(Newswire.net — April 29, 2017) — Anyone who has ever set their car on cruise control finds out three things. One, it can help to avoid a costly ticket. As you get closer to your destination, your foot can sometimes get a little heavier on the gas pedal, but cruise control overrides that. Two, it makes the ride go more smoothly because you don’t have to continually have your foot on the pedal; you can shift around and be more comfortable. And three, it makes you sometimes feel out of control.
One of the biggest hurdles that the auto industry has is overcoming the vehicle driver’s need to be in control of the vehicle. Until they get used to it, cruise control is likely the very first time that people feel not in control of their vehicle. The problem is that if cruise control isn’t working properly or there is a default in the system, it can be very dangerous for the driver and passengers; this is something Ford truck owners may find out if they don’t go through with the recall.
Ford is currently doing a ford cruise control recall for as many as 37,000 F-150 trucks due to a glitch with the adaptive cruise control. The F-150 is a very heavy vehicle, and it has been found that their cruise control can be triggered and overridden by other trucks on the road, which is a scary prospect. The F-150 isn’t the only car Ford manufactures that is at issue; the Windstar, which would add over 300,000 vehicles to the recall, is just another nail in the profits casket for the Ford Motor Company.
The Ford F-150’s recall requires an update of the adaptive cruise control software to make sure that the glitch is repaired for the 2015 model. The problem is in the design. Right now, the software can become confused when the vehicle passes by a large reflective truck or car, and it can automatically apply the brakes because it misreads the information as the cars both being in the same lane. That can lead to dangerous conditions if there are other people around not expecting a hard brake. It can also scare the truck driver, who would have no idea what was happening.
Although no injuries have resulted from the cruise control issues, Ford isn’t going to wait for a lawsuit to happen. Being stung from the self-igniting cars of yesteryear likely taught them their lesson. Being responsive is the best way to ensure that you not only instill confidence in the consumer, but also that you can avoid potential fallout.
It isn’t just the cruise control or the Windstar that could spell trouble for the Ford Motor Company. According to the latest statistics, as many as over 380,000 cars need to not only be recalled but fixed in America, with an additional 6000 in Canada. Although none of the recalls have been initiated due to injuries, that could still cause a hefty financial fallout. The cruise control is a simple reset and can be done with ease, but recalling any vehicle is never an inexpensive practice.
Even if it is a simple recall, the time and labor costs will set the company back considerably. The other recalls, however, aren’t just simple fixes. There are reports that the F-53 and F-59 models have to be recalled — close to another 1500 vehicles — because the trucks can shift into reverse when the driver taps the brakes. To repair them, it is going to take an entire transmission shift and cable adjustment, which is a much more in-depth fix.
Very few things are made that don’t come with some glitches. But when it comes to motor vehicles, those glitches can lead to deaths and injuries that can quickly get out of control. The Ford Motor Company is not obligated to make a recall for all of the listed models, especially because they haven’t led to any major injuries yet. They don’t want to wait until someone dies or they have a class action lawsuit against them. Ford is being proactive and might have to spend an exorbitant amount of money to fix the problems. But they will likely be saving themselves a lot of headaches and financial ruin down the line.