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Ford Recalls Vehicles to Repair Throttle Cables; NHTSA Opens Investigation into Honda Odysseys

| Jul 3, 2013 | Automobile Defects

After over a seven-month investigation by NHTSA, Ford decided to recall over 465,000 vehicles that had defective throttle cables installed.  The affected vehicles are 2000-2003 Ford Taurus models and 2000-2003 Mercury Sables models equipped with a Duratec engine.  The problem is the speed control cable collar may fracture at the mounting bracket.  This may result in a stuck throttle position.  This increases the likelihood of losing control of the vehicle and having an accident.

The investigation initially opened on October 24, 2012.  NHTSA received over 100 complaints from these vehicles, because of this problem.  When Ford announced their “customer satisfaction campaign” for these vehicles, NHTSA closed their investigation.

According to NHTSA’s closing report:

“Drivers who experienced this condition have reported being surprised that the engine speed did not drop as expected and in some cases misjudged the degree of braking required to slow the vehicle.  Some drivers reported difficulty in braking the vehicle and responded by shifting to neutral or turning the engine off.”

Ford was to begin notifying owners on June 24, 2013.  Dealers will inspect the cables and add reinforcement to tabs that hold the cables in place. If the tabs are missing, the whole cable will be replaced.

Recently, NHTSA has opened an investigation in the Honda Odyssey due to a spontaneous brake issue.  These Odysseys include 2007 and 2008 models.  Currently, NHTSA reports that over 340,000 vehicles could be affected if a recall takes place.  The complaints in this investigation are similar to an earlier recall that occurred in March 2013 with Honda and Acura models [link to blog].

Click here to read the full New York Times article: N.H.T.S.A. Investigates 2007-8 Honda Odysseys for Spontaneous Braking Issue

The investigation was opened after 22 complaints were reported.  According to the preliminary investigation report from NHTSA:

Some complaints allege that the vehicle suddenly applies the brakes by itself while the accelerator is being applied, causing the vehicle speed to drop by as much as 30 mph in a very brief amount of time.  Five complaints reported that the repairing dealer found a trouble code indicating a problem with the steering angle sensor.  Ten complaints report that the dealer was unable to find a trouble code or to diagnose the problem.

NHTSA has opened this investigation to determine if a safety recall is necessary.

Americans rely on their car manufactures to provide a safe well-designed vehicle.  Sadly, that is not often the case.  The Auto Defect Attorneys at the Brandi Law Firm have successfully represented many people injured from defective Toyotas, Fords, Chrysler, Honda products and numerous other manufacturers and suppliers.  Often times, people involved in accidents do not examine the issues of defective vehicle design nor whether the car was truly crashworthy – does it contain the appropriate crash protection.  If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto crash, our attorneys at the Brandi Law Firm are available to consult with you.  Please contact our office at 800-481-1615 or email us

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