Carmakers Recall Nearly 5Million Pickups, SUVs

Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday that it would recall 3.8 million full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles to repair a cruise control switch that could overheat and cause engine compartment fires.

The voluntary recall comes less than two weeks after consumer advocate Ralph Nader blasted Ford, the nation’s No. 2 automaker, for dragging its feet on the issue.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received more than 500 complaints of engine fires linked to the faulty switch.

In addition, three deaths have been attributed to fires in Ford trucks, a company spokeswoman acknowledged. Ford faces wrongful death claims in suits filed in Iowa, Georgia and Arkansas.

The company said it would inspect and repair the problem on 1994-2002 model year Ford F-150 pickups and Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition and Bronco SUVs.

In a separate recall Wednesday, Toyota Motor Corp. said it would ask owners of 978,000 compact pickups and SUVs sold in the U.S. to have the vehicles inspected for a fracture in a steering system control rod that could cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles.

The Toyota recall -- its largest in the U.S. -- covers 535,000 four-wheel-drive compact pickups from the 1989-95 model years, 375,000 Toyota 4Runner SUVs from the 1990-95 model years and 68,000 T-100 pickups from the 1993-98 model years.

Ford spokeswoman Kristen Kinley said the pickup and SUV fires could occur if brake fluid leaked through the speed control deactivation switch and corroded electrical components, causing heat buildup.

The automaker said it would install a fuse between the switch and the speed control mechanism to act as a circuit breaker, shutting down the flow of electrical current if a problem occurred.

“We have a solution that fixes the problem and we’re confident that this is going to be the right remedy,” Kinley said.

Ford’s recall is the fourth-largest in the company’s history. It follows a recall in January of 792,000 trucks -- F-150s, Expeditions and Navigators from the 2000 model year, as well as the 2001 F-Series Supercrew pickup -- for the same problem.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating the recalled Ford vehicles since early this year.

Ford shares closed Wednesday at $10.13, up 17 cents, while Toyota rose 85 cents to $41.85.