34 - North Shore News -— Friday, October 27, 2000

Focus

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ena

recal

Tony Coté
Southam Newspapers

ON the day Ford
announced that it was
recalling more than
350,000 of its new
Focus compact cars,
the company also said
it has no plans te
extend a court-ordered
recall of nearly 1.7 mil-

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lion 1983-95 cars in
California. :

The US. action involves
ignition problems on 1983 to
1995 Fords such as Escorts,
Tenpos, Mustangs,
Thunderbirds and Tauruses as
well as Bronco. sport-utility
vehicles and Aerostar mini-
vans.

rood ol Canada
spokesman John Arnone said
the recent California decision
does not affect Canadian cus-
tomers.

“We have no plans because
there is no problem = that
would warrant: a voluntary
recall in Canada,” the Ford
spokesman added.

The California judge
ordered Ford to check and
repair the ignition systems on
the older cars. It came as a
result of a class-action lawsuit
that alleged the cars had a
design flaw that led to stalling
while the vehicles were mov-
ing.

“We don’t believe the
judge was right in his order,”
Arnone added.

A subsequent class-action
suit launched in Hlinois
could, if successful, force
Ford to repair the cars across
the United States.

Meanwhile, Ford is gear-
ing up to repair three prob-
lems that have come to light
with the new Focus.

Crash tests by the National
Highway Tratfic Safety
Administration in the U.S.
showed that panels surround-
ing the windshield weren’t
strong enough and didn't
meet mandated crash protec-

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Drew date: October 31, 2000

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

FORD are recalling the Focus in order to meet crash test standards. The recall
affects some 38,000 cars sold in Canada, many of which will also be modified to"
prevent the rear wheels coming cff while in motion.

tion standards. Ford has
agreed to install stronger pan-
els to bring the cars up to that
standard.

The recall involves about
350,000 cars, 36,000 of them
in Canada.

Most of the same cars are
also being recalled to fix a
problem with the rear wheels
that allows them to come off
while under motion. A small-
er number, about 10%, need

to have the cruise control

cables replaced.

Ford will be writing to the
registered owners of the cars
to spell out the details of the
recall and the proposed fixes.

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These latest incidents are
just two of several to plague
Ford in 2000.

Earlier this year Ford
agreed to pick up the cost of
replacing or repairing | 3.8-
litre engines that seize as a
result ofa head gasket prob-
lem. The engines were
installed in 1994-95
Tauruses, Sables, Mustangs,
Windstars, Thunderbirds and
Cougars.

‘It is estimated that there
are about one million vehicles
involved. Jf each requires a
new motor, the cost to Ford
could hit $400 million.

And if that wasn't enough,

306 Kennard, North Van 9

Ford is digging into its pock-
ets to cover haif of the cost of
the repairs to 1993 Villager
vans if the manifold bolts
break. The repair costs about
$1,000 and is being covered
by the automaker because
there was a chance the bolts
were overtorqued at the fac-
tory, making them susceptible
to breakage.

- However, those problems
pale in comparison to what
Ford facés as a result of tire
failures that have been cited
as the cause of accidents that
killed some 160 people. The

See Tire page B.

Automotive

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