Ford Fusion and MKZ Recalls

Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Recall

The Ford Motor Company has recalled both its Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles for a problem with the front brake hoses.
The recall applies to 2013 through 2018 model years and involves approximately 1.3 million units. The problem
with the hoses is that they can rupture and leak brake fluid. The resulting leak can increase vehicle stopping distances.
Ford will begin sending recall letters to owners on April 17, 2023. It should be noted that parts are not yet available and
a second letter will be sent to owners advising when they can take their vehicles in for repair. Owners should then take
their vehicles to their dealers where the front brake hoses will be replaced free of charge. For additional information,
owners can call Ford at 1-866-436-7332 and referencing recall # 23S12.

Recalls from Toyota, Ford and Subaru

Toyota –

Toyota has announced that it is recalling approximately 183,000 vehicles due to a problem with a wiring harness.  The vehicles involved are 2018 – 2020 Toyota Tundra pick up trucks.  The wiring harnesses in these vehicles were assembled incorrectly and as a result, the front turn signal bulbs do not illuminate as brightly as they should.  Owners should take their vehicles to their dealer and the dealer will modify the wiring harness free of charge.  For additional information, owners contact Toyota by calling 1-888-270-9371.  Owners can also visit the website of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (www.nhtsa.gov)  and enter their vehicle identification number for details on this recall.  Toyota will begin notifying owners by mid to late September.   

Ford –

Ford has recalled 488,600 model year 2015 – 2018 Ford Edge and 2016 – 2018 Lincoln MKX SUVs due a brake problem.  Ford has discovered that the front brake jounce hoses could rupture causing a loss of brake fluid and braking capacity.  If the brake fluid is depleted below a certain level, the brake fluid warning light will illuminate.  Because of the low fluid level, brake pedal travel will increase which will cause a reduction in the deceleration rate.  A reduction in the deceleration rate will increase the risk of a crash.  Owners should take their vehicles to their dealer where the dealer will replace the hoses free of charge.  For additional information, owners can contact Ford by calling 1-866-436-7332.  Owners can also visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website (www.nhtsa.gov) and enter their vehicle identification number to see the recall details.  Ford has not yet announced an owner notification schedule.    

Ford is also recalling 2014 – 2017 model year F 150 pick up trucks as a result of a faulty master cylinder.  292,000 vehicles are involved in this recall.  The master cylinder in these vehicles can leak brake fluid into the brake booster.  Fluid inside the booster can change the brake pedal travel, pedal effort, and reduce braking function.  All of these effects will result in increasing the distance to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.  Vehicle owners should return their vehicles to their dealer for a free repair.  The dealers will replace the master cylinder, inspect the booster, and replace as necessary.  For additional information, owners can contact Ford by calling 1-866-436-7332.  Owners can also visit NHTSA’s website (www.nhtsa.gov) and enter their vehicle identification number to see the recall details.  Ford began notifying owners on June 29 of this year.

Subaru –

Subaru is recalling 188,200 model year 2019 Subaru Ascent SUVs, Impreza sedans and hatchbacks, Legacy sedans, and Outback wagons.  These vehicles are equipped with a faulty low pressure fuel pump.  The pump was manufactured with an impeller that can crack and render the pump inoperative, increasing the risk of a crash.  Owners should return their vehicles to their dealer for a free replacement.  For additional information, owners can contact Subaru by calling 1-844-373-6614.  Owners can also visit NHTSA’s website at www.nhtsa.gov, enter their vehicle identification number and see the details of the recall.  Subaru began notifying owners on June 5.     

Ford Recalls Vehicles for Latch and Brake Issues

The Ford Motor Company has issued a recall for approximately 2.1 million vehicles with a door latch issue.  The latch issue was previously addressed under recall numbers 15S16 and 16S30.  While some of the door latches might have been replaced under one of the two recalls, not all of the latches were replaced or replaced correctly.  As a result, some of the latch pawl spring tabs are still cracking or failing under high thermal loads (combination of air temperature and solar radiation). Owners will be given the opportunity to have a dealer inspect the latch or verify the latch code themselves and validate the repair online.  The following vehicles are affected:

2011 – 2014 Ford Fiesta built at Cuautitlan plant between Jan 26, 2010 and Oct 31, 2013

2012 – 2015 Ford Focus built at Michigan plant between Oct 4, 2010 and Jan 31, 2015

2013 – 2014 Ford Fusion built at Hermosillo plant between May 11, 2012 and Oct 31, 2013

2013 – 2014 Ford Lincoln MKZ built at Hermosillo plant, between July 19, 2012 and Oct 31, 2013

2013 – 2015 Ford Escape built at Louisville plant between Dec 23, 2011 and Jan 31, 2015

2013 – 2015 Ford C-Max built at Michigan plant between Feb 2, 2012 and Jan 31, 2015

2014 Ford Fusion built at the Flat Rock assembly plant between June 18, 2013 and Oct 31, 2013

2014 – 2016 Ford Transit Connect built at Valencia Plant between August 9, 2013 and Feb 1, 2016 

2015 Ford Mustang built at Flat Rock plant between Feb 14, 2014 and April 30, 2015

2015 Lincoln MKC built at Louisville plant between Nov 18, 2013 and Jan 31, 2015

For additional information, owners can contact Ford by calling 1-800-392-3673 or visit www.corporate.ford.com. Reference recall number 20S30.

Ford has also issued a recall for 2014 – 2017 Ford F 150 vehicles equipped with the 3.5 liter Ecoboost engine, due to a problem with the master cylinder.  The master cylinder will leak brake fluid through the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.  The driver can experience a change in the feel in braking as well as a loss of braking effort in the front wheels.  The rear wheel brakes are unaffected.  The loss of braking power increases the risk of a crash.  292,311 vehicles are affected in the United States.  The affected vehicles have been identified as follows:

2015 – 2017 Ford F 150 built at the Dearborn plant between Oct 1, 2014 and Aug 1, 2016

2014 – 2017 Ford F 150 built at the Kansas City plant between Sept 1, 2014 and Aug 1, 2016

Dealers will replace the master cylinder and if necessary, replace the brake booster.  For additional information, owners can contact Ford at the telephone number or website address given above and reference recall number 20S31.

Ford Recalls Super Duty Trucks

Ford Recalls Super Duty Trucks

The Ford Motor Company is recalling approximately 500,000 Super Duty trucks due to a concern that sparks from a seat belt pretensioner can start a fire.  The seat belt pretensioner deploys when a crash occurs.  Upon impact, the pretensioner is engaged and begins to emit sparks.  The sparks can then ignite carpet and carpet insulation in the area of the side roof pillar, also known as the “B” pillar.  If ignition occurs, the risk of injury can increase depending on the condition of the vehicle occupants.  This recall applies to F 250, F 350, F 450, and F 550 Super Duty, Super Crew vehicles built at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant between October 8, 2015 and October 29, 2019.  “Super Crew” refers to those affected vehicles that have four full-sized doors.  Dealers will apply foil tape to the carpet and carpet insulation and modify the sound deadener on the backside of the “B” pillar trim panel at no cost to owners.  For additional information, owners can contact Ford by calling 1-800-392-3673 and referencing recall number 19S52.  Owners can also go to NHTSA’s website and enter their vehicle identification number to determine if their vehicle is recalled.  If no recall appears, then the vehicle is NOT recalled.

Fire Hazard Prompts Ford to Recall 2 Million F-150s

The National Highway Safety Administration, NHTSA, has announced that Ford has recalled approximately 2 million F-150 pick up trucks.  The recall applies to 2015 -2018 F-150 regular and super crew cab pick up trucks.  The seatbelt pretensioner can generate sparks when activated during a sudden stop.  The sparks can ignite flammable material located inside the “B” pillar post including carpeting and insulation.  Ford has also identified the manufacturers of the seatbelts.  Joyson supplied the seatbelts for the 2015 to 2017 models while ZF supplied the belts for the 2018 year models.  Approximately 1.62 million vehicles were sold in the United States, 340,000 vehicles were sold in Canada and 37,000 were sold in Mexico.  The recall is expected to begin on September 24, 2018 with Ford notifying owners.  The Ford recall identification number for this recall is 18S27.  NHTSA’s campaign number is 18V568000.  For additional information, consumers can contact Ford by calling 1-866-436-7332 or visiting Ford’s website at www.ford.com.

 

 

 

Ford Recalls Vehicles for Safety Issues

Ford Motor Company has announced the recall of approximately 360,000 vehicles in North America for a problem that can be a fire hazard. The problem is that certain vehicles can overheat due to lack of coolant circulation.  Lack of coolant of coolant circulation can be caused by fluid leakage.  Overheating of the engine can cause the engine cylinder head to crack resulting in the release of oil.  Oil coming into contact with hot surfaces such as the exhaust manifold can cause an engine fire to erupt.  The recall applies to 2014 Escape SUVs, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Ford Fusion, and 2013-2015 Transit Connect Vans.  Owners can take their vehicles to their dealers to have them checked.  At this time, Ford has not decided if the company will fix any coolant leaks but will install a coolant level senor to tell the driver when their vehicle needs additional coolant.  For additional information, owners can contact Ford directly by calling 1-800-392-3673 or visiting their website at www.ford.com.

In addition to the coolant issue, Ford has increased its recall of certain vehicles due an on going problem with faulty door latches. In the latest recall, a pawl located inside the door latch can break preventing the door from closing completely.  This means that the door can open while the vehicle is in motion.  To date, the recall covers the following vehicles: 2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and 2013-2015 C-Max.  Owners should take vehicles to their dealers to have them checked and repaired if necessary.  For additional information, owners can contact Ford by calling 1-800-392-3673 or visiting their website at www.ford.com.

 

 

 

Vehicle Recalls by Ford, GM, and Chrysler

 

The Ford Motor Company has recalled 2013 -2014 F-150 pick up trucks due to a problem with the brakes.  The trucks involved in this recall were manufactured Between August 1, 2013 and August 31, 2014 and equipped with 3.5L engines.  The problem with the brakes is that the master cylinder rear cup seal can leak brake fluid from the reservoir into the brake booster.  The loss of brake fluid results in the loss of braking power to the front brakes and increases the likelihood of a crash.  The recall was expected to begin on July 11, 2016.  Owners of the recalled vehicles should take their trucks to an authorized Ford Dealership where dealers will replace the master cylinder and if necessary, the brake booster, free of charge.  For additional information, owners can contact Ford customer service by calling 1-800436-7332 and referencing recall # 16S24.

 

General Motors has recalled certain 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles due to a problem with the memory chip located in the electronic brake control module (EBCM).  The recalled vehicles were manufactured between March 7 and March 12, 2016.  The failure of the memory chip can cause the loss of the anti lock braking system and electronic stability control.  According to GM, if the EBCM fails, the primary braking function will still operate but, the vehicle will be harder to stop increasing the risk of a crash.  GM has already begun notifying owners and replacing the EBCMs as of June 17, 2016.  For additional information, owners can contact GM by calling Chevrolet customer service at 1800-222-1020 and referencing recall # 39440.

 

Chrysler has recalled 2009-2016 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured between July 31, 2007 and November 12, 2016 for a problem with a defective power steering return hose.  The hose can rupture at engine start-up after being exposed to cold temperatures.  The rupture can cause a loss of power steering which can also increase the risk of a crash.  Chrysler dealers will replace the power steering return hoses, steel tubes and oil cooler free of charge.  The recall is currently in progress and owners should take their vehicles to their Chrysler dealer for the free repair.  For additional information, owners can contact Chrysler by calling 1-800-853-1403 and referencing recall # S08.

 

Chrysler has also recalled certain 2016 Jeep Cherokee Vehicles manufactured between September 30, 2015 and October 2, 2015.  These vehicles were manufactured with left side halfshafts that can fracture without warning.  A fractured halfshaft can disconnect from the drive axle increasing the risk of a crash.  This recall was begun on June 30^th and has been assigned recall # S38.  Chrysler has also discovered that the problem extends to the right side halfshaft.  As a result, Chrysler has extended the manufacturing period of the recalled vehicles to include October 3, 2015 to March 22, 2016.  Chrysler has also assigned the recall number of S39 to address problems with the right side halfshafts.  For additional information, owners can contact Chrysler by calling 1-800-853-1403 and referencing the appropriate recall number.

Takata Air Bag Recall, Part 2

Back in May of this year, it was announced that Takata had recalled its air bags used in several different vehicle manufacturer’s vehicles.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Takata has extended that recall to include 19 million vehicles from 12 manufacturers.  The current list of manufacturers includes BMW, Honda, Mazda, Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Daimler Trucks North America, Daimler Vans USA, Subaru, Ford, Toyota, and General Motors.  Owners are advised to go to www.safercar.gov and click on the “Takata Recall” button on the toolbar to see of their specific vehicle is on the list of those recalled.  Note that the list is extensive and should be reviewed carefully.  The website also offers owners an option to enter their vehicle identification numbers to check for recalls.  The vehicle identification number can be found on most vehicles on the lower left corner of the windshield or the manufacturers sticker located on the inside edge of the driver’s side door or pillar.  The vehicle identification number is a seventeen digit number unique to each vehicle.  Owners can also check with their dealers for recall information.

Takata Airbag Recall

Earlier this year, several automobile manufacturers announced recalls of different vehicle makes as a result of faulty airbags manufactured by a Japanese company called Takata.  Takata manufactured airbags for both driver and passenger’s sides in the recalled vehicles.  After investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and others, it has been determined that the propellant used in the airbags has a tendency to deteriorate in humid areas.  As a result, when the airbag is deployed, the combustion of the propellant which produces the pressure to inflate the bag can do so with greater than necessary force.  The excessive force can cause the inflator to rupture sending pieces of metal to the occupant of either the driver or passenger seat resulting in greater risk of injury to the occupant.  The vehicles that are involved in this recall are Acura, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota.  The recall covers models years generally from 2002 through 2008.  In order to determine if the recall applies to a specific vehicle, owners can go to the manufacturer’s website and use its VIN lookup tool or contact a dealer and ask to speak with a service writer then give that person the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

Hyundai Sonata Recall

I just finished posting a recall to our website which talks about how Hyundai is recalling 883,000 Sonata vehicles for a defective automatic transmission shift cable. I know that there have been larger numbers of vehicles recalled by other manufacturers but, this isn’t about the numbers. It’s about whether manufacturers have learned anything. You would think that as long as cars and trucks have been built, especially here in the US, that manufacturers would have a handle on keeping problems to a minimum. But, how does a faulty ignition switch get by a company like General Motors? Ford and Chrysler have had their problems as well. One only has to do a little research to find something that had a significant impact on the company’s bottom line. Remember Ford’s electronic ignition that caused fires in F 150s back in the lat 90s? Remember the Jeep sudden acceleration/inadvertent movement that wouldn’t go away? The problems aren’t limited to American made vehicles. The Japanese have had their share of recalled vehicles as well. Remember the Toyota floor mat fiasco? If all of the people that worked for all of the world’s car manufacturers were put under one roof, there has to be an untold number of millennia of experience and yet, recalls are a part of everyone’s life.