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News, Analysis and EditorialFord
Safety Recalls Take Another Leap: Corroding Door Latches Prompt Recall of
358,857 Focus Cars
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News, Analysis and EditorialFord
Safety Recalls Take Another Leap: Corroding Door Latches Prompt Recall of
358,857 Focus Cars
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Ford Safety Recalls Take Another Leap: Corroding Door Latches Prompt Recall of 358,857 Focus Cars
Ford is recalling 358,857 2000-2002 Focus Cars for rear door latches that may corrode and fail to function properly. AFP quotes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall announcement as saying, "If not latched properly, the door may open while the vehicle is in motion,"1 and "If an occupant fell out of the vehicle, personal injuries could occur."1 This seems believable enough.
Per the Associated Press, Ford plans a dual approach to the safety problem. It plans to replace "corroded latches;" the rest it plans to "clean and lubricate."2 No mention was made as to whether the replacement latches will, or will not, be of the corroding kind.
A Consumer Guide article reports that the Ford Focus was the subject of "seven recalls in the first year of production."3 The Focus is on AOI's Worst of 2000 and Worst of 2001 lists, with Reliability Percentranks of .03 and .21, respectively.
In January Ford recalled 792,000 pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, about 750,000 of which are in the U.S. (See "Ford's 2005 U.S. Safety Recalls Leap Past GM's: Ford Recalls About 750,000 Ford and Lincoln Pickups and SUVs in U.S.") This gives Ford a very distant first place in year-to-date U.S. safety recalls.
It may well serve the consumer to remember that Ford is the auto manufacturer that previously used the advertising slogan, "Quality is job one."
The recall affects Focus cars that were sold or are registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Ford Motor Company will begin notifying owners March 1, 2005.
1 "Ford Recalling Nearly 359,000 Focus Cars Because of Door Problem," AFP, February 6, 2005, available at Yahoo! News
2 "Ford, Dodge Recalling Vehicles," the Associated Press, February 7, 2005, available at Yahoo! News
3 "Ford Not Out of the Woods Yet: Claims of Life-Support Far-Fetched, but Recovery Is a Long Way Off," Consumer Guide, August 1, 2003, at http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/editorial/imho/index.cfm/act/opinion20
Sources for recall information: "Ford Recalling Nearly 359,000 Focus Cars Because of Door Problem," AFP, February 6, 2005, available at Yahoo! News, "Ford, Dodge Recalling Vehicles," the Associated Press, February 7, 2005, available at Yahoo! News, and "Ford Recalling Nearly 359,000 Focus Cars," Reuters, February 6, 2005, available at Yahoo! News
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