Pleasanton, CA – October 16, 2021 – In an expansion of a previous recall, Ford (NYSE:F) has recalled 126,033 more SUVs due to a suspension issue that could cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle. This increases the risk of a crash and injury.
The recall includes 2011-2013 Ford Explorer SUVs and concerns the “left rear knuckle” and the “right rear knuckle” (#DB5Z-5B758-B and #DB5Z-5B759-B).
Recall summary
The rear toe links hold the car’s back wheels at the correct angle so that the vehicle actually goes in the direction that the driver is steering. The recall centers around a particular joint in the suspension that could become corroded and “seize up”, causing the toe links to snap.
The joint is vulnerable to corrosion from salt, which is used to de-ice roads in cold areas. The recall includes vehicles that were sold in, or at any point, registered in, the following “salt-belt” states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
Recall risks
If the knuckle joint seizes up and breaks the toe link, it will allow the wheel to wiggle around and misdirect the car. You can read more about the risks in this article about a related 2021 Ford toe link recall.
While these older cars have not yet caused any accidents or injuries, problems relating to the 2020 recall caused at least 13 accidents and six injuries.
Background of the recall
On July 8, 2021, Ford recalled over 644,000 2013-2017 Explorers in the United States based on 48 reported toe link fractures, but the company was concerned that pre-2013 cars could pose a problem, too.
These vehicles were built before Ford started routinely installing the faulty knuckle joints in 2013 cars. However, Ford believes around 2,800 older vehicles may have been subesquently repaired using the faulty knuckle joints, which is why the older Explorers are being recalled now. Ford must check over 126,000 cars to identify these 2,800 vehicles and inspect them for damage.
Other toe link recalls
Ford has recalled cars over toe link fractures at least three times in the past five years when prior recall campaigns failed to fix the problem.
General Motors also recently recalled cars over toe link fractures. The problem is caused by a separate issue, but it also affects cars registered or sold in the United States’ “salt belt.”
The repair
Ford dealers will inspect recalled cars to see if they contain a faulty knuckle joint. If they find one, they will check its tightness and replace it if necessary. The inspection and replacement will be performed for free. Notification letters with more details will be sent to owners starting November 1.
Is your vehicle part of this recall?
Over 300,000 vehicles are part of this 2011 – 2013 Ford Explorer recall. Check for Ford recalls using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
