This year, we have handled numerous lemon law claims with regards to the Jeep Commander (#6 on this year’s car complaint index) and the Pontiac G6.  Now comes word from consumer affairs.com that NHTSA, The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has opened a preliminary investigation which could lead to a recall of 136,444 Commanders and 176,968 Pontiacs.

Jeep Commander drviers have been complaining of stalling incidents with simultaneous loss of lighting systems including headlamps. NHTSA has also received 19 complaints of power steering from Pontiac G6 drivers with two incidents resulting in accidents.

If you find that you are experiencing problems with your Jeep Commander or Pontiac G6, it’s very important to keep all of your reapir invoices and keep a log when you are experiencing problems.  If you bring your car in the shop three or more times, you could be entitled to significant remedy under State or Federal Law.  Feel free to contact us or call us at 1-800 LEMON LAW (1-800-536-6652).

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DETROIT (Reuters) — Ford Motor (F) is recalling more than 650,000 of its top-selling F-150 pickups as well as a Lincoln-branded truck because of a problem with the brake hose that could cause the vehicles to lose braking power. The automaker has recalled 2005 and 2006 model year Ford F-150 and Lincoln Mark LT trucks, according to the recall notice posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on its website Wednesday.

Ford trucks covered by the recall are equipped with 5.4-liter engines. The brake hose on those trucks can detach from an intake manifold, causing the driver to lose the “assist” function that provides additional power to the brakes, according to the safety notice.The trucks could still be stopped with remaining braking power but it would require drivers to apply “more force to the pedal,” Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said. He said Ford had received reports of 11 minor accidents but no injuries because of the brake hose defect.

The sweeping recall covers almost 606,000 vehicles in the United States and comes just as Ford is gearing up to launch all-new versions of its F-Series pickup line. U.S. sales of the Ford trucks are down 16% this year in a downturn tied to high gasoline prices and a slumping U.S. housing market. In addition to the trucks covered by the U.S. government recall, there are another 50,000 of the trucks on the road in Canada covered by a similar recall procedure, Ford said. Ford said customers in the United States and Canada affected by the recall could have brake hoses replaced at Ford dealerships starting in late June.

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We are working with a Philadelphia Network affiliate on this story.  If your truck has suffered damage as a result of this problem, please contact Michael Sacks, Kimmel and Silverman’s Director of Client Services at 800-536-6652 ext. 131 or via e-mail at msacks@lemonlaw.com.

Feds Alert Ford Owners to Recalls

By KEN THOMAS – 18 hours ago WASHINGTON (AP) — The government on Thursday warned owners of about 4.6 million recalled Ford vehicles to bring their cars and trucks immediately to dealerships to disconnect cruise control switch systems that have been linked to engine fires.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the consumer advisory to owners of certain unrepaired Ford,

The recalls have vexed the Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker, affecting its popular F-Series pickup trucks, prompting hundreds of complaints and dozens of lawsuits over engine fires. Three deaths have been tied to the fires and Ford has struggled to produce enough parts to fix the problem.About 9.6 million Ford vehicles have been recalled since 1999 and about 5 million have been fixed, raising concerns about the remaining vehicles on the road. NHTSA said they have received about 60 complaints of engine fires in the Ford vehicles since August 2007.Ford said they supported the action and dealers would soon offer a more permanent fix.“We absolutely want everybody to come in as soon as they can because we can eliminate the risk of fire for anyone with a vehicle in this recall,” said Ford Motor Co. spokesman Wes Sherwood. He said the company would have an “ample supply” of the replacement parts by June.NHTSA said many dealers will disconnect the cruise control switches as a “drive through” service so owners do not have to leave their vehicles at the dealership or schedule an appointment.Dealers have installed a fused wiring harness into the speed control electrical system as part of the recall, but replacement parts have not been widely available. Owners can take their vehicle to a dealer to have the cruise control deactivated until the parts arrive.NHTSA issued a lengthy list of older vehicles covered by the consumer advisory, including 1993-2004 Ford F150 trucks, 1994-2002 F250 through F550 Super Duty trucks with gasoline engines, and 1998-2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer SUVs, all of which were among the best-selling vehicles in the nation during those years.A complete list was available at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/.The Ford recalls have run into problems. Earlier this month, the automaker recalled about 225,000 vehicles that had already been repaired because some wiring harnesses appeared to be defective.Ford also faces more than 100 lawsuits nationwide because of fires linked to the cruise control deactivation switch. Many owners have alleged the fires began after the vehicles were turned off and there have been three deaths attributed to that problem in Iowa, Georgia and Arkansas.

Last week, Ford was able to consolidate 77 lawsuits filed in Texas so a single judge can handle pretrial discovery.Ford has said its internal investigations have found the fires did not cause deaths and injuries.“In the cases where there was that allegation, we found that the source of the fire was unrelated to the vehicle,” said Ford spokeswoman Kristen Kinley.

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Important Safety Recall Notice

Triumph Motorcycles has issued an important safety recall notice (N.H.T.S.A No. 07V-455) to all owners of the Rocket III Classic and Rocket III Classic Tourer models. Triumph has found a defect within the Engine Management Software that may result in the engine stalling when coming to a stop or when idle. It is possible to lose control of the motorcycle while coming to a stop, which is a serious safety concern.

Triumph has issued recall notices to all registered owners of the motorcycles urging consumers to contact their local dealership to receive an upgrade to the engine management software at no cost to them. The repair takes only 30 minutes.

Consumers are urged to first contact their dealer to discuss the recall and to contact Triumph customer service if they have additional questions or concerns. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration is monitoring the situation and complaints concerning any Triumph dealership’s handling of the situation can be made by calling the NHTSA or by going to http://www.safercar.gov.

For more information on Motorcycle Problems, Complaints and Safety Issues, please see our Motorcycle Lemon Law site.

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From Associated Press
Ford Recalling 3.6 Million Vehicles
By Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer
 
Ford Recalling 3.6 Million Vehicles to Deal With Concerns About Faulty Cruise Control Switch

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ford Motor Co. said Friday it is recalling 3.6 million passenger cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans to address concerns about a cruise control switch that has led to previous recalls based on reports of fires.

Ford said the recall covered more than a dozen vehicle models built from 1992-2007. The company said it was responding to concerns from owners about the safety of their cars and questions about the speed control deactivation switch in the vehicles that is powered at all times.

The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker previously had recalled nearly 6 million vehicles beginning in January 2005 because of engine fires linked to the cruise control systems in trucks, SUVs and vans.

“Customers remain concerned about the long-term durability of the speed control system and about the safety of their vehicles,” said Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis.

He said the automaker had received “a few reports of fires” in Ford Crown Victoria passenger cars prior to the recall. He did not have a precise number.

The recall involves the following vehicles: 1998-2002 Ford Ranger, 1992-1997 Lincoln Town Car, 1992-1997 Ford Crown Victoria, 1992-1997 Mercury Grand Marquis, 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII, 1993-1995 Taurus SHO, 1999-2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer.

Also covered are the 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport, 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, 1992-1993 E150-350 vans, 1997-2002 E150-350 vans, 1993 Ford F-Series pickups, 1993 Ford Bronco, 1994 Mercury Capri, 2003-2004 Ford F-150 Lightning, and 1995-2002 Ford F53 motor homes.

An additional 177,000 vehicles in Canada, Mexico and Europe are covered by the recall.

Jarvis said there have been no deaths, injuries or accidents associated with the recall.

It was Ford’s sixth recall, involving a total of more than 10.4 million vehicles, conducted since 1999 because of problems with the speed control system, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The nation’s largest single recall involved 7.9 million Ford vehicles in 1996 to replace an ignition switch.

Texas Instruments Inc. supplied the speed control switch in all of the vehicles covered under Friday’s announcement, Ford said. A TI spokeswoman could not immediately comment.

Owners will begin receiving recall notices on Aug. 13. Jarvis said the parts for passenger cars would not be available until early October. In the meantime, owners can take their vehicle to a dealer to have their cruise control deactivated until the parts arrive. The parts are available for trucks, Jarvis said.

Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control electrical system or replace the deactivation switch if its found to be leaking.

Owners with questions about the recall can contact Ford at (888) 222-2751.

Ford Motor Co.: http://www.ford.com/

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Ford will recall thousands of its Five Hundred and Montego sedans and Freestar minivans after a problem with side door latches. The recall of about 140,000 2005 Five Hundred/Montego sedans and 2005-2006 Freestar minivans is being performed because the latches in the vehicles may let in water, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. The water could freeze and prevent the door from closing properly. In other news, Ford will also recall 6164 Escape Hybrids for a potential problem with drivetrain shafts, which could break and allow the vehicle to move even when shifted into Park.

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