They’re being recalled again because a reinforcement bracket from the first recall may have been installed incorrectly. Ford said it knows of “a small number of accidents that might be connected to this issue but no injuries”.
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Thousands of Ford Windstar vehicles, that were built at the Oakville, Ontario assembly plant, are being recalled over concerns of a cracking rear axle. If, however, the brackets were installed properly, Ford will offer to replace the rear axle at a discount.
Dealers are being told to inspect the vehicles and replace the axle for free if the bracket was installed incorrectly. Should that happen, the vehicle can slip out of gear and roll away. Ford says it has a single crash report involving this issue. Dealers will tighten that bolt on these 2001-2008 models.
The problem will only occur when an F-150 is in what’s called “adaptive cruise control” mode, which will apply the brakes if it detects an obstacle. Of the total recall population, 33,481 are registered in the US, with 3,376 in Canada.
Ford is recalling 319,302 cars in the US for rusting axles, fuel leaks, transmission defects, and cruise-control problems, the automaker announced. If they don’t, a fractured axle could make the vehicle much harder to drive, increasing the risk of an accident.
The issue could prove deadly if the tank catches fire. The affected are in the United States (203) and Canada (48).
Dealers will properly tighten the fuel tank attachment bolts at no cost to the customer.
Faulty shift lever brackets can do a similar injustice on 1477 brand-new Ford F-53 and F-59 truck chassis from the 2016 model year. The system could apply the brakes until it senses that the truck is no longer in the way.
The recalled vehicles were built in Detroit between June 1, 2015, through August 11, 2015. The models will get a new transmission shift control bracket and an adjustment to the shift cable to fix the issue.
■ 700 2016 Ford Fusion and also Lincoln MKZ automobiles for an energy container concern. In these vehicles, the fuel tank might not have been manufactured properly and could crack in a crash, which is a compliance issue with FMVSS 301 regarding fuel system integrity.
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The recalled vehicles range from 18-year-old from Ford Windstar vans to a few models of the 2016 Ford Fusion. Only 708 North American vehicles are affected by the problem, which violates federal safety regulations.
