NHTSA Clears Ford SUVs Suspected of Roll Away Issues
Over 1.5 million Ford SUVs have been cleared in a government probe that examined allegations they were at risk of rolling away.
The four-year probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) looked into the 2002-2005 Ford Explorer, 2002-2005 Mercury Mountaineer, and the 2003-2005 Lincoln Aviator after 180 complaints were received by NHTSA. No recall will be issued after NHTSA found that the failure rate was 4.4 per 100,000 vehicles for a suspected defect involving the automatic transmission parking system, and 3.4 per 100,000 vehicles for a suspected defect involving the brake shift interlocking system.
Of those 180 complaints, 14 reports of crashes were reported with six injuries – all of which were minor. According to NHTSA, there was a drastically declining trend with very few incidents occurring in recent years.
The primary issue in the probe was whether the brake-shift interlock was working properly. In its closing report, NHTSA stated that it could be defeated if drivers shifted within 0.4 seconds of when the brakes were applied because of a production change in the 2002 model year. The condition would worsen if drivers continued to shift quickly and eventually they would not be able to shift into park at all.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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