Lawsuit Against Ford?

[THE BRONZE]

I was recently told that Ford, the company that brought us the Pinto (AKA Bic Lighter on wheels) is being sued for a problem with the fuel tanks on their Crown Victoria. It seems they too light up after rear end collisions. Does anybody know if this is true, and which model years are inolved?

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Jim

[CustomsCop]

No specific causation, but I have noticed on the 'Daily Blotter' of www.lineofduty.com (http://www.lineofduty.com) that several Crown Vics have recently been involved in crashes and "burst into flames." Probably should be investigated....

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Fact is a function of evidence; Truth is a matter of perspective.

[Sig220Man]

Same thing happened here in the LA area yesterday. Two CHP officers were sitting in their Crown Vic, investigating a crash, when another vehicle slammed hard into them from behind. The fuel tank caught fire, and the CHP officers had to break out the windows in order to escape. The driver of the car that hit them wasn't so lucky.

A few years ago, my department investigated a fatal traffic collision involving a civilian Crown Vic that had crashed and burned. What made that case interesting was that the Crown Vic was NOT hit from behind, but rather from the side.

[This message has been edited by Sig220Man (edited 02-26-2001).]

[Nokomis]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by THE BRONZE:
[B]I was recently told that Ford, the company that brought us the Pinto (AKA Bic Lighter on wheels) is being sued for a problem with the fuel tanks on their Crown Victoria. It seems they too light up after rear end collisions. Does anybody know if this is true, and which model years are inolved?
{/B]
On Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Products.The Recall info is mailed out to the original purchaser.
But is readily available to the Service Depts.If the vehicles are worked on at any non authorized Ford shop it may have slipped through.I used to tell my customers it is a good thing to get a Recall notice.You have the assurance Ford will repair or replace.


The vehicles in Fleet sales such as Co. and LE and the like are sold in Fleet and the Fleet Manager is the one who fields the questions and problems.The Service Managers or Writers can run up the vehicles on "Oasis" on the Vin# and tell you if it is flagged for recall repairs."Oasis" is the world wide computer system that all Dealers are connected by.Many customers would call on the ESP/Plans and say they bought a Ford Plan?Only they were not in the F/L/M system.They had in fact bought a Inhouse Dealer Insurance Plan and not good anywhere but that one Dealer.The Bills at a shop had to be sent to Inhouse Insurance Co. for processing.If I searched and found they had no Ford/L/M/Plan?Normally they went off on me.I got em calmed down and they found the problem was directly with the Dealer they purchased from.So you all know for future reference?The REAL Ford/L/M is backed by American Roads Insurance by Ford. Dearborn,MI. On the gas tanks?Call the Dealer.Call the Service Manager and Fleet Sales Manager.Have the VIN numbers in hand OFF the windsheild and the door BOTH.That will locate the vehicle and recall info.
So many of the new vehicle bodies are nothing but plastic.Let us know what you find out.Okay?Your Purchasing Agent should be notified.

[Don]

Just out of curiousity do any of you AZ LE know if that was a Vic that the DPS officer was in last year?

The accident happened in March or April, I believe on the 60 fwy, when he was rearended on a TS. If my memory is right he burned to death in the crash and the guy that hit him fled, then turned himself in a few days later.

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"You know what REALLY makes me mad? Well just about everything actually." Jack Palance
6P1 (retired)

[THE BRONZE]

Don, my parents are in Tucson. My father said he read it was a Vickie, but we know how the press can screw things up.

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Jim

[pinal684]

Don,
The officer DPS officer that was killed on US 60 in AZ was in a Crown Vic. His name was Skip Fink. Another officer from DPS was also killed while investgating a collision in the Tucson area. His name was Juan Cruz. His family has filed a lawsuit against Ford.

[THE BRONZE]

So does anybody know if this problem is limited to certain year models? I drive a 99 at work, but we also still have several of the older 97 and 96 models left.

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Jim

[Don]

Has anyone heard any more on this lawsuit?

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**Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.**
6P1 (retired)