
