Lilburn, Georgia – September 25, 2018: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles in North America to replace door striker bolts in all four doors.
These vehicles may have door striker bolts that are shorter than intended. Vehicles with shorter door striker bolts fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for Door Locks and Door Retention Components.In the event of a crash, a shorter bolt may allow the door to open, increasing the risk of injury.

According to a release from the Ford Media Center, affected vehicles include 2018 Ford Edge and 2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles built at Oakville Assembly Plant, July 27-31, 2018. There are approximately 555 vehicles in North America relating to this concern, with 503 vehicles in the United States and its federalized territories, 51 in Canada and one in Mexico. Vehicles assembled before July 27, 2018 and after July 31, 2018 were assembled using the correct length door striker bolts and are not affected by this concern.

The Defect

The affected vehicles may have a door striker assembled to the vehicle body with one or both striker bolts that may be 5mm shorter than design intent length. In the event of a vehicle crash, a door striker with a shorter bolt may not withstand the minimum ultimate loads required. This may allow the door to open in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The supplier mislabeled and delivered striker bolts 5mm shorter than the design intent bolts. Because of the mislabeling, the shorter bolts became mixed with the design intent bolts at the assembly line.

Timeline of Events

According to the NHTSA Safety Recall Report, in August 2018, Oakville Assembly Complex (OAC) brought into Ford’s Critical Concerns Review Group (CCRG) an issue concerning Edge and MKX vehicles that may have been built with the incorrect length fastener used to attach the door striker to the vehicle body.

After a line operator observed that the fastener was not the correct length, a stop-ship was initiated, and the supplier was notified. Further investigation identified that the supplier had mistakenly shipped boxes labeled with the correct part number, but which actually contained fasteners that were 5mm shorter than design intent.

The error was limited to a single batch of mis-labeled door striker bolts. The supplier took corrective action and preventative action at their facility and resumed delivery to OAC on July 30, 2018.

Engineering was asked to study the effect of a 5 mm shorter length bolt on the strength of the door striker. In September 2018, Ford’s Field Review Committee reviewed the concern and approved a field action to recall vehicles with the incorrect part, as it was determined that the shorter bolt could cause a hazard in case of a crash by failing to properly secure the door.

Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition.

The Solution

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door striker bolts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 15, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). The Ford reference number for this recall is 18C06.

Dearborn, Mich. – July 20, 2018 – Ford Motor Company has recalled more than two dozen vehicles potentially equipped with defective torque converters, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

The campaign affects 2017-2018 Ford Edge sport utility vehicles produced between July 28, 2017, and March 8, 2018, as well as 2017 Lincoln MKZ sport utility vehicles manufactured between Aug. 24, 2017. The American automaker suspects all of the vehicles referenced in the action contain the defective parts.

The Defect

The affected vehicles contain two-liter engines with torque converters with defective welds prone to breakage. In the event that these joints collapse, the torque converter may disconnect from the engine flexplate, leading to the loss of motive power and increasing the likelihood of an accident. This defect therefore poses a serious hazard to occupants.

However, Ford has yet to receive reports connecting the problematic components to any accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

Members of the Ford Critical Concern Review Group received a report in May 2018 that outlined in instance in which a vehicle owner brought his car in for service to repair broken torque converter welds. The torque converter in this vehicle had been recalled in an earlier campaign but was apparently not quarantined during production. An investigation revealed that assembly personnel had mishandled the component and installed it in a new transmission.

Ford engineers discovered that this misstep had been made more than two dozen times.

The Ford Field Review Committee took up the issue June 4, 2018, and chose to call for an immediate voluntary recall. The automaker informed dealers of the forthcoming action June 11, 2018.

The Solution

Ford directed dealers to replace the torque converters in affected vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. The car company reached out to owners via first-class mail between June 25, 2018, and June 29, 2018.

Those still in need of assistance can speak with Ford customer service personnel by calling (866) 436-7332. Callers should use the internal recall reference code 17S16. Owners can also connect with the NHTSA directly using the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Dearborn, Mich. – Feb. 21, 2018 – Ford Motor Company has recalled 92 vehicles potentially equipped with defective brake jounce hoses, according to an organizational press release. The campaign affects 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKZ sport utility vehicles. According to the American automaker, 88 of the recalled vehicles originated from dealerships in the U.S. while four came from dealers in Canada.

The Defect

Affected vehicles may feature out-of-specification brake jounce hoses that collide with surrounding vehicle components during operation. Due to this constant contact, the likelihood of hose wear and, eventually, brake fluid leakage increases. This poses a serious safety hazard to occupants, as the loss of break fluid could inhibit the braking system. That said, Ford has yet to receive reports connecting the defective brake jounce hoses to any accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

The car company has not released details into the investigation that uncovered the defect. However, Ford did announce the the vehicles included in the recall were produced at the Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky between Oct. 29, 2017 and Oct. 30, 2017.

The Solution

Ford will direct dealers to inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake jounce hoses in the recalled models free of charge. The automaker has not yet announced a timetable for the recall action. Owners in need of assistance can contact Ford customer service personnel at (800) 392-3673. Callers should use the internal recall identification code 18S04. Owners can also reach out to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration through its Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Recall Masters – March 27, 2017

Lincoln and Ford Recalls to Address Air Bag Issueses

Drivers in some Ford vehicles face possible risk from faulty air bag systems, according to a new recall from Ford. In a press release, the manufacturer announced the details surrounding a safety compliance recall that could possibly cause confusion among consumers: Although it involves Takata air bags, it is not a part of the massive international Takata air bag safety recall efforts.

The Defect
The manufacturer said that two possible problems could stem from this defect: Air bags in affected vehicles could either detach entirely or fail to inflate. Both cases are likely in exactly 31,867 vehicles across North America, the majority of which (27,531) are in the U.S. The models involved include Ford Edge vehicles as well as Lincoln Continental and MKX examples with the 2016 and 2017 model years…

Dearborn, Mich. — March 27, 2017 — Drivers in some Ford vehicles face possible risk from faulty air bag systems, according to a new recall from Ford. In a press release, the manufacturer announced the details surrounding a safety compliance recall that could possibly cause confusion among consumers: Although it involves Takata air bags, it is not a part of the massive international Takata air bag safety recall efforts.

The Defect

The manufacturer said that two possible problems could stem from this defect: Air bags in affected vehicles could either detach entirely or fail to inflate. Both cases are likely in exactly 31,867 vehicles across North America, the majority of which (27,531) are in the U.S. The models involved include Ford Edge vehicles as well as Lincoln Continental and MKX examples with the 2016 and 2017 model years.

Timeline of Events

• Nov. 11, 2014: Lincoln MKX production began.
• Oct. 8, 2015: Earliest production date for affected Ford Edge vehicles.
• Jan. 13, 2016: Assembly for affected Lincoln Continental vehicles began.
• Jan. 18, 2017: Last production date for affected 2017 Lincoln Continental vehicles.
• Feb. 15, 2017: Latest production date for both Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX autos involved in this recall.
• Mar. 2, 2017: Ford published the press release online addressing the issue in all vehicles.

The Resolution

Though the press release did not delve into specifics, Ford mentioned that it would replace faulty air bag modules and help the vehicles comply with federal standards, particularly involving occupant crash protection, FMVSS 208. There were no issues connected to this defect as of March 2, the day of the recall statement’s publication.

In October 2016, the 2016 Ford Edge was involved in a different recall pertaining to electronic stability control within just 53 units. Ford said that its dealers would replace the anti-lock braking systems as part of the repair process, according to an official recall acknowledgement.