In Feb. 10, 8 Million households tuned in to "Dateline NBC" and a parade of wrenching, now familiar images. A toddler killed at a church picnic, a comatose preacher—and a possible safety flaw in a car. Stone Phillips described how a series of glitches may make certain Ford vehicles accelerate out of control. The alleged defect is just a theory, Phillips said, unproved in the real world. But for Ford, which spends billions burnishing its image for safety-minded car buyers, the segment was a PR nightmare. In the broadcast, Ford's defense—a strongly worded letter—seemed mild. But behind the scenes, Ford was waging war.
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