Ford has now topped 110 recalls this year, but the latest could be one of the most serious, the automaker warning owners of 115,000 Super Duty pickups that they could face a dangerous defect leading to a complete loss of steering control. Headlight.New has more.
About 115,000 Ford Super Duty models from the 2020 and 2021 model years are covered by the recall.
Ford has announced another recall, this one notifying 115,539 Super Duty pickup owners that the upper shaft of their steering column could unexpectedly detach. If that were to occur they would face a complete loss of steering control.
The automaker urged owners to check their vehicles immediately and, if there are signs of trouble park the trucks or have them towed to dealers until repairs can be made.
Since the beginning of the year, Ford has announced about 110 safety-related recalls including one revealed less than a week ago targeting Taurus sedans because their doors could start coming apart.
The latest recall
In affected vehicles, the upper half of the steering shaft could separate, leading to a loss of control.
Super Duty models, also known as the F-250, F-350 and F-450, from the 2020 and 2021 model years are the targets of the latest Ford recall. Specifically, those trucks were produced between February 19, 2019 and September 30, 2020
Pickups covered by the recall use a single stake to hold together the upper and lower steering column shafts, By February 2021, Ford engineers designed a modification, adding an additional brace to prevent the parts from separating.
As of this month, Ford has received 11 reports that appear linked to the defect, though Ford said it is unaware of any related accidents or injuries. But, adding to the concerns, owners have not been receiving dashboard warnings when the steering system fails.
What next
Only about 1% of the vehicles covered by the recall actually are thought to be at risk, but the automaker made it clear that motorists could be at severe risk if the steering column does fail while being driven.
Ford will begin sending out written notification to owners of the covered vehicles in October, it advised the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. At that point owners will be able to reach out to dealers to schedule an inspection of their vehicles. Repairs will be made free of charge should that be necessary.
Super Duty owners who want to find out more can reach out to Ford’s customer service hotline at 1-866-436-7332.
More Ford News
- Ford Sets an All-Time Recall Record
- Another 1.9 Million Fords Are Recalled
- 1 Mil More Fords Recalled for Faulty Backup Cameras
Ford sets a recall record
As of June 30, Ford announced 89 separate safety-related recalls, an all-time record that topped the 77 recalls General Motors staged during all of 2014. Since then, Ford has continued announcing recalls at a rapid pace, now topping a total of 110 for the year.
Late last week it advised NHTSA that it would call back 102,000 Taurus sedans produced between 2016 and 2019 due the possibility door trim could break off while driving. (Tesla faced a similar recall with the Cybertruck earlier this year due to improperly attached trim.)
Earlier this month, the Detroit automaker recalled some Lincoln MKX and Ford Edge SUVs due to a potential brake fluid leak. The automaker’s other recalls this year have covered defects including potential fire hazards and faulty batteries that could leave motorists locked out of – and, in some cases locked into – their vehicles. Ford has had numerous recalls this year involving digital instrument panels and backup cameras that can fail unexpectedly.
Adding to the company’s problems, some 20225 recalls have been required to address fixes from prior recalls that didn’t prove to work.
0 Comments