Te ner CN at Th Soe EE 2 Fe ene enmtined AMTRIRN ET B10-Sunday News, June 15, 1980. Ford recall triggered by accident Woman run over by her own car By PATRICIA KOZA WASHINGTON (UPI) - Constance Bartholomew was loading groceries into her Lincoin Continental when suddenly the car — with her 5-week-old son Jordan in the and waited for bulance to come.” That incident on Oct. 22. 1976 in the Washington suburb of Falls Church, Va.. started a chain of events leading to a government finding Wednesday that the am- built from 1972 to 1979, can slip into reverse when the gear indicator is left in the park position with the engine running. Ford branded the ten- tative findings, laid out in a 100-page report, as “unsub- auto front seat — jumped into reverse, ran over her and started moving out of a supermarket parking lot. “I dragged myself across the ground.” she recalled. “I knew | had my baby in that car. He had fallen on the floor. ] put my hand on him could tngger the biggest automotive recall in history. After 2'4 years of investi- gation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Admunistranon tentatively concluded 16 millon Ford Motor Co. vehicles with automatic transmissions, Bumper to Bumper BRAKE SPECIAL up to $49.95 Labour Only ~ tnspect:New tront disc pads New rear linings - Repack Front wheel bearings - inapect Drums & rotors Brake hoses Front grease senis Rea: whee! cylinders Front calipers Most Passenger Cars Any additionat before work is Started parts of teatooouan wall toe quoted TUNE-UP not more than *39.50 *44.50 *49.50 4cylinda: Heplece Spark ptuge wttt Motorcraft Pliage ignition potnte Condenes: Rotor wtth new Merten rat parts Adjuet Timing + artes and bette ( het Otetrttrastan 6 ag HEvgy Wy Aharer: lorem eve. Spart grt wren oe ecy Valeo Le Se MT Neve bescewes [haghet tron Bm micat vee Prete mere) bel oarase bene teedderst Any edhDonet parte > will fom tpesertand « teafan oe atarted wit “Braseo l, incoin Mercury oo is. Marine Dr North ‘Van, Oc ylindor now Ae arte mares. Hc ylinder stantiated allegations.” The automaker has attnbuted the problem to drivers failing to properly latch the gearshift in park position. But the NHTSA has set a July 21 heamng for pubhc comment on whether tt should make its” findings Canada OTTAWA (UPC) - Federal cabinet ministers = said Thursday they would await developments before deciding what action if any would be taken against Ford Canada Ltd to recall about 15 milhon automobiles with defective transmissions Transport Minister Jean Luc Pepin told reporters he had ordered his) depart mental officials to report and make recommendations as bdr cake * { dererree Stine Cocortrpotester t copeti pe © C cotniprbertes tne oot Cacaeah th tere 2 { vatysboort: eo Mest Caveat capi tese: Prego): Per tie, crapytflerr: " 984-9581 “tadberc final, forcing Ford to recall the vehicles. An agency spokesman said there have been only one or two cases where a defect finding was not made final. Mrs. Bartholomew's case is one of more than 6,000 “park-to-reverse” accidents NHTSA has on file. in- cluding 98 fatalities and 1.170 injuries allegedly attributed to the problem. Altogether. the agency has receirved more _ than 23.000 complaints from Ford owners. In an interview with United Press International. Mrs. Bartholomew said the 1976 accident actually was the second time her car shpped into reverse. The child. now 3. suffered a broken collarbone, and Mrs. Bartholomew says the bov now suffers from a awaits to what achion should be taken in hight of a possible recall He dechned further comment until he had more informavon. The US) government has tentatively ruled that the automauic transmissions in about 16 millon Ford cars may be defective, possibly causing the largest recall in automotive history Following = a mecting, cabinet Industry Minister Improve your motorhome’s mileage by installing a custom dual exhaust WE ALSO OFFER rerhyeoe Heese ree, sybian kh ational Verh besy ibe scoetoens Lifetirne Pritt with Lafertinive 860 W. 15th North Vancouver (across from Dave Buck Ford) - We are locally owned and operated master charge | VISA in SPT TRUS PSP A Ne ee en ce a nn Re A RelA Ng ASO ADA LCSD SNP SHEE AN AS NES STARE RETA oT ge cee REN disease possibly triggered by the accident. The accident’ prompted her to start questioning her auto dealer insurance company and the govern- ment. But after a year with no results, she contacted the Center for Auto Safety, a group onginally sponsored by Ralph Nader and Con- sumers Umon but now operating independently. The center uncovered several hundred complaints. On July 6. 1977. it wrote a letter to NHTSA demanding a recall ‘should a common defect be established.” Last month. tt went to court in an atlemplt to force NHTSA to conclude 1ts Investigauon “We're very pleased but we sull think NHTSA could have done this a couple of vears ago.” said center U.S. fin Herb Gray said any action relating to the U.S findings would be handled by the Transport Minister However, he said the matter must be investigated with the federal government ensumnng Canadians’ were protected by upholding regulavons under federal motor vehicle safety legislaGon In Oshawa, spokesman Canadian Ont . said company a Ford the sup ported ws Amencan parent Help keep our forest from smoking. Use your ashtray. similar spokesman Russell Shew. The potential recall covers all Ford vehicles sold after August 1972 and made before October 1979 that are equipped with C-3, C-4. C-6. FMX and JATCO automatic transmissions. A spokesman tor Ford Canada in Oakville. Ont., said Wednesday the Canadian subsidiary had heard about the U.S. finding through the media and would be meeting ite) discuss its implicanons. “Once we have had time to analyze the Amencan findings we will be in a position to make a statement.” he said. It was understood there had been discussions on the matter between Ford Canada and the _ federal Department’ of Transport pnor to Wednesday ings companys position resisting a voluntary recall and had so informed Transport Canada A transport department spokesman said as many as 1.5 milhon Ford vehicles in Canada could be recalled if the US government plements a recall order After a 3J0Omonth in im vestigation, the US National Highway Iraffic Safety Administration tentatively concluded that 16 milion Ford Motor Co vehicles with automatic transmissions built’ from 1972 to 1979 can shp into reverse when the gear in dicator is left in the park Posion with the engine running Ford in the United States has branded the tentative findings laid out tn a LOO Page report as ttated Tunsubstan The automaker has attmbuted the allegations — problem to drivers faiiog to Properly latch the gearshift in park position There are more than 6 OOO park Go reverse ay file with Including YA 1a cade iaty NELISA fatahties Oo the and injpurics allegedly attributed to the problem Altogether the WMC Tre y has received more than AV. OO0 Complaints from bord OW hCERS North Amernwcay No 2 automaker could lose hundreds ns tovallbcors oof Aollaes tooo recall at a time when the mute toduistey ots reeling fret Taggiaig vate operating bersses aad widespread layolfs CAR & PICK-UP RENTALS rent-a-wreck from $6 95 day plus 64 mile 984-9348 Ps we dont vent wrecks / A,ONSDALE Srtbin 1290 LONSOALE »