Ford Recalls 3 Million Vehicles Due to Rollaway Issues
Ford Motor has issued a recall on 2.9 million vehicles in America that could roll away due to a missing or damaged shift cable part. The defect could prevent the car from shifting into the correct gear and rolling away.
Safety regulators say although the shifter position shows the vehicle has shifted to park, the transmission may not be in the park position. There is no warning message to alert the driver who has exited the car only to have it roll, increasing the risk of an injury or accident. Another issue is that if the vehicle is turned off when it is not actually in the park position, it may not be able to restart.
Fortunately, there are no reports of any deaths associated with this issue. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated there have been four injuries and six incidents of property damage related to the problem.
Recalled Vehicle and Model Year
- 2013 to 2018 C-Max
- 2013 to 2016 Fusion
- 2013 to 2019 Escape
- 2015 to 2018 Edge
- 2013 to 2021 Transit Connect
Cause of the Issue
This is Ford’s 5th recall over the shift cable part issue since 2018. About 1.4 million vehicles worldwide were previously recalled by Ford in earlier shift cable recalls.
Watch YouTube Video: Ford Recalls Explorers Models That May Roll Away While in Park. Watch the following video from CBS Miami to learn more about a recent Ford recall.
Why Is a Recall Necessary?
Your safety is essential, and a vehicle can be recalled when it poses a safety risk to you, your passengers, and other drivers on the road. When this happens, manufacturers must fix the issue by replacing it, repairing it, offering a refund, or sometimes rebuying the vehicle. A defect includes any flaw in the construction, performance, component, or material of a car or its equipment.
What Should I Do If My Car Is Recalled?
If you receive a recall notification, follow all safety guidelines and visit your local Ford dealership to have the vehicle serviced. The dealer will fix the defective part for free. You can take your car to the dealership, and a technician will replace the damaged bushing with a new version better engineered to withstand heat. Technicians will also cover the bushing to prevent contaminants from causing the problem again. If a dealer refuses to repair your car, notify the manufacturer immediately or file a complaint with NHTSA at www.safercar.gov.
Vehicle owners will receive a mail notification in late June. If you did not receive a recall notification and want to find out if there is a recall on your vehicle, visit NHTSA’s site and enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to look it up.
Even if your vehicle isn’t recalled now, it might be later. Whether NHTSA orders a safety recall or a manufacturer independently conducts one, the automaker must file a report describing any safety-related defect. Manufacturers must also notify vehicle owners within 60 days by mail of a recall decision made to NHTSA.
Reporting a Safety Issue to NHTSA
If you suspect a safety issue with your vehicle, you can relay it to NHTSA. Reporting the problem is an essential first step to getting the matter resolved and making our roads safer. If NHTSA receives similar reports from several people regarding the same concerns, this indicates a safety-related defect may exist that would warrant an investigation.
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