Ford Motor recalls costly GT supercar
About 450 vehicles will be brought in to fix defect, which may cause loss of control.
By Eric Mayne / The Detroit News
2005 Ford GT.
Ford Motor Co. is recalling its $140,000 Ford GT supercar to repair a defect that could cause loss of control.
Nearly 450 vehicles - all Ford GTs built to date - are affected by a suspension component problem that originated with a supplier, said spokeswoman Kristen Kinley. The part can crack because of a casting error.
"If it cracks, it could cause the wheel to become unstable," said Kinley, who would not identify the supplier. "And if the wheel becomes unstable at high speed, that's a safety issue."
The recall could tarnish the kudos Ford received for the fast-track engineering process it used to develop the 550-horsepower two-seater. Ford rushed the GT into production to mark the automaker's centennial in 2003.
"Maybe they weren't quite as thorough as they needed to be," said Bill Visnic, senior technical editor of the Southfield-based trade publication, Ward's AutoWorld. "If I were somebody who bought a GT and was exercising it a bit as it was designed to do, I'd be certainly a little annoyed. This wasn't the dome light switch that didn't work."
The recall was voluntary, Kinley said. There were no complaints or accidents related to the defect, which was discovered during an inspection .
Of the 448 vehicles affected by the recall, 111 are in the hands of private owners. Ford has contacted the owners and warned them not to drive the car until the automaker determines how to fix the problem, Kinley said. Ford will pick up vehicles in private hands.
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