ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 26, 1997 TAG: 9704280024
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: KNIGHT-RIDDER/TRIBUNE
The 1988-1993 models' ignition switches might ignite even after a vehicle is shut off.
A year after Ford Motor Co. recalled 8.7million cars for a faulty ignition switch - the biggest recall ever by a single automaker - only half of the targeted vehicles have been brought in for repairs.
That means that more than 4 million 1988-1993 model vehicles are still on the road in the United States and Canada with ignition switches that might spontaneously ignite and catch fire, even after a vehicle is parked and shut off.
Included in the recall were 1988-1990 Escorts, 1988-1993 Mustangs, 1988-1993 Thunderbirds/Cougars, 1988-1989 Grand Marquises and 1988-1989 Lincoln Town Cars.
Ford, federal safety officials, and even a lawyer hired by Ford owners to sue the automaker give the recall high marks for having replaced switches in even 50 percent of the targeted group.
``We're pleased we are roughly halfway on a huge recall that's taken a lot of work,'' said Karen Shaughnessy, a Ford spokeswoman. The company has taken out full-page advertisements in newspapers and mailed two letters to customers since the recall was announced April 25, 1996. A third letter will go out in July.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 3.2 million, or 40 percent of vehicle owners, had their switches replaced at no charge by the end of 1996. But Ford said a report due next week would show the company has passed the 50 percent mark.
Other recalls have not gone so well. Recalls can last for years and bring in an average response rate of 60 percent, according to federal safety officials.
``This recall campaign seems to be progressing well at this stage. We will continue to monitor it, to see whether any additional actions should be taken by Ford in the future,'' said Kenneth Weinstein, NHTSA's associate administrator for safety assurance.
``Ford deserves credit for what it's done,'' said Richard Schiffrin, a lawyer handling a class-action suit against Ford in Camden, N.J. ``But they should have admitted they had a problem sooner, and they could have avoided a lot of fires and a lot of problems.''
But not everyone is happy with Ford. In the recall, Ford agreed to replace the problematic switch - a repair that cost less than $100. But it has refused customers who wanted the automaker to accept responsibility and pay for possibly millions of dollars in fire damage. Insurance companies paid, instead.
Owners of the recalled vehicles have filed 15,000 claims for a total of $55 million with insurance companies represented by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an industry research group. Insurers said they can't be sure the reported fires were caused by the ignition switch, and Ford says the fires may not be related to the switch.
Insurers are now trying to get money out of Ford. ``Some companies have been successful in part, but I have no idea how many,'' said Ken Hazelbaker, an institute senior vice president.
The problem switch was used in 23.5 million vehicles.
LENGTH: Medium: 66 linesby CNB