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Flaming Fords - Unanswered Questions

January 31, 2005
Ford's recall of 2000-model-year F-150 pickups and a few related models leaves a lot of questions unanswered, including who pays for damage already caused by the defective trucks and what happens to consumers whose Fords aren't covered by the recall.

Flaming Fords • Ford Recalls Millions of Vehicles to Fix Fire Danger • 1.6 Million Ford Windstars Investigated for Fire Hazard • NHTSA Issues Second Fire Warning for Ford Cars, Trucks, and SUVs • Report: Millions of Fire-Prone Fords Still on the Roads • Ford: Parts Now Available to Fix Faulty Cruise Control • Ford Trucks Burn in Virginia, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina • Feds Probe Ford Windstar for Fire Hazard • Ford Truck Suspected in North Texas House Fire • Ford Cruise Control Fire Strikes Florida Car Dealership • Ford Hopes to Wind Down Recall of Fire-Prone Vehicles • Ford Expedition Suspected in Fatal Ohio Home Fire • Ford Fires Continue Despite Long-Delayed Federal Warning • Feds Warn Some Ford Trucks and Cars Can Erupt in Flames • Ford Fire Lawsuits Spread • Ford Recalls 57,000 More Trucks, SUVS for Fire Hazard • Ford Fires Strike in Minnesota, California • Ford Plans Another Recall to Fix Fire Hazard • Ford Fire Hazard Recall Creeps Along • Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute Continue Ford Fire Tradition • Ford Fires Kill Pets and Spread Despair as Year Ends • Ford Lacks Parts for Fire Recall Repair • New F150 Erupts in Flames as Ford Truck Fires Rage On • Red Hot Texas Car-B-Que • Kerry Vows Action to Get Flaming Fords Off the Road • Flaming Ford Scandal Disgraces Ford, Feds • Ford Tries Again to Fix Fire Problem with Massive Recall • One Ford the Recall Missed • Ford Stops Sales of Big Super Duty, Recalls 2008 Trucks • Ford Recalls 155,000 More Trucks to Fix Fire Hazard • Feds Probe Fires in Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute • Feds Wind Up Ford Engine Fire Probe with Massive Recall • Ford Truck Fires Mount as Recall Rolls Slowly • Ford Trucks Burn As Recall Fiddles • Ford Truck Fire Fix Delayed by Parts Shortage • Ford Recalls 4 Million Trucks to Fix Fire Risk • Nader Demands NHTSA Warn Ford Truck Owners • Wrongful Death Suit Charges House Fire Started in F-150 • Feds Look Deeper for Ford Fire Causes • Recall Leaves Many Questions Unanswered • Houston Lawyers Sue Ford • Ford Recalls Some Fire-Prone Models • Feds Probe Ford F-150 Engine Fires • Ford Recall Was Biggest Ever --- • Bronco • Crown Victoria • Dump truck • Expedition • Explorer • F-150 • Other F-Series Trucks • Focus • Mustang • Ranger Pickup • Taurus • Windstar

Ford has taken the position that property damages and injuries caused by fires that start in the cruise-control mechanism are covered by the consumer's insurance policies and has refused to compensate motorists.

This is little comfort to Ford owners like Charles Everts, whose waterfront home burned to the ground when his Lariat XLT pickup caught fire while the family was away, or to Stacey, whose Crown Victoria started a fire that destroyed the Crown Vic, another vehicle and the family's home.

"Ford has yet to make good on even a phone call," Stacey told ConsumerAffairs.com.

Ford's not-our-problem position is being challenged by at least one group of consumers who have filed a class-action lawsuit in Texas. Other lawsuits are likely to follow. Unfortunately, legal experts say the court challenges are not likely to produce big payoffs for consumers.

"In cases where there is no loss of life or grievous injury, the costs of litigation quickly exceed any likely award," said an experienced trial attorney who asked not to be identified. "On top of that, Ford and other large companies have huge legal budgets and will overwhelm, outspend and outlast nearly any group of consumers, no matter how determined."

"Despite what you hear on the news, suing auto manufacturers is very difficult and unbelievably expensive. This is what government is supposed to do -- protect citizens from rapacious corporations."

Other Models

Ford's recall covers about 800,000 vehicles in the following categories:

• 2000 model Ford F-150 truck;
• 2000 model Ford Expeditions;
• 2000 Lincoln Navigators;
• Some 2001 Ford F-Series Supercrew Trucks (built through Aug. 7, 2000)

Unfortunately, similar fires reported to ConsumerAffairs.com have occurred in a much wider range of vehicles. The table below shows fires displayed on our Web site for various models from the year 2000 and from all other years. It does not include complaints that are in our database but not published on our site.

The numbers indicate that the problem is not confined to the 2000 model year, given that there are nearly twice as many complaints regarding vehicles older or newer than those made in 2000.

What To Do

What can a consumer do? If a fire in your Ford caused serious injury or major property damage, you should consult an experienced trial lawyer, one who routinely sues big companies. It's possible that if your case is strong enough, the company might settle rather than go to trial.

If a consumer's losses consist mostly of the vehicle itself, any amount not covered by insurance could be sought through Small Claims Court.

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