Dearborn, Mich. — August 04, 2016 — Approximately 605 Transit Connect vans are included in a new Ford recall, according to official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents. The action addresses recent vehicles produced between February 22 and April 9 this year. The Part 573 Safety Recall Report said that affected vehicles could include a hydraulic control unit pump with metallic debris.
While the source did not give an estimate for the percentage of these vehicles with the defect, it did describe said potential defect in greater detail. Debris in the Hydraulic Control Units could potentially render these vehicles unfit under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. It would particularly represent noncompliance with FMVSS 126: “Electronic Stability Control Systems.” The debris is said to come from a “poorly modified piercing tool.”
The report did not list any specific signs of the defect, though it said that brake system performance could degrade “without warning.” Ford first observed the issue through its Critical Concern Review Group on May 19.
The Field Review Committee approved an official field action just over a month later on June 20. While the dealer notification date was listed as June 28, owners are not scheduled to hear about the issue until the four-day period between August 8 and 12. During this time, owners will be directed to contact an appropriate dealer to address the issue, perhaps removing the HCUs as necessary.
This is only the most recent of Ford recalls to impact this brand and model year. Earlier this year, the 2016 Transit Connect was subject to a separate action involving 37,066 potentially affected units. That was due to a badly oriented side curtain air bag fold, according to other NHTSA documents.
