Dearborn, Mich. – May 24, 2017 – Ford Motor Company has recalled approximately 551 pickup trucks equipped with defective aftermarket door handles, according to a company press release. The campaign affects 2015-2017 F-150 pickups, as well as 2017 F-250 and F-550 models. Approximately 247 of these vehicles came from American dealerships, while the remainder originated from Canadian showrooms.

The Defect
The affected pickups feature aftermarket chrome door handles sourced from third-party parts dealers. These fixtures, which do not comport with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, are prone to release during accidents, posing a serious risk to occupants. More specifically, the door latches “may experience inertial loads that could cause it to unlatch during a side impact,” according to Ford. So far, the automaker has yet to field any reports linking the defective devices to accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events
Ford recently traced the defective door handle assemblies to dealerships in the U.S. and Canada. These facilities had installed the features on-site, partnering with aftermarket parts providers unknown to Ford headquarters. Consequently, the manufacturer requested that dealers review their internal records to pinpoint the companies that sold them these.

The Solution
In addition to requesting dealer records, Ford has announced plans to issue communications to service departments so they can switch out door handle assemblies on pickups that come in for unrelated maintenance. Dealers have been ordered to replace the assemblies and reimburse customers for parts and service fees. The automaker has yet to notify the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and will conduct the recall internally for the time being. Owners who need additional assistance can contact Ford support personnel at 866-436-7332. The internal recall reference number is 17C09.

Dearborn, Mich.—May 24, 2017—In the first of two Ford recalls announced in one statement, the Michigan manufacturer declared that several vehicles would be part of a safety compliance effort for a welding issue. This action concerns three different Ford models, all produced for 2017, and none of the affected vehicles are part of a reported accident or injury because of this concern.

The Defect

The three models involved are the Ford Explorer, F-150 and Super Duty. Occupants could be at possible risk due to improperly welded driver seat back frame, the source said. Between the three of them, all of the 2,418 vehicles that make up this recall account for five different assembly plants from across the country, including locations in Michigan, Illinois and Kentucky.

Timeline of Events

• Dec. 8, 2016 to Jan. 19, 2017: These dates cover the full production periods for all of the included vehicles.
• May 24, 2017: Ford released the statement announcing this and the second recall on this day.

The Resolution

The Ford release contained few details about the response effort, but it did say that dealers would replace the seat back frames in the affected vehicles if needed to reduce the risk. The second of the two recalls mentioned in this one statement was for doorhandle covers, and was unrelated to this action, although both did partly concern F-150 models.

Last year saw Ford recall a different set of vehicles for welding concerns. According to Carscoops, that action targeted 2014 and 2015 Ford Explorer vehicles with “rear suspension toe links” that were possibly subject to fracture. That recall wasn’t as large, including only 75,364 vehicles, but the manufacturer did say that “one accident and one injury” were traced to this defect, at least at that time of publication.

Dearborn, Mich.—April 19, 2017—A newly announced Ford Edge recall addressed problems with the windshield header in some 2017 Edge vehicles. The company announced this in a joint press release: This particular recall was both the last listed and contained the smallest number of possibly affected vehicles, with 111 total units under consideration, 84 of which are in the U.S.

The Defect

The windshield header in these Ford Edge models could be wrongly installed, according to the Part 573 Safety Recall Report attached to this issue. That document went on to say that the vista roofs in these vehicles may not have the right welds in the proper places, leaving them with weaker “lateral structural integrity.”

Timeline of Events

• Feb. 22, 2017: Although this is before the submission date of the Part 573 safety report, Feb. 22 is said to be when the company corrected the recall condition in production. This was also the last day of original production for the vehicles in question.
• March 3, 2017: A review group began the process of analyzing the problem, a day after reports of spot weld issues.
• March 20, 2017: The field action began.

Ford Edge Recall Resolution

Though the listed dealer notification date, March 28, has already passed as of this writing, owner notification is set for the four-day period between May 15 and 19. Dealers will fix the faulty headers for free, due to the existing warranty. The notices are will travel via first-class mail to owners starting on the beginning of that week.

A delivery hold notice for dealers said that they could possibly face a $21,000 penalty for every vehicle they deliver without first going through the recall service. This action specifically targets possible noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214 for side impact protection.

Dearborn, Mich.—April 18, 2017—Ford Motor Company took part in a recall for 2017 Ford F-250 vehicles. This action intends to correct two noncompliance issues with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, as the vehicles in this recall could fail to meet the requirements for theft protection and transmission issues.

The Defect

The F-250 vehicles potentially affected in this case may not be able to reach Park mode because of park rod actuating plate damage during manufacturing. As said above, this single issue counts as both a transmission threat and a possible cause for theft. Exactly 48,443 are thought to be subject to this problem, but the Part 573 Safety Recall Report did not include an estimate for what percentage has the defect.

Timeline of Events

• Oct. 9, 2015: Production on the vehicles began.
• March 30, 2017: The review group discovered the cause of the issue in these vehicle’s plates. There were just three warranty claims traced to the defect by this point, but not any related accidents or injuries. This was also the final manufacture date of the group of potentially affected vehicles.
• March 31, 2017: On the same day as the submission date of the Part 573 report, Ford also officially approved the recall. The component manufacturer involved was from Goodrich, Michigan.

The Resolution

While dealer notification was scheduled immediately for March 31, the owner notification date was given as April 10. The fix itself was simply listed as a replacement for the affected actuating plate, though the report said that owners should use the parking brake as a precaution whenever they want to put the vehicle into park.

A notice to manufacturers said that new in-stock vehicles affected by this recall were not to be delivered while the action was in motion.

Dearborn, Mich.—April 14, 2017—In a statement released on March 29, Ford announced several recalls addressing a range of issues in their vehicles. One of these concerned fears if transmission or driveline fractures in F-450 and F-550 Superduty models, both of which with the model year of 2017.

The Defect

This is a speed-based problem in which the risk is higher for when operators drive faster than 75 miles per hour. The two groups of vehicles together make up 509 units in the U.S., with the last relevant manufacture date being Feb. 21, 2017.

An unstable driveshaft could lead to transmission or component fractures depending on the speed, perhaps causing the driveline to vibrate noticeably, according to the Part 573 Safety Recall report. The problem could have more than one result, leading to the vehicle either moving unexpectedly while parked or stopping without warning.

Timeline of Events

• Feb. 16, 2016: Production on both of the affected models began at the company’s Ohio Assembly Plant.
• Feb.-March, 2017: The manufacturer’s review group responded to warranty claims and reports of fractures related to this issue. After testing the vehicle with speeds as high as 81 miles per hour, the group started looking more closely at possible evidence of the issue.
• March 20, 2017: The company officially decided to move forward with the field action.

The Resolution

Ford’s fix for this action involves dealers replacing the driveshaft. The report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the new unit will include a “three-piece driveshaft and two center bearing brackets.”

The planned dealer notification date was listed as March 28, and the owner date as April 4. Other Ford recalls announced in the same group release included actions concerning door latches, windshield header welds and possible risk under hoods.

Recall Masters – April 3, 2017

Faulty Mustang Door Springs Spark Ford Recalls

Ford is recalling several thousand 2017 Mustang-brand vehicles that may accidentally open their doors during use. This is a safety compliance recall, and the company has said in a statement that the manufacturer has no evidence of any related accidents or injuries.

The Defect
The recall affects 5,756 total vehicles, 5,470 of which were in the U. S., and all of which bear the 2017 model year, produced this year. These vehicles could contain doors with a misaligned spring, prompting the driver-side door to potentially open during a collision. Though this would only happen with the unseated spring, it could still pose a safety risk to occupants…

Read the entire article on the Recall Masters website

Dearborn, Mich. — Apr. 03, 2017 — Ford is recalling several thousand 2017 Mustang-brand vehicles that may accidentally open their doors during use. This is a safety compliance recall, and the company has said in a statement that the manufacturer has no evidence of any related accidents or injuries.

The Defect
The recall affects 5,756 total vehicles, 5,470 of which were in the U. S., and all of which bear the 2017 model year, produced this year. These vehicles could contain doors with a misaligned spring, prompting the driver-side door to potentially open during a collision. Though this would only happen with the unseated spring, it could still pose a safety risk to occupants.

Timeline of Events

Jan. 13-31, 2017: Ford manufactured the soon-to-be recalled vehicles at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant.
March 15, 2017: Ford released and official statement about the fault.

The Resolution

Ford plans to fix the fault on behalf of owners for free, following an inspection. Since the fault is located in the return spring, that will presumably be the focus of the repairs.

This recall echoes a similar action announced last September, which targeted exactly 2,046,297 vehicles in the U.S. alone. This recall included not just the 2015 model year Ford Mustang, but also other models such as the Lincoln MKC and the Ford Transit Connect.

That number mentioned was actually the total amount after the September expansion, which included around 1.5 million vehicles instead of the original number. Instead of the return spring, this other recall pertained to the pawl spring tab, which would have a similar affect of preventing the door from closing. In that case, the resolution was the same, with the manufacturer pledging to replace the faulty latches. As of Sept. 16, 2016, there were three injuries traced back to this fault.

Dearborn, Mich. — March 30, 2017 — Today, Ford announced multiple recalls at once in a joint statement. The first of these was a safety recall for a series of models, all at possible risk of engine fire. While the release said no specific reports of injuries were traced to this recall, it also said it was aware of 29 cases of related fires. The majority of the 230,756 vehicles involved in the total North American recall were in the U.S.

A different site was responsible for each of the four models included in the recall: the Cuautitlan, Hermosilla, Louisville and Valencia Assembly Plants.

The Defect

All of the vehicles in this recall are said to have 1.6-liter GTDI engines, which could have difficulties circulating coolant throughout necessary systems. As a result, the engines could overheat and start fires if they make contact with any oil. The four Ford vehicle types of concern are Escape, Fiesta ST, Fusion and Transit Connect models, with years ranging from 2013 to 2015.

Timeline of Events

• Feb. 15, 2012: The earliest production date listed in the recall, this marked the time when the Ford Fusions began manufacture.
• Sep. 2, 2014: By contrast, this is the latest specific date given for affected vehicle production.
• March 29, 2017: Ford announced the recall in a press release.

The Resolution

The statement warned owners to watch out for signs of this defect, such as a constant coolant leak or possible overheating. The fix will ultimately include installing a sensor to monitor coolant levels in case of a shortage or leak.

There was no specific timeline given for notification or a remedy schedule, but Ford did say that owners only need to see dealers if they notice any of the symptoms, and that they would send repair instructions until official service kits are available.

Livonia, Mich. – March 28, 2017 – Roush CleanTech, an alternative fuel technology firm, has recalled 434 modified Ford vehicles equipped with faulty fuel control valves, according to documentation filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The recall impacts propane-operated Ford E-450 cutaway trucks and vans, F-59 stepvans and F-650 and F-750 heavy duty diesel pickups manufactured between August 2015 and February 2017.

The Defect

Affected models include fuel control valves that exhibit over-current and short-to-ground performance. This increases engine temperatures capable of degrading the non conductive coverings that protect the solenoid wiring coils contained within the valves. When these fixtures fall apart, the valve closes, halting the flow propane to the engine and prompting complete shutdown. This poses serious risks to drivers, as the vehicles could cease operation suddenly and increase the likelihood of a crash.

Timeline of Events

Three separate owners reported incidents of solenoid failure in December 2016, two involving supply valve solenoids and one involving return valve solenoids. Roush contacted the fuel control valve supplier, Parker Hannifin Corporation based in New Britain, Connecticut, and explained the incidents. Soon after, Roush initiated an internal investigation to better understand the problem and identify a solution.

The firm evaluated fuel control valves in the Parker inventory, focusing on the state of the solenoid wiring coils. Roush discovered that, due to the placement of a small plastic bobbin, the coil wiring was slightly eschew. This failed to create enough distance between the wiring and the metal coil casting, leading to the over-current and short-to-ground performance. The parts had gone through the inspection process without being flagged.

Roush decided to issue a recall March 8, 2017, following its investigation. Dealers received notification of the recall March 14.

The Solution

The company has pledged to replace the defective parts, free of charge, according to the NHTSA. Owners should expect to receive notification between March 31 and April 30.