Ford recalls sports cars with defective instrument clusters

 

Dearborn, Mich. – Jan. 10, 2017 – Ford Motor Company has recalled approximately 2,100 vehicles believed to contain defective instrument clusters, according to paperwork submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2018 Ford Mustang coupes produced between March 14, 2017, and Nov. 26, 2017. Ford speculates 100 percent of the models named in the action come equipped with the defective features.

The Defect

Vehicles referenced in the recall likely include instrument clusters that may not function properly after drivers have moved them from the key-on to key-off position. Specifically, owners have found that, upon engine shutoff, the instrument cluster fails to display the gear selection menu or initiate the warning chime that is supposed to occur when the driver’s side door has been opened. Additionally, many have seen their vehicles enter sleep mode and automatically initiate park, all without generating a notification. This poses a serious hazard to owners and pedestrians, as the likelihood of vehicle rollaway increases.

The defective instrument clusters also violate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 102 and 114, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. The first standard requires manufacturers to produce display clusters that display the correct gear position when “the ignition is in a position where the transmission can be shifted or the transmission is not in park,” according to the Government Publishing Office. FMVSS 114 applies to theft protection and rollaway prevention technology, and stipulates that all vehicles include ignition systems that prevent “normal activation of the vehicle’s engine or motor; and either steering, or forward self-mobility” when the key is removed.

Ford has yet to receive any reports connecting the defective instrument clusters to accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

In early November 2017, engineers at the Ford assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, discovered a 2018 Ford Mustang that failed to display the gear selection menu and initiate the driver’s side door warning post engine shutoff. Members of the company’s Critical Concern Review Group evaluated an internal report outlining the problem on Nov. 22 and called for an engineering inquiry. Investigators found that a software error within the internal power supply voltage measurement component had caused the glitch, which put the vehicle in violation of the FMVSS.

Engineering personnel introduced amended software Nov. 27 to prevent additional vehicles from coming off the line with problematic programming.

On Dec. 11, the Ford Field Review Committee evaluated these findings and decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall. The automaker notified dealers between Dec. 18 and Dec. 22.

The Solution

Ford has directed dealers to update the instrument cluster software in affected vehicles free of charge. The organization intends to notify owners via first-class mail between Feb. 5, 2018, and Feb. 9, 2018. Those in need of more immediate assistance can speak with Ford customer service personnel by calling (866) 436-7332 and using the internal recall identification code 17C21. Owners can also speak with representatives from the NHTSA via the Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

 

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