Ford Motor Company is recalling 570K vehicles for a variety of safety issues. The recall for over half a million of its vehicles are due to a variety of problems including engine fires and doors that fly open on their own.
The first recall covers over 230,000 Escape SUVs, Fiesta ST subcompacts, Fusion midsize cars and Transit Connect vans with 1.6-Liter turbocharged engines from 2013 through 2015. A lack of coolant circulation could cause an engine to overheat, resulting in a crack in the cylinder head. A cracked cylinder head can result in a pressurized oil leak. Oil that comes into contact with a hot engine surface increases the risk of a fire in the engine compartment. Ford says there have been 29 reports of fire associated with this issue in the U.S. and Canada.
In the second recall, Ford is expanding a previously announced safety recall regarding door latches to include approximately 211,000 more vehicles, including model year 2014 Ford Fiesta, 2013-14 Ford Fusion and 2013-14 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The pawl spring tab in the side door latch could break, resulting in a “door will not close” condition. A door that opens during driving increases the risk of injury.
Finally, Ford is issuing a recall for approximately 548 model year 2017 Ford F-450 and F-550 vehicles. The recalled vehicles may experience driveline vibration caused by a powertrain system resonance condition at speeds above 75 mph. Continued operation of a vehicle at these speeds could result in a resonance frequency that may fracture transmission and/or driveline components.
The recalls will hit the company’s bottom line in the first quarter of this year. Ford said in last Wednesday’s filing with securities regulators that the recalls will cut pre-tax earnings by $295 million.
