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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Blazing Switches Trigger Massive Ford Recall

Cruise-control fires start even with engines off

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(Newser) – Ford is recalling 3.6 million vehicles with cruise-control switches that have caused fires even with the engine off, CNN reports. The company recently settled a lawsuit in the death of a woman killed in her home after her husband said their Ford pickup burst into flames in the garage.

Since the cruise-control switch was introduced in 1992, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has documented more than 600 blazes. Ford "could not be confident about the long-term durability of these switches," said a company spokesman in announcing the recall. Ford denies the recalled cars and trucks have "higher than normal" incidents of fire.

A long line of unsold 2007 F-150 pickup trucks sit outside a Ford agency in the east Denver suburb of Aurora, Colo., on Sunday, July 22, 2007. Job cuts, slimmer losses in North America and good sales overseas helped Ford Motor Co. post surprise second-quarter earnings Thursday, July 26, 2007...
A long line of unsold 2007 F-150 pickup trucks sit outside a Ford agency in the east Denver suburb of Aurora, Colo., on Sunday, July 22, 2007. Job cuts, slimmer losses in North America and good sales...   (Associated Press)
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