The problem relates to a bolt under the vehicle. The bolt holds the parking brake and the anti-lock brake cable in place. In an accident, the bolt can rupture the gas tank. To fix the problem, the Highway Patrol is simply replacing the bolt.
None of North Carolina's patrol cars have caught fire, but they say it is time for a safety fix. Officials say the cars going in for repairs will not impact law enforcement.
"We have the vehicles rotating in on a staggered basis. It's just a matter of seconds or just a matter of minutes to bring the car in and correct the recall and get the trooper back out on the roadway," Sgt. Everett Clendenin of the State Highway Patrol said.
Durham police say they have not heard about the problem with the Crown Victorias. Raleigh police say they are looking into it. A spokesman at Capital Ford said the bolt problem only impacts cars outfitted with the high-performance law enforcement package.
The repairs are not coming out of the taxpayer's pockets. They are being funded by Ford.
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
