When Your Car Is Recalled

My primary vehicle for business has been recalled for a faulty switch. This, for a vehicle which is over ten years old and has over 100,000 miles on the odometer! I discovered the recall notice in a huge stack of mail which had piled up during vacation. Apparently the notice came a day or two after we left for vacation near the end of August.
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From the notice I received (emphasis mine):

[The manufacturer] cannot be confident that over many years in service, the...switch...will not leak, posing the risk of an underhood fire. This condition may occur either when the vehicle is parked or when it is being operated, even if the [switch] is not in use.

[...]

Until you have the recall service performed, park your vehicle away from structure to prevent a potential underhood fire from spreading.

I've taken the precaution of parking my car on the street and away from trees and my house. Unfortunately, parking the vehicle far enough away still places it quite close to my house and to a neighbor's house. In addition, we're in a drought here. If there is an underhood fire, things would get mighty ugly here.

Even worse than the recall for the part is the unavailability of the replacement unit:

Parts to repair the above concern...will not be available until 4th quarter of 2007....

I called the car dealer first thing Monday morning and made an appoinment for today (Wednesday), when I don't have classes, so as to have the switch disconnected. Sure enough, the part is not yet available. If and when it is available,

Your dealer may be able to perform this repair while you wait; however, due to scheduling requirements, your dealer may need your vehicle for a longer period of time.

With my schedule as tight as it is during the school term, Ford had better provide me with a loaner vehicle. I'm self-employed: no work, no pay.