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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,

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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

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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

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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

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ported ws Amencan parent

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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

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