Ford recalling 1.2 million F-150 pickups

DETROIT - Ford leaned on Thursday pressure from regulators and widened a recall of America's best-selling vehicle, the F-150 pickup, because its air bags at the wrong time can provide.

The recall includes almost 1.2 million F-150 s for model years 2004 and 2005, and some for 2006 built built. A short circuit may which could cause airbags to inflate without a crash and hurt drivers.

Ford Motor Co. in February said the problem would be 150,000 truck rules but had resisted the Government would like to expand the recall.

The wider recall shows how regulatory authorities have become more aggressive since the criticism last year for a slow response to unintended acceleration problems in Toyota vehicles. It is also a sign that it is harder for Ford and other automakers the size of future callbacks to limit.

The national highway traffic safety white 269 cases in which the air bags inadvertently, committed administration security governing car, 98, takes some serious injuries.

When Ford resisted NHTSA's request to extend the callback of the winter, said the Agency for the guarantee that it will hold a rare public hearing to may. NHTSA said "The potential for astronaut loss of control is an unreasonable risk of security", the company.

Before the flood of unintended acceleration reminds Toyota's last year, not NHTSA would have made likely Ford the callback, you expand said Joan Claybrook, a former administrator of the Agency, who previously led the consumer group public citizen.

But the Agency become aggressive is since of Toyota's problems is critical, said.

She said NHTSA fining Ford for not having regard to all vehicles could land in February. Toyota a record paid the Government $48.8 million in fines for using three callbacks.

Ford, like most car manufacturers, callbacks, that delay to reduce size and cost, said Claybrook.

Ford said that owner next month say it to their trucks to a dealer, a wire of airbag in the steering wheel to replace. The wire can rubbed be caused a short circuit, inflate to the airbag unexpectedly can lead. The repair less than half a day, said the company.

The problem was fixed in January 2006 in factories of Ford's truck, not it are vulnerable after this date.

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood, the company said the truck remember not before five years, because there was not a security risk. Also, Ford officials believe not, a big recall was required, because the short would first set light warning of an airbag problem from a dashboard.

"We thought the airbag warning lamp, sufficient note for customers, that the vehicle requires service well before the air bag deployment, and most owners it would then maintained," he said.

Ford also determines most of the truck with the problem were in a now-closed factory in Norfolk Virginia, and those contained in the February call back, he said.

The F-150 has traditionally been the best-selling car in America, and makes about 18 percent of Ford Sales. It was a profit center for the company. Good for sale equipped truck for more than $ 40,000.

Thursday's recall expanded also 16,000 Lincoln LT pickups from the model year includes 2006.

Claybrook contends that all trucks at once remember Ford not to save money, a claim denied the Ford.

A Barclay's analyst Thursday estimated that the callback over 180 million $ or $150 per truck Ford would cost. Claybrook is the cost per vehicle to expensive when compared to other callbacks.

Air bags have saved thousands of lives and reduce injuries. But they can people injured, because they quickly bloat. The most injuries are scratches from contact with the bag and burns from the gases, the they inflate.

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Ford said NHTSA, that F-150 driver Burns, bruises, neck and back pain and smaller cut tracks reported. Two customers chipped or broken teeth and two reported a broken elbow or arm. Ford said that it knows no crashes through the airbag problem caused.

Drivers are less likely that air bags be infringed by, which inflate at random as of Beutel, expert with the University of Michigan go in a crash, Matthew Reed, a car safety transport said Research Institute, the air bag injuries for 22 years has studied.

Air bags are used to protect someone, sitting in a driving position, and injuries are more likely if they are not that position, Reed said. People often out of position as a result of heavy braking, shot or other movements are in crashes.

"If at all, a random airbag deployment is more likely to catch the occupants in the location, the airbags for developed were", he said.

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