Ford's recall of 3.6 million vehicles to fix faulty speed control deactivation switches begins today. The carmaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall August 3 to alert owners that the switches could leak, overheat and cause fires under the hood.

The recall affects a number of models of cars and trucks built between 1992 and 2003 including the Town Car, Crown Victoria, Explorer and Grand Marquis, among others.

The switch is designed to turn off the cruise control when the driver steps on the brake. Even drivers who do not use the cruise control feature should have the part replaced.

Owner notification is slated to begin today and be completed by Sept. 19. In the notice, Ford advises owners of the trucks and sport utility vehicles to take their vehicle to a dealer immediately for installation of a replacement system.

Because there are not yet enough parts to repair all the cars, owners of those vehicles are being advised to go to the dealer immediately to have the switches disconnected. In October, when the replacement parts become available, car owners will be asked to return to the dealer for the repair.

A full list of the vehicles follows:

• 1993 Ford Bronco
• 1992-1997 Ford Crown Victoria
• 1992-1993 Ford E-150 - E-350
• 1997-2003 Ford E-150 - E-350
• 1999-2001 Ford Explorer
• 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport
• 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
• 2003-2004 Ford F-150 Lightning
• 1995-2002 Ford F-53 Motorhome
• 1993 Ford F-Series
• 1998-2002 Ford Ranger
• 1993-1995 Ford Taurus SHO (automatic)
• 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII
• 1992-1997 Lincoln Town Car
• 1994 Mercury Capri
• 1992-1997 Mercury Grand Marquis
• 1999-2001 Mercury Mountaineer

You can find more information on Ford's web site or NHTSA's site. Owners can also contact Ford at 800-392-3673.

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