Ford recalls Mustang, Fusion cars over faulty brake lights, rollaway risk

Dearborn, MI – January 23, 2022 – Ford (NYSE:F) has recalled 199,085 vehicles with a brake issue that increases the risk of a rollaway and also means that the brake lights may be “continuously” on, increasing the risk of an accident.

The recall applies only to vehicles sold or registered in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Hawaii, and includes the following models :

  • 2015 Ford Mustang
  • 2014 – 2015 Ford Fusion 
  • 2014 – 2015 Lincoln MKZ

Recall summary  

The recall stems from an issue with the brake pedal stop bumper, which helps properly activate the brake lights when the brake pedal is pressed. Due to higher temperatures, humidity and salinity in the states where the vehicles are being recalled, the rubber that the bumper is made out of disintegrates “after several years in service,” according to Ford.

As a result, these vehicles can be started without “depressing the brake,” increasing the risk of a rollaway. Additionally the missing bumper may also result in the brake lights being constantly on.

The component in question is the brake pedal assembly with multiple part numbers, found here.

Recall risks

The rollaway can up the risk of a back-over accident that can lead to property damage and injuries for everyone involved. The illuminated brake lights can confuse other drivers, also augmenting the risk of a crash.

Other Ford recalls

Earlier this month, there was a Ford Mustang recall for improperly attached seat belts, as reported. The recall also included Mach-E vehicles. Rollaway risks were also a concern for 4,548 2020 Ford Transit vans, also recalled earlier this month.

The repair

Dealers will replace the recalled cars’ brake pedal and clutch pedal bumpers for free. Owners will be notified about the recall by mail starting on March 3, 2022. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Nearly 200,000 vehicles are included in this Ford recall. To run a Ford recall check on  your car, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandFord recalls Mustang, Fusion cars over faulty brake lights, rollaway risk

Ford and Mazda begin 2.6 million-vehicle-strong Takata airbag recall

Dearborn, MI and Washington, D.C. March 23, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) and Mazda (OTCMKTS:MZDAY) have begun recalls of 2,608,515 vehicles equipped with potentially dangerous Takata airbags whose inflators could explode, injuring or killing drivers and passengers. This latest Takata airbag recall includes:

  • 2007 – 2011 Ford Ranger pickups
  • 2007 – 2009 Mazda B Series pickups
  • 2006 – 2012 Ford Fusion sedans
  • 2006 – 2012 Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ sedans
  • 2006 – 2011 Mercury Milan sedans
  • 2007 – 2010 Ford Edge SUVs
  • 2007 – 2010 Lincoln MKX luxury SUVs

The vast majority of the recalled vehicles are Fords; the Mazda models in this recall were built by Ford due to a past relationship between the two companies.

Recall summary  

This Takata airbag recall is caused by faulty airbag inflators that can degrade over time and rupture when the airbags are deployed, sending shrapnel flying into vehicle occupants. Worldwide, these explosions have killed 27 people and have injured over 400.

The recall follows on the heels of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rejecting the automakers’ petition not to recall these vehicles.

The inflators explode because of repeated exposure to high humidity and “high temperatures” and despite the addition of a desiccant, or a drying agent, that is meant to minimize the risk.

Risks

The risks involved in this recall are similar to those in a recent Volkswagen Takata airbag recall, which we cover in this previous article.

Other Takata airbag recalls

Over 66 million Takata airbags have been recalled in recent years in what amounts to the largest recall in the automotive history up-to-date. Just this year alone, General Motors recalled 6 million vehicles equipped with these potentially lethal airbags. 

Some of the cars involved in earlier rounds of recalls should NOT be driven at all. See the full list here.

The repair

Ford, Lincoln and Mazda dealers will replace the defective airbags with one that does not contain ammonium nitrate. The dealer will not charge for this service.

It is not clear when the parts will be available.

Ford and Lincoln owners should receive recall notifications with more instructions as early as April 1; Mazda owners can expect theirs to arrive by May 9. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 2.6 million vehicles are included in these Ford and Mazda recalls. To do a Mazda or Ford recall check, enter your VIN into MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandFord and Mazda begin 2.6 million-vehicle-strong Takata airbag recall

Ford recalls over 150,000 cars that may have Takata airbags installed

Dearborn, MI – February 19, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) is recalling 154,224 vehicles that may have had dangerous Takata airbag inflators installed again after undergoing a recall for this same issue. These inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel that could injure or kill vehicle occupants. There are two separate recalls for this issue. The first includes:

  • 2004-2011 Ford Ranger trucks
  • 2005-2014 Ford Mustang sports cars
  • 2008-2012 Ford Fusion sedans
  • 2009-2011 Mercury Milan sedans
  • 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ luxury sedans
  • 2007-2010 Ford Edge SUVs
  • 2007-2010 Lincoln MKX luxury SUVs
  • 2006 Ford GT sports cars

The second recall includes:

  • 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks

Recall summary  

Ford dealers may have accidentally installed airbags containing these potentially lethal inflators during repairs for collision or theft damage after a recall related to this same issue was completed. It is not clear which particular Takata recall the company is referring to since many of these models were subjects to different recalls, albeit for the same issue.

These airbags were supposed to have been purged from Ford’s stock of replacement parts once new, safe ones became available. However, instead of that, they may have been put in 1,117 vehicles that comprise the first group. In the case of the second group, only 45 of over 150,000 cars contain the inflators but it is not clear which ones. Therefore, at the behest of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Ford is issuing a recall to address the issue.

Risks

Worldwide, Takata airbag inflators have killed at least 27 people, including two that ruptured and killed people riding in 2006 Ford Rangers.

A Ford spokesperson told Consumer Reports that none of the Ford Rangers in this recall are on the “Do not Drive” list of cars considered to be exceptionally high-risk. However, certain Ford Rangers are indeed on that list. You can check to see if your car is one of them here.

You can read more about the problems with Takata inflators in this article about GM’s recent Takata airbag recall. 

The repair

Ford dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace vehicles airbag inflators for free. Recall notifications go out the week of March 8, and will include more information about when and how to seek repairs.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 154,000 vehicles are included in this Ford recall. As of April 29, 2021, – the last date information was available – 5,693 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

Note: July 17, 2021

We have noticed a large number of readers are interested in this recall. For that reason, we have updated the number of cars that have been replaced to reflect the most up-to-date information.

Rebecca RandFord recalls over 150,000 cars that may have Takata airbags installed

Ford and Mazda ordered to recall close to 3 million vehicles with Takata airbags

Washington, D.C. – January 27, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) and Mazda (OTCMKTS:MZDAY) must recall close to 3 million vehicles  in the U.S. after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) denied both manufacturers’ petitions to be excluded from an expansion of Takata airbag inflator recalls. The inflators, which have killed at least 30 people and caused over 400 injuries, are at the center of the largest auto recall in history, involving 19 car manufacturers and tens of millions of vehicles. Ford and Mazda will have to recall and replace airbags in the following models:

  • 2007-2011 Ford Ranger pickups
  • 2007-2009 Mazda B-Series pickups
  • 2006-2012 Ford Fusion sedans
  • 2006-2012 Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ sedans
  • 2006-2011 Mercury Milan sedans
  • 2007-2010 Ford Edge SUVs
  • 2007-2010 Lincoln MKX luxury SUVs

The manufacturers have until February 18 to initiate the recall. The Mazda vehicles involved were built by Ford on Mazda’s platform due to Ford’s past investment in the company.

Summary  

The recall concerns these vehicles’ driver’s-side airbag inflators, which are supposed to inflate the airbags using a small explosion. If moisture gets into the inflator and degrades the explosives inside, it may generate a blast that is too large. This can rupture the inflator and send pieces of metal flying into vehicle occupants, injuring or even killing them. Some inflators, including those in the aforementioned Ford and Mazda models, were made with a drying agent to protect the explosives from water.

Background of the recall

Similar to a recent Volkswagen Takata airbag recall, the vehicles that are set to be recalled were manufactured with a desiccant, or a drying agent, that was set to prevent the possible explosion by blocking the moisture from getting inside. Based on that and other factors, in 2017, Ford and Mazda petitioned NHTSA to be excluded from the recall that was initiated by Takata earlier that year. 

However, this month, NHTSA denied the petitions due to its and Takata’s analysis of salvaged inflators, which showed that these components still degrade over time, increasing the risk of an explosion. 

Risks

For risks related to this recall, please see our recent article about Volkswagen recalling over 100,000 Beetles over similar concerns. Mazda reported injuries related to previous recalls of cars manufactured by the brand but it is not clear how many. The vehicles affected under those Mazda airbag recalls include 2004-2009 B-Series pickup trucks and 2004-2006 Mazda MPV vans.

Other Ford recalls

Recently, Ford recalled 2014-2016 Edge SUVs due to potential brake failure. You can read more about that recall here.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Close to 3 million vehicles will be included in these Ford and Mazda recalls. To do a Ford recall check, bookmark MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool and come back to the site when more details become available.

Rebecca RandFord and Mazda ordered to recall close to 3 million vehicles with Takata airbags

Ford recalls Explorers and Aviators over fractured driveshafts

Pleasanton, CA – December 1, 2020 – Ford (NYSE: F) is recalling 10,905 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs whose driveshafts – one of the most important components of a car – may fracture, presenting several risks including vehicle rollaway, fuel leaks and fire. All of the recalled vehicles have 10-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, and 2.0L or 3.3L engines. 

Recall summary

In approximately 18 of the 10,905 recalled vehicles, the rear driveshaft may not have been welded properly and could snap. The driveshaft transfers power to the rear wheels. Its breakage could cause the vehicle to lose power while in motion or roll away when parked. The snapped shaft could also pierce the fuel tank and cause a leak and/or fire.

Ford knows the serial numbers of the faulty driveshafts, but they must inspect over 10,000 vehicles to find them. 

Other recalls

The 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator have had close to a dozen of  combined recalls since August 2019, including one for malfunctioning rearview camera and another one for defective fuel lines

Safety risks

The broken driveshaft can cause a whole host of problems. A snapped driveshaft will cut off drive power to the rear wheels, increasing the risk of a crash because of unexpected movement. The vehicle could also roll away if parked on a hill. This is what killed actor Anton Yelchin, whose Jeep Cherokee (also recalled) rolled down his driveway and crushed him against a pillar.  Furthermore, if the driveshaft snaps, it could hit the fuel tank and spring a leak, which in turn could lead to a fire. It’s a frightening list of potential scenarios that should encourage owners to get their vehicles looked at.

Repair

Dealers will inspect the driveshaft and check its serial number. If it matches one on Ford’s list of affected serial numbers, they will replace the driveshaft. Ford plans to notify owners by mail during the week of November 30 as to when the repair will be available.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 10,000 cars are included in this Ford recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool to check your car for open recalls.

Rebecca RandFord recalls Explorers and Aviators over fractured driveshafts