Laguna Hills, CA – July 26, 2019 – Ford Motor Company is recalling thousands of 2019 Ford Rangers from the marketplace after discovering that the front seat belt may malfunction when in use. The issue appears to have originated during the assembly process. Given that buckling up is a primary law in most states and the inherent safety risks associated with not using a seat belt, Ford is coordinating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to ensure that these vehicles are fixed.

Owners can expect to receive an official notification pertaining to this recall starting July 29. Motorists are urged to take their trucks back to the dealer so the problem can be assessed and ameliorated.

The Defect

According to NHTSA and Ford, approximately 7,579 2019 Ford Rangers – one of the more popular passenger trucks in the world – may contain seat belts containing flaws that render the restraint system inoperable. The issue concerns the assembly’s poke yoke fixture, which was not installed correctly in the front passenger-side unit, as opposed to the driver’s side. The component manufacturer is based in Mexico, but it’s unclear if the problem originated there with the parts itself or during the actual assembly.

If passengers can’t buckle or the latch fails at some point while traveling, a crash dramatically increases the risk of injury or death. Ford believes that this issue is confined to only those 2019 Ranger models with the SuperCab body style. There’s a good chance that the belts are fine, as safety officials believe 1% of the total recalled include the defect. Nevertheless, Ford is making the move out of an abundance of caution.

Timeline of Events

In late June, the Critical Concern Review Group at Ford was alerted to a warranty claim made by a Ranger SuperCab owner, who noted that the passenger side belt buckle wasn’t latching. The quality control team followed up on this alert and discovered that the glitch may be related to the unit’s anchor and the routing method used.  A more thorough inspection determined that it was an installation problem affecting the poke yoke, which is a seat belt unit fixture. CCRG followed up with the supplier and concluded that all poke yokes installed prior to June 19 may be vulnerable.

Thanks in part to traffic safety campaigns like “Click It or Ticket,” seat belts are worn by the vast majority of Americans today. Motorists are required to use them in 49 of 50 states and in those that have primary laws on the books – totaling 20 in addition to the District of Columbia – motorists can be pulled over and fined if they’re not buckled.

Tragically, thousands have died in recent years due to not wearing a seat belt. Based on the most recent statistics available from NHTSA, 10,428 passengers in the U.S. were killed in 2016 from injuries they sustained in crashes.

Neither Ford nor NHTSA is aware of any accidents stemming from this recall, with none reported as of July 10.

The Solution

Ford knows how to fix this issue and seeks to inform 2019 SuperCab owners starting July 29, via first-class mail. Dealers have already been notified. Motorists can take their vehicle to any Ford dealer, where upon examination, the right front seatbelt assembly will be swapped out for one that works. This repair will come at no charge. All parties are expected to be notified no later than August 3.

For more information on this recall and to see if you or someone you know is affected, visit MotorSafety.org. You’ll need the VIN of the car to know for sure.

Laguna Hills, Calif. — July 23, 2019 — Ford Motor Company has recalled almost 57,500 vehicles potentially equipped with defective engine software, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The action affects 2012 Ford Focus sedans produced between Oct. 7, 2010, and July 23, 2012; 2013-2104 Ford Focus ST sedans produced between May 3, 2012, and Dec. 11, 2014; and 2017 Ford Focus sedans produced between Aug. 24, 2016, and April 13, 2017. Ford suspects that all of the vehicles involved in the recall contain the defective software.

The Defect

The cars involved in the campaign could come equipped with powertrain control modules that lack updated software designed to detect malfunctioning canister purge valves. These components, when damaged, cause fuel vapors to expand and deform the surrounding fuel tank. This can, in turn, decrease drivability, and in some instances lead to loss of motive power. The defective PCMs potentially installed in the recalled vehicles therefore pose a safety hazard to operators and occupants. However, Ford has yet to receive reports of any accidents or injuries connected to the defect.

The automaker advised all affected owners to keep their fuel tanks half full to prevent deformities related to fuel vapor expansion.

Timeline of Events

In November 2017, dealership personnel assessing a Ford Focus with a two-liter, direct-injection engine with Ford Racing software calibrations noticed some regularities. They then contacted Ford. The automaker deployed technicians to review the calibrations, which had been installed during a previous recall involving stuck CPV valves, per Ford. The technicians found that the vehicle in question had PCM components that were not properly updated during the servicing process for this initial campaign.

Ford later discovered that multiple models featured similarly problematic PCMs. With this insight in hand, the Ford Field Review Committee decided to greenlight a recall June 28, 2019.

The Solution

Ford has directed dealers to inspect and, if necessary, recalibrate the PCMs in recalled vehicles, free of charge. Owners should expect to receive notification via first-class mail between July 29, 2019, and Aug. 2, 2019. Those who require mode immediate assistance can connect with Ford customer service representatives by calling (800) 367-3788. Owners can also contact the NHTSA directly using its Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Laguna Hills, CA – June 20, 2019 – Over 1.1 million 2011-2017 Ford Explorers are under recall notice by the model’s eponymous automaker due to a rear suspension system issue that poses a potential threat to riders’ safety by increasing their crash risk. Ford Motor Company says it will inform registered owners of this hazard by first-class mail no later than June 24 and advise them to take their vehicles back to the dealer so that the problem, if diagnosed, can be fixed at no cost.

The Defect

According to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford is recalling approximately 1.19 million Explorers – with model years ranging from 2011 to 2019 – whose rear suspension systems may be compromised. More specifically, the problem affects the sport utility vehicle’s toe links, which are located in the rear of the vehicle and provide added ballast so the wheels remain in constant contact with the road. However, it’s possible that these toe links could fracture while the vehicle is in operation, depending on the topography and curvature of a given road surface. In such an event, it could lead to an accident by reducing motorists’ steering control.

Timeline of Events

This issue first came to Ford’s attention back in April 2017 when the automaker received feedback from an Explorer user who noted that the toe link on the SUV shattered after mistakenly hitting a curb. The automaker was made aware of other incidents involving the rear suspension issue through December 2018, although none of the incidents led to injury.

But the number of events was enough to prompt an internal investigation, which featured engineers recreating situations that were similar to the ones referenced by motorists whose toe links broke or suspension systems failed. These tests determined that when Explorers were under stress – experiencing “suspension articulation,” in automotive jargon – the toe links could fracture, especially if exposed to the same types of jostling regularly and over time. A break could then lead to a steering failure and potential risk of an injury in the event of a crash.

Ford’s Field Review Committee ultimately determined that a safety recall was warranted and informed NHTSA of this in early June.

The Solution

The recall is rather wide in scope, involving Explorers built between May 2010 and January 2017. Most of the potentially problematic SUVs are 2015 and 2016 models, as Ford says it’s recalling a combined 466,000 vehicles manufactured during this period. Of the 1.19 million warranting a recall, around 12,000 SUVs have the defect and will need to be serviced, according to NHTSA documents. 

Nevertheless, Ford says it will send out fliers to owners starting on June 24 to inform them of the safety issue and instruct drivers to take their SUVs to their nearest authorized dealer so the rear suspension toe links can be repaired or replaced. The recall is expected to cost the automaker approximately $180 million, according to BBC News, but for motorists themselves, the repair is free.

For more information on this, contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. You can also enter your VIN at MotorSafety.org to see if your vehicle is affected by this or a separate recall. An estimated 25% of vehicles currently on the road have a recall that has yet to be repaired.