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October 26, 2005
FIRE-PRONE LIMOS TO GET FREE ANTI-PUNCTURE KITS
According to the Detroit Free Press, which spearheaded an investigation of the problem, Ford Motor Co., “acknowledging for the first time that Lincoln Town Car stretch limousines might be prone to catching fire in high-impact rear collisions, is offering to help retrofit the vehicles to better protect them.” The paper said that in a September letter to companies that convert Town Cars into limousines, Ford said it would provide, at no cost, a kit to protect the vehicle's gas tank from being punctured when rear-ended.
“It is the same kit that Ford began installing on its popular Crown Victoria Police Interceptors in October 2003, after several police officers died in fuel-fed fires in their sedans. Civilians have also died in similar models of the vehicle,” the paper said.
The Town Car is built on the same basic platform as Ford's Crown Victoria and the Mercury Marquis. Nearly 32,000 Town Car stretch limos are on the road.
This is the first time that Ford Motor will make free kits available to owners of at least some of those cars. Safety advocates have urged the company to provide such kits to owners of all Crown Victoria and Mercury Marquis models. See St. Louis Free Press article.
Posted by MVHAP at October 26, 2005 09:58 AM