[dataflow]

Fascinating, thanks.

> the anti-lock brake control module can leak fluid and cause an electrical short, which can touch off a fire while the vehicles are parked or being driven.

> [...] Dealers will replace the anti-lock brake fuse at no cost to owners.

How can replacing a "fuse" prevent fluid leakage?!

[vel0city]

Sizing the fuse to be smaller means the fuse will blow faster at the short before the wires in the puddle of brake fluid get hot enough to start the fire. Chances are the fuze was oversized to begin with.

[dataflow]

I figured about as much, but I guess my point was: shouldn't they be fixing the leak?! Would people even know about the leak otherwise? Or is this going to silently surprise/kill people when their ABS fails?

[vel0city]

The fuse swap is a temporary fix to make the cars safer until a full fix can be rolled out. I imagine truly "fixing" the leak means redesigning the ABS module, something that takes time. They need to investigate what makes the leak happen, redesign the actual part, validate that new part doesn't have some other issue, call the new part out for manufacturing (and make millions of them), get them in the hands of dealers, and then actually start replacing the part.

In the mean time, swap the fuze, and while the car is going to become immobilized or throw ABS warnings when the leak happens its not going to burn someone's house down.

[dataflow]

It didn't sound like they were planning to do more than this, but I admittedly stopped reading the article fairly quickly after this part. I guess others pointed out the same thing so hopefully they'll have to follow up.