US regulators probe Ford floor mat safety

NotaSuv

Simply amazing when a company cant figure out how to get the floor mats correct.................


WASHINGTON — US federal safety regulators are investigating reports that floor mats on some 2010 Ford Motor Co. models have caused accelerator pedals to stick, it emerged Tuesday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in a statement dated May 28, warned owners of 2010 Ford fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles not to place any unsecured floor mats on top of the standard, carpeted floor mat in the driver's side foot well.
The NHTSA said it was "opening a formal investigation to examine allegations of the pedals becoming trapped in the depressed position after the driver releases the pedal to decelerate."
The agency said it had verified three consumer complaints concerning the 2010 Ford Fusion that the company's optional rubber "All Weather" mat, when laid on top of the secured, standard carpeted floor mat in the driver?s side foot well, "can slip forward and trap the accelerator pedal."
None of the complaints involved crashes, injuries or fatalities, the agency said.
Ford was not immediately available to comment.
Ford shares shed 2.73 percent at 11.41 dollars on the New York Stock Exchange.
Japanese rival Toyota last year acknowledged a problem with floor mats that was causing accelerator pedals to stick, but in January issued massive vehicle recalls, citing unintended acceleration not linked to floor mats.
Separately, the Chinese product-safety watchdog announced Ford and Ford and Mazda are recalling more than 230,000 vehicles made by their China joint venture to fix a software problem blamed for bouts of engine failure.
The companies are recalling 236,643 Focus cars made between August 2008 and May 28 of this year, the Chinese regulators said in a notice on its website late Monday.

PhantomOG

NotaSuv wrote: »

Simply amazing when a company cant figure out how to get the floor mats correct.................

NotaSuv wrote: »

The agency said it had verified three consumer complaints concerning the 2010 Ford Fusion that the company's optional rubber "All Weather" mat, when laid on top of the secured, standard carpeted floor mat in the driver?s side foot well, "can slip forward and trap the accelerator pedal."

And how is having idiot customers the company's fault?

disneyjoe7

Gee funny they never check Government Motors mats.

NotaSuv

PhantomOG wrote: »

And how is having idiot customers the company's fault?

Re read s l o w l y as it states nothing about idiot customers.....simply states that the floor mats the customers bought from Ford when placed where they should be placed slipped.....................:rolleyes:

Last 3 cars I have bought all came with all weather mats that went over the carpeted mat...and all 3 had locking tabs...........thats the key here the locking tabs................................

bobman1235

I would never even think to put a floor mat over another floor mat. That seems... idiotic.

Face

bobman1235 wrote: »

I would never even think to put a floor mat over another floor mat. That seems... idiotic.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks so.

tonyb

Ok, given these matts don't have locking tabs, and given all the publicity over floor matts lately, one has to wonder about a customer that buys said matts without asking if they are secured. But,seeing that Ford is doing well, and GM,not so well, one again has to question the story and it's intended purpose. Have you ever seen an inferior product,whatever it maybe ? Is it the companies fault for trying to sell it to you,or yours for being dumb enough to buy it ? I'm no fan of car companies, but this mind set of protecting consumers from all the dumb choices they make in their life blows me away.

TNRabbit

Floor mats have been interfering with car pedals for DECADES (since they were invented); we've just become such a d@mn "Idiocracy" that it's now ok to sue and get the government involved over this sudden revelation......grow the h@ll up, America!

I WEEP for our future...

MacLeod

The government has to do something. Ford is kicking their ****. Toyota was their chief competition so they went after them and Ford is their chief domestic competition so.....

Thats why its never a good thing to have the government owning businesses.

tonyb

TNRabbit wrote: »

Floor mats have been interfering with car pedals for DECADES (since they were invented); we've just become such a d@mn "Idiocracy" that it's now ok to sue and get the government involved over this sudden revelation......grow the h@ll up, America!

I WEEP for our future...

Amen brother...Ahmen!

Fongolio

I used to own a 1989 Ford F-250 that had factory mats that did the same from time to time. Scared the bejesus out of me a couple of times but I never thought to sue anyone.

Jetmaker737

TNRabbit wrote: »

we've just become such a d@mn "Idiocracy"

I love that movie!

comfortablycurt

bobman1235 wrote: »

I would never even think to put a floor mat over another floor mat. That seems... idiotic.

+1

Why would you put a floor mat on top of another floor mat? Generally, I only have one layer of floor mats in my car. Like you said...it just seems idiotic to put a floor mat on top of...a floor mat.:rolleyes:

TNRabbit wrote: »

Floor mats have been interfering with car pedals for DECADES (since they were invented); we've just become such a d@mn "Idiocracy" that it's now ok to sue and get the government involved over this sudden revelation......grow the h@ll up, America!

I WEEP for our future...

Exactly. I've had this happen to me numerous times in several different cars. I never thought to sue anyone. I just thought "hey, I should keep my eye on that and make sure those floor mats don't slip too far forward in the future".

Guess what? I tried the "keep my eye on them" method, and it's been working wonderfully for me. I've never felt as if I needed locking floor mats.:rolleyes:



I'm sure a whole bunch of people will be jumping on the legal bandwagon now, and try to sue Ford for millions. That's the way our society works anymore.

nooshinjohn

I won't form any opinion on this until our beloved resident Ford-fan finds every shread of documentation on Wiki to prove Ford is blameless on this one. I am willing to take bets that he can prove that somehow Toyota is at fault.

PhantomOG

NotaSuv wrote: »

Re read s l o w l y as it states nothing about idiot customers.....simply states that the floor mats the customers bought from Ford when placed where they should be placed slipped.....................:rolleyes:

Last 3 cars I have bought all came with all weather mats that went over the carpeted mat...and all 3 had locking tabs...........thats the key here the locking tabs................................

Read with a b r a i n:

from the Wall Street Journal

"We do not recommend stacking floor mats in any vehicle from any auto maker," said Ford spokesman Said Deep. "Our all-weather floor mats already come with instructions advising not to place them on top of existing floor mats. We are cooperating with the NHTSA investigation."

Yeah, I already knew about the story before your post, and yeah, I knew more information than your post stated as well. Before comdenming a billion dollar company of being stupid, make sure you look in the mirror first.

bobman1235

Zing!

Joe08867

Another case of stupid is as stupid does. I think common sense is a commodity in short supply these days.

concealer404

This is way less dangerous than my cruise control.

bigaudiofanatic

I have a second set of mats that go over my standard mats to keep them nice No problems and its been 2 years almost.

But still funny

concealer404

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

I have a second set of mats that go over my standard mats to keep them nice No problems and its been 2 years almost.

But still funny

Time out.

Trust me, this is nothing personal man.

But just let me get this straight: You have floor mats, which are meant to catch all the dirty crap on your shoes to prevent wear/staining of your nice factory carpet. They're meant to get dirty and screwed up. And then you have mats that go OVER those mats, to prevent them from doing what they're intended to do? How do you know when to stop? Should you get another set to protect the set that's currently on top?

Or maybe.... just take the set that's on top right now, because you're ok with getting them dirty, and just run ONLY those on top of your factory carpet.

TNRabbit

I'm thinking of putting FOUR mats, all on top of one another~ should reverse time & make my carpet better than new, right?!?

sucks2beme

I doubt the Toyota problem was floor mats at all. Drive by wire
software is a little wack. If it was just a floor mat, most people could of gotten them untangled without killing themselves. Same with this.
Call me crazy, but how about keeping a real LINKAGE? After working a few
years in factory automation, I can see a throttle body control hanging
up sooner or later. How's software gonna fix that, other than shutting the car down? ten years from now, there's gonna be hell to pay for this trend.
If a linkage hangs up, you can always tell, and worst case, reach down and pull it up. Or turn the key off. Now it's way to smart to let you do any of that.

polkfarmboy

When I drive I wear 2 pairs of shoes so I dont need the extra floor mats

comfortablycurt

concealer404 wrote: »

Time out.

Trust me, this is nothing personal man.

But just let me get this straight: You have floor mats, which are meant to catch all the dirty crap on your shoes to prevent wear/staining of your nice factory carpet. They're meant to get dirty and screwed up. And then you have mats that go OVER those mats, to prevent them from doing what they're intended to do? How do you know when to stop? Should you get another set to protect the set that's currently on top?

Or maybe.... just take the set that's on top right now, because you're ok with getting them dirty, and just run ONLY those on top of your factory carpet.

It's sort of like buying a brand new couch, and then putting one of those clear plastic slip covers over it.

Does it make sense? Not at all...but I guess it really does keep the couch clean. It also prevents you from ever being comfortable in it, but that's just a minor drawback to some people I guess. They'd rather keep it clean, than use it the way it was intended to be used.

I'll take a chance on getting it dirty.



I've gotta go to the store now, and buy a few backup sets of floormats. I wanna find out how many sets I can use, before my throttle will jam. I'm betting I can squeeze like...8-9 floor mats in there.:p;)

bigaudiofanatic

concealer404 wrote: »

Time out.

Trust me, this is nothing personal man.

But just let me get this straight: You have floor mats, which are meant to catch all the dirty crap on your shoes to prevent wear/staining of your nice factory carpet. They're meant to get dirty and screwed up. And then you have mats that go OVER those mats, to prevent them from doing what they're intended to do? How do you know when to stop? Should you get another set to protect the set that's currently on top?

Or maybe.... just take the set that's on top right now, because you're ok with getting them dirty, and just run ONLY those on top of your factory carpet.

Um let me think when i go on a date or something i take the crappy floor matts out but when your friends are slobs and do not listen to you when you ask them to tap your feet you sort of have to use them. Besides I do not like wearing out factory matts if I do not have to.

Face

Disregard.

Echosphere

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

Um let me think when i go on a date or something i take the crappy floor matts out but when your friends are slobs and do not listen to you when you ask them to tap your feet you sort of have to use them. Besides I do not like wearing out factory matts if I do not have to.

Nice of you to keep her knees from getting dirty.

jflail2

ROFL face. I did a couple of times in college. For those less than reputable friday night dates