NHTSA Complaint #10137265 — 1995 FORD F-150

ON 9/19/05 I RECEIVED A RECALL REGARDING A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM ON MY 1995 FORD F150. ON 9/20/05 THE LOCAL DEALER (SANDERS FORD) DISCONNECTED THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM. I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING ELSE ON MY VEHICLE WOULD BE AFFECTED. TO MY SURPRISE, THE "STOP GAP" PROCEDURE PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE DOES NOT WORK WITHOUT RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE, AS I DISCOVERED LATER IN THE DAY THAT THE HORN ON MY VEHICLE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. I RETURNED MY VEHICLE TO SANDERS FORD ON 9/21/05 AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO RETURN MY HORN TO A FUNCTIONAL STATE UNLESS I SIGNED A WAIVER AND ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE DEFECT IDENTIFIED IN THE RECALL. THE PART TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IS NOT EXPECTED UNTIL ABOUT LATE NOVEMBER. IN THE MEANTIME, AND AS LONG AS THE WIRING HARNESS IS DISCONNECTED, MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE WITHOUT A HORN. THE FOLLOWING WAS E-MAILED TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY ON 9/21/05 : "THE RESPONSE TO MY LAST E-MAIL FAILED TO ADDRESS MY REAL CONCERN (NO HORN AFTER THE WIRING HARNESS IS DISCONNECTED). I CANNOT SAFELY OPERATE MY VEHICLE WITHOUT A HORN UNTIL THE FUSED WIRING HARNESS IS INSTALLED. NOR DO I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO SIGN A WAIVER IF THE WIRING TO MY HORN IS RECONNECTED, AS ADVISED BY THE DEALER. NEED RESOLUTION." THE ABOVE INFORMATION, IN NO WAY IS INTENDED TO CRITICIZE OR COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SERVICE RENDERED BY SANDERS FORD OR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES. QUITE THE CONTRARY, I BELIEVE THEY HANDLED THE SITUATION VERY PROFESSIONALLY UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, ESPECIALLY MR. ARNOLD AND MR. RENCHEN.*JB