Ford Recalling Nearly 450K Cars Due To Fire, Latch Problems; 52K Trucks Due To Rollaway Issue

Ford Motor Company has issued three recalls since March 29, and they're going to be expensive to repair. The manufacturer is projected to spend over $295 million resolving these issues.

 

The first recall involves about 231,000 vehicles that are equipped with 1.6-liter inline 4-cylinder engines. The vehicles with these engines include the 2013-2014 Fusion built at the Hermosillo, Mexico factory, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2014 Escape, and the 2013-2015 Transit Connect. These vehicles are under recall because the engine can catch fire due to a coolant circulation problem.

 

Because the coolant isn’t circulating properly, the engine can become overheated. This can cause the engine block to crack, which can allow oil to leak out and catch fire. Ford says that 29 fires have been reported in the United States, but they have not caused any injuries or deaths.

 

The repair, which will be done free of charge, requires the dealer to install a coolant level sensor. In the event the part becomes unavailable, Ford recommends checking coolant levels regularly and refilling as needed.

 

The second recall involves approximately 211,000 vehicles with door latches that are prone to easily breaking. The list includes the 2014 Fusion built at the Flat Rock, Michigan, plant, 2013-2014 Fusion built at the Hermosillo site, 2014 Fiesta and 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ.

 

Ford says the "pawl spring tab" in the latch could break, leading to the door opening unexpectedly while the car is in motion. No injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of this issue. Ford will replace the springs with a stronger version at no cost to drivers.

 

The automaker is issuing a third recall involving 52,000 2017 F-250 pickups with the 6.2-liter power plant built between October 2015 until March 30, 2017. The trucks can move while in "Park," but no accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of this issue.

 

The cause of the problem is "a damaged park rod actuating plate (that) might not achieve mechanical park within the automatic transmission after the driver moves the shift lever to park," the automaker said. "If the parking brake is not applied, this could result in unintended vehicle movement with the gear selector in park without warning, increasing the risk of injury or crash."

 

The Ford reference number for this recall is 17C06. Dealers will inspect and replace the park rod actuating plate as necessary at no cost to the customer.