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NHTSA announces 2011 Ford and Lincoln recall over fire risk

Ford Motor Company and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced a recall of a variety of 2011 Ford and Lincoln trucks and crossovers due to a fire risk stemming from an overheating body control module.

This newest Ford and Lincoln recall pertains to the 2011 F-Series pickups (F150, F250, F350, F450 and F550), the 2011 Ford Edge and the 2011 Lincoln MKX with as many as 14,737 units affected. All of these recalled vehicles were built over the course of a six day period earlier this year and in these trucks/crossovers the body control module was incorrectly manufactured by the supplier. This manufacturing error can cause an internet short which can lead to excessive overheating and in the worst cases - this problem could lead to a fire.

The body control module at the heart of this Ford recall is essentially the brain of your vehicle’s non-drivetrain goodies. Items like the interior lights, radio, air conditioning, power windows, power locks and everything else that requires power are controlled by the body control module and while the full function of the module varies by make and model, these are the basic items generally run by the body control module. Ford has had some issues in the past with electric issues overheating and offering a potential fire risk so while there have been no reports of injuries stemming from this problem, Toyota has taught all automakers in the US that you cannot be too careful about safety recalls.

This Ford and Lincoln recall is expected to start on January 10th, 2011 and owners will be asked to return to their neighborhood Ford or Lincoln dealership where the body control module will be inspected and, if needed, replaced free of charge.

Other Ford news:
Ford adding start-stop technology to non-hybrids in 2012
2012 Ford Focus To Get Torque Vectoring System
Super Ford F-150 EcoBoost To Get Public Teardown at Detroit
New Ford Sync App Tells Best Time to Travel