Ford’s woes continue with recall of another model
Rorisang Kgosana and CNS reporter
Ford’s Kuga woes are not over. The company has initiated another recall – this time for a different model and a different problem.
Owners of the 2.0-litre diesel Kuga this week received letters urging them to bring their vehicles in so that a brake issue could be resolved.
The problem, affecting models built between 2014 and 2015, relates to a brake booster vacuum pipe that may weaken if it repeatedly comes into contact with the turbocharger heat shield.
The notice says: “Some Kuga 2.0 diesel vehicles may have been built with the brake booster vacuum pipe routed too close to the turbo heat shield. This causes the pipe to heat up and sag towards the turbo.
“After several heat cycles the pipe could come into contact with the heat shield, causing damage to the pipe increasing the pressure required by the driver on the brake pedal during braking.”
The notice says the solution is the installation of an additional clip to keep the pipe away from harm.
It came to light this week that Ford will be investigated for allegedly violating the Consumer Protection Act after the National Consumer Commission (NCC) was issued with over 130 complaints from consumers.
NCC commissioner Ebrahim Mohamed said investigators served Ford Motor Company with an investigation certificate and letter on Tuesday afternoon.
Over 130 complaints were lodged to the NCC since January by Ford owners, with various complaints raging from overheating, vehicles catching fire and poor service from dealerships.
This includes over 70 complaints received by Rod Montano, attorney of the Jimmy family who lost their brother Reshall Jimmy when he burned to death in a Kuga in 2015. Montano and the family filed for a class action lawsuit against the motor company for models excluding the Kuga 1.6.
“I can confirm that the NCC has instituted an investigation into the activities of Ford SA and its dealerships after receiving complaints alleging prohibited conduct. I further confirm that the NCC has duly notified Ford SA of this enforcement activity,” Mohamed said.
Ford SA spokesperson Alisea Chetty told The Citizen that a notice from the NCC was received, adding the motor company operates in line with the Consumer Protection Act.
NCC spokesperson Trevor Hattingh said consumers complained of Ford refusing to pay them out for the damages. Ford SA CEO Jeff Nemeth mentioned at a briefing earlier this year that consumers should claim damages from insurance.
It also surfaced that insurance companies had previously warned the motor company of malfunctions in the Ford range, including vehicles catching fire, Hattingh said. and the Beast, film’s director.
The film’s stars will be heterosexual – British actors Emma Watson and Dan Stevens play the title roles – and manservant LeFou, sidekick to the film’s macho main man Gaston, will grapple with his own sexuality.
“LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston,” director Bill Condon told gay magazine Attitude in an interview published on Wednesday.
“He’s confused about what he wants. It’s somebody who’s just realising that he has these feelings. It is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie,” he told the British magazine.
Attitude editor-in-chief Matt Cain said it was an important step towards fair representation of LGBT people in the media.
“By representing same-sex attraction in this short but explicitly gay scene, the studio is sending out a message that this is normal and natural – and this is a message that will be heard in every country of the world, even countries where it’s still socially unacceptable or even illegal to be gay,” he said.
Beauty and the Beast tells the story of a prince who is transformed into a beast, and a young woman who is imprisoned in his castle, as he tries to win her love.
“It’s sad that we still haven’t seen a lesbian, gay, bi or trans lead character in a Disney film,” Stonewall, an equality campaigns group, said in a statement.
“We must see the film industry as a whole become more diverse, which means actively hiring more writers, directors and producers whose lived experiences represent all communities.”
The decision to update a Disney classic, however, drew criticism in some quarters, with one commentator in an online discussion forum saying “gender politics has no place in children’s entertainment. Leave the classic stories alone”.
It is not the first time Disney has updated its films to reflect changing times and drawn a mixed reaction.
In a drive to promote racial diversity on screen, Disney featured its first black princess in the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. – Reuters
It’s sad that we still haven’t seen a lesbian, gay, bi or trans lead character in a Disney film.
Stonewall Equality campaigns group