March 10, 2004
Ford is recalling more than 1.3 million Taurus and Sable sedans in two separate actions -- one to fix a faulty brake light and the other to replace an air filter that can catch fire.
Ford said one of the recalls includes about 938,789 Taurus and Sable models for the 2000 through 2003 model years to replace the stop lamp switch and wiring. The company said that a malfunctioning electronic switch may cause stop lamps to become inoperable, or cause them stay on all the time.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it has received 61 complaints of the brake lamps failing, including two incidents that resulted in crashes and one that resulted in two injuries. At least 37 of those complaints were addressed as part of a March 2001 recall of 157,000 vehicles.
The second recall involved about 399,926 Taurus and Sable models from the 2003 model year. Those cars have air filters that can catch fire. Ford has received 65 reports of fires.
Owners of affected cars will be notified by mail.
Last week, NHTSA said it opened an investigation into the 1999-2002 model year Ford Windstar minivan after receiving 56 complaints that the power sliding door could open when the vehicle is moving.
