Dearborn, Mich. – Jan. 10, 2019 – Ford Motor Company has recalled approximately 874,000 vehicles potentially equipped with defective engine components, according to a company press release. The campaign affects multiple models, including:

• 2015-2019 Ford F-150 pickup trucks assembled between March 18, 2014, and Nov. 17, 2018, at manufacturing sites in Kansas City and Dearborn, Missouri.
• 2017-2019 Ford Super Duty pickup trucks assembled between Oct. 8, 2014, and Nov. 17, 2018, at manufacturing sites in Avon Lake, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky.

More than 410,000 of the recalled vehicles were sold in U.S. dealerships, while the remainder wound up in the Canadian market.

The Defect

The vehicles involved in the action may contain AV outlet-compatible engine block heaters vulnerable to water intrusion. In the event that liquid enters these components, the cables and associated splice connectors within could corrode over time, increasing the likelihood of shorting. Should this occur, the engine block heater may falter or create an electrical current capable of tripping household breakers and ground-fault-circuit-interrupter outlets. That said, the defect does not pose a threat to occupants.

Ford has received just one report detailing an instance of property damage linked to the defective component thus far.

Timeline of Events

The automaker has yet to release information on the investigation that yielded the recall.

The Solution

Ford has directed dealers to inspect and, if necessary, replace the defective engine block heaters installed in recalled vehicles free of charge. However, the company has yet to release an owner notification timeline. Those in need of immediate assistance prior to the start of the campaign can contact Ford customer service personnel by calling (800) 392-3673. Owners can also reach out to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by calling the Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Dearborn, Mich. – Jan. 10, 2019 – Ford Motor Company has recalled approximately 874,000 vehicles potentially equipped with defective engine components, according to a company press release. The campaign affects multiple models, including:

• 2015-2019 Ford F-150 pickup trucks assembled between March 18, 2014, and Nov. 17, 2018, at manufacturing sites in Kansas City and Dearborn, Missouri.
• 2017-2019 Ford Super Duty pickup trucks assembled between Oct. 8, 2014, and Nov. 17, 2018, at manufacturing sites in Avon Lake, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky.

More than 410,000 of the recalled vehicles were sold in U.S. dealerships, while the remainder wound up in the Canadian market.

The Defect

The vehicles involved in the action may contain AV outlet-compatible engine block heaters vulnerable to water intrusion. In the event that liquid enters these components, the cables and associated splice connectors within could corrode over time, increasing the likelihood of shorting. Should this occur, the engine block heater may falter or create an electrical current capable of tripping household breakers and ground-fault-circuit-interrupter outlets. That said, the defect does not pose a threat to occupants.

Ford has received just one report detailing an instance of property damage linked to the defective component thus far.

Timeline of Events

The automaker has yet to release information on the investigation that yielded the recall.

The Solution

Ford has directed dealers to inspect and, if necessary, replace the defective engine block heaters installed in recalled vehicles free of charge. However, the company has yet to release an owner notification timeline. Those in need of immediate assistance prior to the start of the campaign can contact Ford customer service personnel by calling (800) 392-3673. Owners can also reach out to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by calling the Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Dearborn, Mich., January 4, 2019 – Ford Motor Company recently issued a recall for some 2019 EcoSport Vehicles. According to a Ford press release, some of the vehicles from this model year possess a weak weld holding the front seats in place.

This recall is relatively small in scale, affecting fewer than 100 of the crossovers throughout North America. With approximately 87 EcoSport vehicles affected in total, 63 are located in the U.S. and its federalized territories, while 13 are in Canada. The recall’s internal Ford reference number is 18C08.

The Defect

The weld between two parts of these vehicles’ front seats, the A-bracket and the side member, has been declared too weak in the affected crossovers. An insufficient seat weld may increase the risk of motorists being injured or killed in a collision. The Ford vehicles are thus in violation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 207 and 210, which pertain to the strength of seat backs.

Timeline of Events

As the vehicles affected by the recent recall are from a recent model year, the discovery of the defect and the recall process have played out over a short period of time. Ford announced the recall in early January, along with a separate recall regarding the ongoing process of taking potentially dangerous Takata airbag inflators off the market.

Ford did not indicate how the company realized its 2019 EcoSport crossovers were in violation of FMVSS regulations, or whether the report came from the NHTSA or internal inspections. It did note that thus far no accidents or injuries related to the defect have been reported to Ford.

The Solution

Owners of affected vehicles should go to their Ford dealers to receive repairs. Though the problem with the vehicles is associated with a single weld, the entire front seats of the EcoSport crossovers are compromised. Instead of making a smaller change, the dealers are ordered to replace the front seats of affected cars completely to bring them back into compliance with FMVSS.