Caravan Insurance

Ford has had to issue a recall for a huge number of vans in the US, after the company found them to be a considerable fire hazard.

In total, more than a million vehicles have been called back after it was found that their speed control deactivation switch is flawed in the same way as was that of five million vehicles that Ford was forced to recall last year.

Tests revealed that continuous friction between the switch and the vehicle's break mechanism could pose a considerable fire risk, forcing the company to call back a total of 1.2 million vans, pick-up trucks and sports utility vehicles.

Ray Nevi, assistant director of the Ford Automotive Safety Office, explained: "Following last year's recall, we indicated further analysis would continue to determine what vehicle characteristics were contributing to the potential for switch leakage.

"After a year of intensive research, including working with [federal authority] engineers, we have concluded that certain factors on the affected vehicles may lead to the switch overheating."

The problem arises when brake fluid leaks through faulty seals in the deactivation switch into its electrical part, causing it to corrode and on occasion to catch fire.

Ford has immediately informed the drivers of the vehicles concerned, who will be required to drive theirs to named garages where new fused wiring harnesses will be fitted to cut off the electricity to the switches in the event of this hazard arising.