Some genius engineer at Ford thought it was a good idea to put the cruise control deactivation switch on the brake master cylinder. Not only that he thought it was a good idea to use a cheap membrane switch that was prone to decaying due to contact with the corrosive brake fluid. To top all this off this switch is hot (as in current applied to it) ALL THE TIME, regardless of weather the switch is on or not.

So the cheap switch, which shouldn't be where it is to begin with, let alone constantly hot, arcs with the brake fluid and starts a small fire which then catches all the other wonderfully flammable materials in your car.

No offense to any engineers or designers in the audience, but I can't think of a good reason why this switch was placed where it was and why it should have been hot all the time. What was wrong with locating this switch down on the brake pedal well away from any flammable fluids? None of my other Ford vehicles have the cruise control deactivation switch up on the master cylinder.

I'm not defending Ford in this regard, I'm just saying that you can't drive around in an SUV or truck expecting its center of gravity to be the same as a Honda Accord. Physics just doesn't work that way. I've had a couple blowouts happen to me (one in my 1992 Ford Explorer) and I wasn't the least bit scared by the blowout and didn't even come close to landing wheels up. I was more worried about some inattentive jackass yakking on the cell-phone creaming me while I put on the spare.

As one of those affected by the expanded recall I for one appreciate the news.

It had been parked there, overnight, just like every other night until that point.

The down side for those people who want to get them fixed: Waiting. Parts like this are sure to be on back order and if enough people want to get them fixed you might have to wait. Or not. You can just get it disconnected and then not have to worry.

Unless of course, you happen to encounter the worst-case scenario of a fiery death.

However, I wonder if my bro has gotten the airbag fixed on his Honda...

Wait. Isn't this a feature?

"My 1998 Ford Explorer XLT burst into flames with absolutely no warning while parked at my daughter's high school parking lot..."

"Vehicle was parked for about 15 minutes when all of a sudden it caught fire on its own. results showed that there was an electrical short with the cruise control switch..."

"When the fire was put out, all that was left was a big mess. My truck was gone. The vehicle had been running fine. My cruise control had went out about 1 month prior to the fire..."

"What are we as consumers supposed to do when the products we purchase, and for the amount they ask for their product , are lost due to the manufacturers defects? How are we as consumers protected?"

Also, of the top ten cars "cashclunked," seven were Ford Explorers, Excursions or Windstars, so good widdance to bad wubbish, as this guy used to say. Or is that "clunkercashed?"

@xtc46 - thinksmarter on twitter:

Yeah, this is OLD NEWS.

My 1994 Ford Explorer is too old to melt itself. :| Instead, it's falling apart piece by piece.

This recall has been going on for years. I have a 2000 ford explorer and had this fixed atleast 5 years ago.

2002 Explorer? NICE, was going to buy one friday!