Sorry, I couldn't resist. Mlive.com reports that parts availability (i.e. lack thereof) has delayed Ford's recall of 1.25m cars for faulty cruise control wiring. Announced in August, the recall affects more than a dozen models built from 1992 to 2004. These include the 1992 – 1997 Lincoln Town Car/Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis; the 1993 – 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII, 1993 – 1995 Taurus SHO and the 1994 Mercury Capri. To rectify the situation, Ford dealers install a fused wiring harness (there's your duct tape) into the speed control electrical system. Until the replacement parts arrive, Ford's inviting worried owners of these rolling relics to take their car down to their local dealer to have the cruise control system disconnected. For free! Speaking without a lawyer, Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis says there have been no deaths, injuries or accidents associated with the August recall.
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This cc failure was discovered in the early 90’s by internal testing to both Ford and TI (there are some videos showing the internal testing and the resulting fire). Nothing was done to rememdy it b/c it was a low failure rate (versus the Explorers and Pintos). However if it failed the results were extremely dangerous. Imagine your house burning down b/c of some thin film that fails (regardless of how old the vehicle was). And hydraulic / brake fluid’s flash point is 400+ degrees (Probably using DOT 3 fluid) but when it burns it burns with such intensity that it’ll melt through metal. Just the possibility that this can happen is beyond me. Ford just repeatedly finds defects and does nothing about them – besides deflates Firestone tires to hide handling / stability problems exacerbating the tread seperation problems.
They’ve already addressed the bigger problem: their trucks and SUVs. The car problems are (big surprise) on the back burner. I’m still waiting for my #*$%^!* fuse splice on my 1995 Mark VIII. Local dealer said they’d be in by October, now they say call back every month.
Thanks for the picture, Robert. I forgot how hard these cobra-mill’d, air sprung Lincolns move with the cruise control disengaged.
Ford’s inviting worried owners of these rolling relics…
I resent that. :)
But seriously, thanks for the heads-up. I own a 92 Vic and keep forgetting about this one.
If Ford doesn’t get us the part soon, I’ll just go to Autozone and splice in my own fuse/switch/whatever it is.
People who own these cars are either one dead battery away from the junkyard or already know how to fix most anything under the hood. It even easier thanks to message boards.
Can you tell I’m tired of waiting to get my cruise control back?
yet another reason to drive past the ford dealership.
There are only two substances a man needs in life: Duct Tape and WD-40.
If you need to put it together, use the duct tape.
If you need to take it apart, use the WD-40.
The answer to all life’s questions can be answered with duct tape or wd-40.
Is this what Ford means by “Bold Moves”? Virtual Insanity: Add Viagra
I loved the line about Duct Tape, the author doesn’t know how right he is. When I worked on the assembly line at Ford it used to be a joke, the rumor would spread, were going home early, chassis is out of duct tape. Between holes that were drilled in floors adn firewalls, that should not have been, wheels wells that split open inside the car after the paint ovens and component mounting holes that clips would not go into or clips in the wrong places, everyone repairman carried a roll of duct tape on their belts. The other necessary item is black Dum Dum, at least that is what we called it. Strips of black tar like tooth paste on wax paper sheets that could be used to fill any gap or hole that was to tough for Duct Tape.
daro31
The other necessary item is black Dum Dum, at least that is what we called it. Strips of black tar like tooth paste on wax paper sheets that could be used to fill any gap or hole that was to tough for Duct Tape.
Ford isn’t the only one using this stuff. My parents owned a succession of Chrysler products between the late 60s and mid 90s. Every one of them had this gunk filling cracks in the truck (or anywhere else they didn’t think you’d see it) then painted over.