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.
