Ford Announces Four Recalls Covering 576,000 Vehicles in the United States

On Friday, Ford issued four new recalls covering a total of 10 brands in the United States and Canada. In the United States, 576,595 vehicles are involved in one of three recalls, the fourth being reserved for Canadian cars.

Missing seats

The first reminder concerns the absence of seat restraints and concerns 483,325 vehicles in the United States and 58,712 in Canada. According to Ford's announcement, the 2018-2020 F-150, 2019-2020 F Super Duty Series, 2018-2019 Explorer and 2019-2020 expedition are affected. Specifically, models equipped with a recline mechanism for the driver's or front passenger's seatback can accommodate the fault. the new 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator Also included in this recall, but only rear-sided models with manual recliners are included.

The problem? Vehicles may not have a third ratchet to produce the required strength of the backrest. In the event of an accident, a low seatback may not properly restrain a passenger and increase the risk of injury. The affected models were produced as early as September 2018 and until August 2 of this year. Owners will be required to bring their vehicles to a dealership where a technician will inspect the file sets, although Mr. Ford has stated that they would probably not need any repairs. If a vehicle does, the dealer will install a new seat structure at no charge, meeting the resistance and integrity guidelines.

Loss of power steering in cold weather

Ford's second recall involves vehicles in Canadian states and provinces where "corrosion is high." Read: a lot of snow and a lot of road salt. Due to improper wax coating, corrosion can affect the bolts of the steering gear motor and result in loss of power steering. If it's serious enough, the engine can come loose and come off the case. This reminder concerns the years 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge and the Lincoln MKX 2015.

The sudden loss of power steering would require more effort on the part of management, especially when driving at low speeds, and may increase the risk of an accident. Ford plans to replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a new wax sealant to combat corrosion. If bolts are already broken or missing, the vehicle will receive a new steering gear at no cost to the owner.

Overheating brake pads

The third reminder is exclusive to 2019 Ford Fiesta and involves the contamination of the brake caliper seals. According to the manufacturer, the subcompact car may have been exposed to mislabelled fluids during production. Exposure can cause brake caliper leakage, which can reduce braking functions and cause overheating of brake pads. Both cases increase the risk of an accident.

This recall only concerns 2,624 cars and, according to Ford, only 50 of them have been delivered to customers. The others are still sitting at the dealerships and will be repaired before the sale. The fix will see the technicians flush the current brake fluid and replace the brake calipers for free.

Corroded battery junction boxes

The last reminder concerns exclusively Canada and covers the 2012-2013 Ford Fiesta models. A total of 13,564 cars could have corrodible battery junction boxes in some provinces. Corrosion of relays or fuses may result in the loss of dipped headlights while driving and daytime running lights may not work. Ford plans to use technicians to clean the junction boxes, replace the fuses, terminals and corroded relays and finally install a foam seal on the cover to better protect the component.