Dearborn, MI — April 13, 2016 — A trio of auto recalls signaled the end of March for Ford Motor Company. In a single press release from the manufacturer, Ford described three different recalls that affect various vehicles with the 2015 and 2016 model years.
In total, the new Ford recalls concern approximately 48,205 vehicles across the United States and Canada, and no accidents have been connected to any of these problems. Potentially affected units include vehicles from various company assembly plants, including locations in Chicago, Louisville and Kansas City.
The first recall includes 37,066 Ford Transits in the United States. These low-roof models could have lackluster airbags that threaten occupy safety. In addition, 5,536 Lincoln MKC and Ford Explorers are recalled for block heater updates. Of the three recalls, this one seems to have led to the most notable reports of related incidents, with two underhood fires occurring in Canada.
“The engine block design, coupled with the particular block heater installed in these vehicles, causes the unit to be susceptible to overheating when the vehicle is parked and the block heater is plugged in – increasing the risk of an underhood fire,” the source said. The final recall listed 4,764 F-650 and F-750 models that could feature weak parking brake connector clips.
In all instances, Ford dealers will replace the offending parts or adjust them as necessary. Previously, the manufacturer issued another press release addressing multiple recalls at once on February 26. That statement concerned issues with seat belt buckles and occupant classification systems.
All of the vehicles included in this February release fell under the 2015 or 2016 model years, much like those in the March recall. Both announcements also addressed issues across North America, although the previous one also encompassed some potential defect in Mexico.
