Complaints of auto defects leading to sudden acceleration are nothing new, but the recall of 3.8 million Toyotas has led some investigative reporters to some unsettling conclusions. According to the Los Angeles Times, automakers and safety experts are questioning whether there are inherent design flaws in vehicles that prevent drivers from taking appropriate action when unexpected acceleration occurs. They cite the Lexus ES 350 as an example. With its push-button start system that relies on the combination of a handheld device and a dashboard button, the Lexus doesn’t make it easy for a driver to do what seems like a no-brainer when a car is accelerating out of control: shut off the engine. The button has to be held down for three seconds once the car is moving – something most drivers wouldn’t know, and which can seem like an eternity when the car is careening.

Other sophisticated electronic components and design elements can create a confusing or no-win situation for a driver. It’s can be difficult to shift a vehicle into neutral, and the vacuum pressure drop when the car’s throttle is fully open makes power-assisted brakes worthless.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last week alerted owners of Ford vehicles about a fire hazard involving an additional 4.5 million vehicles in the latest in a series of related recalls.

Including last week’s announcement, there have been a total of eight safety recalls involving approximately 16 million Ford vehicles equipped with a faulty cruise control deactivation switch manufactured by Texas Instruments. Visit www.SaferCar.gov for more information on these previous recalls.

The switch can leak hydraulic fluid, overheat and then burn, potentially causing vehicle fires even with the ignition turned off and the vehicles parked and unattended.

“These hazardous cruise control switches pose a safety risk even while the cruise control is not in use and vehicles are turned off or unattended. I urge consumers to pay attention to this warning and bring the affected models in to have them repaired as soon as possible,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

The latest recall involves a total of approximately 4.5 million vehicles, including:

* 1995-2003 model year Ford Windstars
* 2000-2003 model year Ford Excursion diesels
* 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 Ford F-Super Duty diesels
* 1992-2003 Ford Econolines
* 1995-2002 Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers
* 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Ford Rangers
* And 1994 Ford F53 motorhomes

The safety agency warned consumers to be on the look out for certain warnings of possible imminent fires, including cruise control systems that stop working or can’t be activated, brake lights that stop working, brake lights and ABS warning lights illuminating on the dash board, or not being able to get the vehicle out of park.

All owners of recalled Ford vehicles should immediately make appointments with their dealers and not park their vehicles in garages or near homes until repairs are made.

According to a report from Reuters, Toyota is recalling over 688,000 cars in China due to a faulty electric switch in the window. The recall involves almost 385,000 Camrys, almost 36,000 Vios, almost 23,000 Yaris, and 245,000 Corollas. According to the company spokesperson, the defect hasn’t been linked with any accidents or injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

Outlook vehicles currently or previously registered in the following states: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia. If a buildup of snow or ice on the windshield or on the wipers restricts the movement of the wiper arm, the windshield wiper linkage may become detached from the motor shaft and the wipers may become inoperative. If this were to occur, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a vehicle crash. Dealers will install a new wiper crank arm, driver’s side link, and a crank arm nut. The recall is expected to begin during October 2008. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080, GMC at 1-866-996-9463, Saturn at 1-800-972-8876, or at MyGMLink on http://www.gm.com/recall.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

Buell is recalling 1,307 MY 2007-2008 Blast motorcycles. The fuel tank may experience some local deformation under high-heat conditions that creates contact of the tank with the cylinder head. In some of these cases, the cylinder head rubbing on the fuel tank has created a fuel leak. This could result in a crash or fire, which could cause injury or death to the rider. Dealers will install a bracket which will prevent the fuel tank from contacting the cylinder head. The recall is expected to begin during September 2008. Owners may contact Buell at 1-414-343-8400.