Ford Recalls 380K Vehicles for Six Different Issues

Ford has issued six new recalls which cumulatively affect about 380,000 vehicles.

The bulk of the recalled vehicles are 1998 to 2003 Ford Windstar minivans, 342,000 of which are affected. There is a risk that the rear axle can completely fracture thanks to corrosion and stress. There was a previous recall for this issue, but the bracket that was installed to fix the issue may have been incorrectly installed, which limits its effectiveness.

Dealers will inspect these minivans to make sure the bracket was installed correctly. If it was, customers will get a cheaper price on a replacement axle, while the axle will be replaced for free if the bracket was installed incorrectly. Ford knows of a small number of accidents that resulted from this problem, but no injuries.

The second largest recall affects 37,000 2015 F-150 trucks with adaptive cruise control. Ford says that when passing large, highly reflective trucks on the highway, the adaptive cruise may incorrectly identify the truck as being in your lane. If that happens, the F-150 will suddenly brake, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision. Ford says it has a single crash report involving this issue.

Dealers will update the control module software to fix this problem.

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The remaining four recalls are quite small. First, 70 Ford Escapes and Mercury Mariners with remanufactured transmissions from the 2001 to 2008 model year are being recalled over a possible loose shift control lever bolt. Thanks to this loose bolt, the transmission can disengage without warning, which may lead to the vehicle rolling away when parked.

Ford says no accidents or injuries have occurred as a result of this problem. Dealers will tighten the appropriate bolt to fix the issue.

2015 Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and 2016 Ford Explorers are being recalled over a problem with fuel tank attachment. The fuel tank straps are at risk of breaking because they were not tightened properly on 250 vehicles. Dealers will tighten the proper bolts to fix the issue.

Next, 1,500 2016 Ford F-53 and F-59 chassis cab trucks have a potential shift control bracket problem. These vehicles can shift into reverse without having your foot on the brake which can result in unintended vehicle motion. Dealers will replace the shift control bracket to fix the problem.

Finally, 700 brand-new 2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles are also coming back in for a fuel tank issue. The tanks in these cars may not have been manufactured properly, which may result in a crack. A new fuel tank will be provided for these customers.

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