Trucks and vans included in latest Ford recall of 4.5 million vehicles

An additional 4.5 million vehicles have been added to the ever-expanding Ford Motor Company recall of faulty cruise control deactivation switches.  This brings the total recall to over 14 million vehicles, the largest ever recall for a single issue according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The problematic switches were manufactured by Texas Instruments, triggering a series of recalls that started in 1999.  Ford stopped using the TI switches in 2003, however they continue to issue recalls.  This recent recall is the seventh related to these switches.

The cruise control deactivation switch receives power from the vehicle even when the ignition is off, and according to the NHTSA leaking fluid could overheat the switches and cause fires.  Over the years fires have been reported by consumers, leading to minor injuries.

Not all of the vehicles in the most recent recall have deactivation switches that receive power when the vehicle is off, but they are now being recalled after Ford faced criticism for leaving them out of previous recalls.

Ford vehicles included in the latest recall effort: