Ford recalls vehicles that may stall or roll away

Ford recalls vehicles that may stall or roll away

June 18, 2021 Mikaela Bolker

Dearborn, MI – June 18, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) has announced a recall for 4,436 2021 Ford F-150 pickup trucks due to faulty driveshafts, which are components of the vehicle responsible for powering them. This defect can cause sudden loss of power or “unintended” movement while parked without warning, increasing the risk of injury due to a crash. 

The affected part is the driveshaft with multiple part numbers, including ML34-4K145-KHE and ML34-4K145-JHE.

Summary

Recalled vehicles feature a two-piece rear driveshaft that transfers power to the vehicle’s rear wheels. Due to a supplier error, the circlip –  a fastener that connects the two pieces together – was not installed properly. The installation issue may result in the pieces of the driveshaft separating, which in turn may cause a sudden loss of vehicle power or “unintended” vehicle movement when “the parking brake is not applied.”

Risks

Stalling while driving may result in the driver getting hit from behind, which may create a multi-car pileup and cause severe injuries. If the car rolls away while parked, it may hit people or inanimate objects, causing injuries or property damage.

Warning signs

Drivers may experience a “clunking or banging noise” before the car stalls or rolls away.

Other Ford recalls

Earlier this month, the manufacturer recalled close to 200,000 Transit vans for the risk of rollaway. In December of last year, Ford issued a recall for 10,905 vehicles with faulty driveshafts, including the 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUV.

Repair

Owners were sent letters instructing them to take their cars to a dealership for assessment and possible driveshaft replacement on June 14. The assessment and replacement, if necessary, will be free. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall? 

An estimated 4,436 vehicles are part of this Ford recall. To see if your Ford 2021 F150 is one of them and to do a Ford Recall check,  use Motorsafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Mikaela BolkerFord recalls vehicles that may stall or roll away
Ford recalls vehicles due to risk of rollaway

Ford recalls vehicles due to risk of rollaway

June 10, 2021 Mikaela Bolker

Dearborn, MI– June 10, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) has announced a recall for 192,080 vans due to the risk of a rollaway when the car is placed in “Park.”  This is caused by the missing links between the shifter cable – which is what puts a car into a driver’s desired gear – and transmission. 

The component in question is the shifter cable bushing; part number DT1P-7E395-AB.

The recall includes the following vans:

  • 2013 Ford Transit Connect
  • 2014 Ford Transit Connect
  • 2015 Ford Transit Connect
  • 2016 Ford Transit Connect
  • 2017 Ford Transit Connect
  • 2018 Ford Transit Connect
  • 2019 Ford Transit Connect
  • 2020 Ford Transit Connect
  • 2021 Ford Transit Connect

Summary

The missing links are called bushings and their role is to “act as a cushion” between the shifter cable and transmission so that the car can shift into the appropriate gear when the lever is switched. Due to potential “thermal degradation” and contaminant exposure, the bushing may “degrade or detach.” 

This can cause the vehicle to shift into the wrong gear without proper instrument panel notification, meaning that it may appear that the vehicle is, for example, in “Park,” while it is actually not. 

Risks

This defect can cause the van to roll away unexpectedly when parked, which may result in it hitting the driver or pedestrians or causing property damage. This is particularly dangerous if the van is parked on the incline.

Warning signs

Drivers may be alerted to this problem if the instrument panel display position on the cluster does not match the gear shift lever position. They may also notice that when they shift into a gear, the vehicle responds differently than it should based on the transmission gear state. Finally, if the engine was turned off in a gear other than “Park” – regardless of the gear lever position – the car may not restart.

Other Ford Transit recalls

In 2017, there was a recall issued for over 1 million Ford Transit vehicles due to faulty automatic transmission.  In November of last year, 2019-2020 Transit Connect vans were recalled due to engine fire risk.

Repair

Owners will be notified by mail starting June 28 and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer. The dealer will replace one of the bushings and add a protective cap over the other  This service will be free. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall? 

Approximately 192,080 vehicles are part of this Ford recall. To do a Ford recall check, use Motorsafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Mikaela BolkerFord recalls vehicles due to risk of rollaway
Ford recalls Explorer SUVs for fly-away roof rail covers

Ford recalls Explorer SUVs for fly-away roof rail covers

May 12, 2021 Rebecca Rand

Dearborn, MI – May 12, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) has issued a recall of 616,967 SUVs whose roof rail covers may detach and fly off the vehicle while driving. Ford is recalling these vehicles:  

  • 2016 Ford Explorer
  • 2017 Ford Explorer
  • 2018 Ford Explorer
  • 2019 Ford Explorer

The affected part is the “roof rail cover,” with multiple part numbers, including FB5Z-78551A46-BA.

Recall summary  

The recall concerns the roof rail covers, which partly cover the roof rails used to hold cargo (such as a kayak) on top of the car. The covers, after being exposed to sunlight and other wear and tear, may detach from the car and fly off into the road, creating a road hazard for other drivers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) brought the issue to Ford’s attention a year ago, after receiving 11 complaints of roof rail covers falling off. 

Footnotes

According to Ford, some Explorers have metal plated roof rail covers that do not have this problem. Those vehicles will not be recalled. To see if your 2019 Ford Explorer Limited, for example, needs to be repaired, use our VIN lookup tool.

Warning signs

Drivers with insecure roof rail covers may notice louder wind noise or squeaks and rattles while driving. 

Risks

If a roof rail cover flies off the car while driving, it may force other drivers to make quick maneuvers to avoid it, increasing the risk of a crash. Read more about the dangers of road debris in this article about a recent Land Rover recall over fly-away spoilers. 

Other Ford Explorer recalls

The 2016 Ford Explorer was recalled in November of last year because of a defective part that connects the engine to the front axle, which “transmits the power from the vehicle to its wheels,” as reported.

 The issue can result in the car stalling or losing its ability to stay in park, increasing the risk of death or injury for the car occupants, other motorists and pedestrians.

The repair

Ford or Lincoln dealers will use plastic pins to secure the roof rail more tightly to the roof of the car, free of charge. Owners will receive more  instructions by mail between June 28 and July 2. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Nearly 617,000 vehicles are included in this recall. Use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool to do a Ford recall check.

Rebecca RandFord recalls Explorer SUVs for fly-away roof rail covers
Ford recalls Lincoln Aviators over faulty backup camera display

Ford recalls Lincoln Aviators over faulty backup camera display

April 9, 2021 Rebecca Rand ,

Dearborn, MI – April 9, 2021 – Ford  (NYSE:F) – which owns the Lincoln brand – has recalled 34,952 luxury SUVs  whose backup camera displays may stop working. The recall includes the 2020 Lincoln Aviator and the 2021 Lincoln Aviator.

The affected part is called the “Image Processing Module – B” and has multiple part numbers, including  LC5T-19H423-AF and LC5T-19H423-AG.

Recall summary  

The image processing module helps process everything the backup camera is “seeing” behind the car, displaying it on the screen up front. Due to a software issue in the recalled Aviators, the module might fail to transmit the video feed to the car’s display screen.

As a result, the driver may see a “blank” or “distorted” image.

Risks

A rearview camera that fails to display what is behind the car reduces the driver’s rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

All cars built after mid-2018 are required to have functioning backup  cameras.  Read more about backup camera safety in this article about malfunctioning cameras in Nissan cars.

Other Ford backup camera recalls

In September, Ford recalled over 600,000 vehicles for a similar issue, as reported. The recall included Lincoln Nautilus crossovers and Lincoln Corsair compact SUVs.

The repair

Ford and Lincoln dealers will update the image processing module’s software for free. Ford will send owners notification letters with more information about when and how to get the repair starting May 19.  

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Nearly 35,000 vehicles are included in this Lincoln recall. To perform a Ford recall check, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandFord recalls Lincoln Aviators over faulty backup camera display
Ford recalls vehicles in search of 19 faulty Continental tires

Ford recalls vehicles in search of 19 faulty Continental tires

March 25, 2021 Rebecca Rand

December 9, 2021 Update – Ford (NYSE:F) is has remedied issues with 3,258 F-series trucks and Ford Escapes suffering from Continental Tires air loss issues. 369 vehicles were also deemed unreachable and none were removed from the recall.

Dearborn, MI – March 25, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) is recalling 15,769 vehicles to find 19 Continental brand tires at risk of rupturing. The recall includes 2019 Ford Escape compact SUVs and Ford F series trucks, specifically:

  • 2018 Ford F 150
  • 2018 Ford F 250 SD
  • 2019 Ford F 250 SD
  • 2020 Ford F 250 SD
  • 2018 Ford F 350 SD
  • 2019 Ford F 350 SD
  • 2020 Ford F 350 SD 

The affected part is Continental tire with multiple part numbers, including CJ5C-1508-AA and JC3C-1508-ZA.

Recall summary  

The Continental tire recall has recently affected several major car manufacturers, including General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and Nissan.

Due to a manufacturing error, these tires were cured for too long, making them prone to rupture. Curing is what sets rubber tires in their final shape. 

This recall follows on the heels of a recent Nissan Continental tire recall where the manufacturer has also recalled a large number of cars to find just a few defective tires.

Risks

In addition to rupturing, the tire tread, which touches the road, could also split off from the rest of the tire. Both of these events could cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle and crash, especially if they occur at highway speeds.

Warning signs and safety tips

Other automakers recalling Continental tires, like Mercedes-Benz, have said a bulge or a “bubble” on the tire tread is a sign of a problem. For information on what to do if you notice a bulge or if your tires blow out while driving, please refer to this article about Nissan’s Continental tire recall.

The repair

Ford dealers will inspect numbers on the tires’ walls and replace any that match the list of suspect tires from Continental. If the dealer finds a match, they will also replace the tire on the opposite of the car and move the newest tires to the rear axle. Owners will be notified about the recall the week of March 29.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 15,000 vehicles are included in this Nissan recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandFord recalls vehicles in search of 19 faulty Continental tires
Ford and Mazda begin 2.6 million-vehicle-strong Takata airbag recall

Ford and Mazda begin 2.6 million-vehicle-strong Takata airbag recall

March 23, 2021 Rebecca Rand , , ,

Dearborn, MI and Washington, D.C. – March 23, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) and Mazda (OTCMKTS:MZDAY) have begun recalls of 2,608,515 vehicles equipped with potentially dangerous Takata airbags whose inflators could explode, injuring or killing drivers and passengers. This latest Takata airbag recall includes:

  • 2007 – 2011 Ford Ranger pickups
  • 2007 – 2009 Mazda B Series pickups
  • 2006 – 2012 Ford Fusion sedans
  • 2006 – 2012 Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ sedans
  • 2006 – 2011 Mercury Milan sedans
  • 2007 – 2010 Ford Edge SUVs
  • 2007 – 2010 Lincoln MKX luxury SUVs

The vast majority of the recalled vehicles are Fords; the Mazda models in this recall were built by Ford due to a past relationship between the two companies.

Recall summary  

This Takata airbag recall is caused by faulty airbag inflators that can degrade over time and rupture when the airbags are deployed, sending shrapnel flying into vehicle occupants. Worldwide, these explosions have killed 27 people and have injured over 400.

The recall follows on the heels of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rejecting the automakers’ petition not to recall these vehicles.

The inflators explode because of repeated exposure to high humidity and “high temperatures” and despite the addition of a desiccant, or a drying agent, that is meant to minimize the risk.

Risks

The risks involved in this recall are similar to those in a recent Volkswagen Takata airbag recall, which we cover in this previous article.

Other Takata airbag recalls

Over 66 million Takata airbags have been recalled in recent years in what amounts to the largest recall in the automotive history up-to-date. Just this year alone, General Motors recalled 6 million vehicles equipped with these potentially lethal airbags. 

Some of the cars involved in earlier rounds of recalls should NOT be driven at all. See the full list here.

The repair

Ford, Lincoln and Mazda dealers will replace the defective airbags with one that does not contain ammonium nitrate. The dealer will not charge for this service.

It is not clear when the parts will be available.

Ford and Lincoln owners should receive recall notifications with more instructions as early as April 1; Mazda owners can expect theirs to arrive by May 9. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 2.6 million vehicles are included in these Ford and Mazda recalls. To do a Mazda or Ford recall check, enter your VIN into MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandFord and Mazda begin 2.6 million-vehicle-strong Takata airbag recall
Ford recalls F-350 trucks for incorrect tire and payload information

Ford recalls F-350 trucks for incorrect tire and payload information

March 5, 2021 Ken Boyd

Dearborn, MI – April 14, 2022 – Ford (NYSE:F) has remedied issues with 2,489 2020 Ford F350 Super Duty vehicles with incorrect Tire and Loading labels. Additionally, 205 of these vehicles were categorized as unreachable and 0 were removed from the recall. All these incorrectly labeled 2020 Ford F350 Super Duty were remedied in one group during 2021.

Dearborn, MI – March 5, 2021 – Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has recalled 9,979 Ford F350 trucks, due to incorrect information on labels in the vehicles, which may increase the risk of a crash. The recall includes 2020 Ford F350 Super Duty trucks.

Recall summary  

In recalled vehicles, the following information may be incorrect:

  • Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) Label: The Ford F350 payload capacity is the maximum amount of weight the driver can safely add to the truck as cargo. The payload capacity value may be overstated.
  • Accessory Reserve Capacity (ARC) values: This value estimates the total weight of accessories and equipment that can be added to the truck. The value on the Safety Certification label may be overstated.
  • Truck Camper Loading documentation: This data explains how a camper can be added to the truck, including the maximum weight allowed. The weight values may be overstated.

Other Ford recalls

These same trucks – as well as the Ford F250 Super Duty 2020 model – are among the vehicles subject to a recall for a poorly attached windshield, as reported. The issue makes the windshield more likely to crack or break altogether, exposing the car occupants to road debris and broken glass. 

At the same time, 2019 F-250 and F-350 were among Ford recalls in 2020 because of faulty front axles, as reported. The axles – that transmit the power from the body of the car to its wheels – were built using “non-conforming” parts, as reported.

Risks 

If the driver loads the vehicle based on the incorrect Ford F350 payload value on the TREAD label, the truck’s suspension will be overloaded and the vehicle will require increased stopping distance. 

When tires are loaded above rated capacity, they are more likely to wear unevenly. Finally, if the camper is overloaded, driving the truck may be unsafe.

Each of these issues increases the risk of an accident.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will replace the TREAD and Safety Certification labels, as well as the Truck Camper Loading document, as needed.  The repair is free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 22, 2021. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 9,900 vehicles are included in this Ford recall 2020. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Ken BoydFord recalls F-350 trucks for incorrect tire and payload information
Ford recalls 79,017 vehicles due to faulty windshields

Ford recalls 79,017 vehicles due to faulty windshields

March 1, 2021 Suhas Ramachandra

Dearborn, MI – March 1, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) has announced a recall of 79,017 Ford F-series trucks with faulty windshields, which may fail to adequately protect the car occupants or injure them during a crash.

The recall includes:

  • 2021 Ford F 150 vehicles 
  • 2020-2021 Ford super-duty vehicles 

Recall summary

The front windshields of the affected vehicles are not glued well to the vehicle body structure.  This violates the federal safety standards, which state that a windshield should be strongly bonded to the body of the car.

The bonding defect is caused by a supplier using a “non-conforming” batch of paint.

Warning signs

The driver may be alerted to a loose windshield if he or she hears “wind noise” or notices a water leak.

Safety risks

A loose windshield is more likely to crack or even separate from the car, especially in the case of an accident. This may result in the car occupants getting injured by broken glass or being exposed to road debris and other objects hitting their face and body at a high speed.

To learn more about the dangers of road debris, please see our recent article about a Land Rover recall for fly-away spoilers.

Other Ford recalls

2020 F 150 trucks were among Ford vehicles recalled last fall for faulty rearview cameras that distorted the image for the driver, resulting in a higher risk of a crash. Over 400 F150 2020 were also recalled in April for a risk of fire.

Repair

To fix the issue, dealers will detach the windshield and reinstall it. The repair is free of charge.  Repair notifications will be sent out to the owners starting on April 6.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 79,000 vehicles are included in this Ford F-series recall. To see if your vehicle is one of them, bookmark MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool and visit the website when more details become available.

Suhas RamachandraFord recalls 79,017 vehicles due to faulty windshields
Ford recalls over 150,000 cars that may have Takata airbags installed

Ford recalls over 150,000 cars that may have Takata airbags installed

February 19, 2021 Rebecca Rand ,

Dearborn, MI – February 19, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) is recalling 154,224 vehicles that may have had dangerous Takata airbag inflators installed again after undergoing a recall for this same issue. These inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel that could injure or kill vehicle occupants. There are two separate recalls for this issue. The first includes:

  • 2004-2011 Ford Ranger trucks
  • 2005-2014 Ford Mustang sports cars
  • 2008-2012 Ford Fusion sedans
  • 2009-2011 Mercury Milan sedans
  • 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ luxury sedans
  • 2007-2010 Ford Edge SUVs
  • 2007-2010 Lincoln MKX luxury SUVs
  • 2006 Ford GT sports cars

The second recall includes:

  • 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks

Recall summary  

Ford dealers may have accidentally installed airbags containing these potentially lethal inflators during repairs for collision or theft damage after a recall related to this same issue was completed. It is not clear which particular Takata recall the company is referring to since many of these models were subjects to different recalls, albeit for the same issue.

These airbags were supposed to have been purged from Ford’s stock of replacement parts once new, safe ones became available. However, instead of that, they may have been put in 1,117 vehicles that comprise the first group. In the case of the second group, only 45 of over 150,000 cars contain the inflators but it is not clear which ones. Therefore, at the behest of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Ford is issuing a recall to address the issue.

Risks

Worldwide, Takata airbag inflators have killed at least 27 people, including two that ruptured and killed people riding in 2006 Ford Rangers.

A Ford spokesperson told Consumer Reports that none of the Ford Rangers in this recall are on the “Do not Drive” list of cars considered to be exceptionally high-risk. However, certain Ford Rangers are indeed on that list. You can check to see if your car is one of them here.

You can read more about the problems with Takata inflators in this article about GM’s recent Takata airbag recall. 

The repair

Ford dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace vehicles airbag inflators for free. Recall notifications go out the week of March 8, and will include more information about when and how to seek repairs.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 154,000 vehicles are included in this Ford recall. As of April 29, 2021, – the last date information was available – 5,693 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

Note: July 17, 2021

We have noticed a large number of readers are interested in this recall. For that reason, we have updated the number of cars that have been replaced to reflect the most up-to-date information.

Rebecca RandFord recalls over 150,000 cars that may have Takata airbags installed
Ford and Mazda ordered to recall close to 3 million vehicles with Takata airbags

Ford and Mazda ordered to recall close to 3 million vehicles with Takata airbags

January 27, 2021 Rebecca Rand , ,

Washington, D.C. – January 27, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) and Mazda (OTCMKTS:MZDAY) must recall close to 3 million vehicles  in the U.S. after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) denied both manufacturers’ petitions to be excluded from an expansion of Takata airbag inflator recalls. The inflators, which have killed at least 30 people and caused over 400 injuries, are at the center of the largest auto recall in history, involving 19 car manufacturers and tens of millions of vehicles. Ford and Mazda will have to recall and replace airbags in the following models:

  • 2007-2011 Ford Ranger pickups
  • 2007-2009 Mazda B-Series pickups
  • 2006-2012 Ford Fusion sedans
  • 2006-2012 Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ sedans
  • 2006-2011 Mercury Milan sedans
  • 2007-2010 Ford Edge SUVs
  • 2007-2010 Lincoln MKX luxury SUVs

The manufacturers have until February 18 to initiate the recall. The Mazda vehicles involved were built by Ford on Mazda’s platform due to Ford’s past investment in the company.

Summary  

The recall concerns these vehicles’ driver’s-side airbag inflators, which are supposed to inflate the airbags using a small explosion. If moisture gets into the inflator and degrades the explosives inside, it may generate a blast that is too large. This can rupture the inflator and send pieces of metal flying into vehicle occupants, injuring or even killing them. Some inflators, including those in the aforementioned Ford and Mazda models, were made with a drying agent to protect the explosives from water.

Background of the recall

Similar to a recent Volkswagen Takata airbag recall, the vehicles that are set to be recalled were manufactured with a desiccant, or a drying agent, that was set to prevent the possible explosion by blocking the moisture from getting inside. Based on that and other factors, in 2017, Ford and Mazda petitioned NHTSA to be excluded from the recall that was initiated by Takata earlier that year. 

However, this month, NHTSA denied the petitions due to its and Takata’s analysis of salvaged inflators, which showed that these components still degrade over time, increasing the risk of an explosion. 

Risks

For risks related to this recall, please see our recent article about Volkswagen recalling over 100,000 Beetles over similar concerns. Mazda reported injuries related to previous recalls of cars manufactured by the brand but it is not clear how many. The vehicles affected under those Mazda airbag recalls include 2004-2009 B-Series pickup trucks and 2004-2006 Mazda MPV vans.

Other Ford recalls

Recently, Ford recalled 2014-2016 Edge SUVs due to potential brake failure. You can read more about that recall here.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Close to 3 million vehicles will be included in these Ford and Mazda recalls. To do a Ford recall check, bookmark MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool and come back to the site when more details become available.

Rebecca RandFord and Mazda ordered to recall close to 3 million vehicles with Takata airbags
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