Interesting electronics recall by Ford: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

Subscribe get a full year for only $23.95 Sample Free Test Drive—no strings attached

March 3, 2011 10:53 a.m. Javelin SuperDork

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/03/ford-announces-two-recalls-more-than-30-000-vehicles-affected/

Interesting story. Apparently some 14K body control modules could short out and catch fire (were those the "day shift" recall ones?). The interesting part is the first time around Ford tried to use software to read the codes in the modules, but they were "reading the wrong numbers". Uh huh. Anyways, now they have to look at them all again, but they haven't said how. I imagine physically this time.

It just strikes me as odd because the NHSTA usually gets pissed when a recall has to be re-performed and the excuse and solution are a little on the vague side.
March 3, 2011 10:56 a.m. carguy123 SuperDork

Javelin wrote:

The interesting part is the first time around Ford tried to use software to read the codes in the modules, but they were "reading the wrong numbers". Uh huh.

So the Toyota investigation that showed the code wasn't at fault could have been flawed?

Ford also had the electronics on their cruise control shorting out and causing fires. I had one.
March 3, 2011 10:59 a.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

carguy123 wrote:

Ford also had the electronics on their cruise control shorting out and causing fires. I had one.

From a E36 M3ty brake switch on the master cylinder. To which they installed a fused harness to fix it. The real solution was to put on a new switch, but then you have to supply the switch and bleed brakes afterwards. Time is money......
March 3, 2011 11:07 a.m. Conquest351 Reader

Yup... They had us do a delivery hold, then cancelled it due to lack of parts I think. The fire problem was resolved rather quickly because most of the vehicles hadn't hit the streets yet. There are still some faulty ones, but they're just bad programming.

At least that's what I remember from the Bulletin they sent us.