Ford is among the most recent of the major automobile manufacturers to add to an ever-growing list of recalls. The Detroit automaker recently announced a series of recalls affecting well over 434,000 vehicles as a result of premature rust issues.
The Ford vehicles are part of two separate actions. In the first, Ford has recalled approximately 385,750 Escape SUVs including the 2001 to 2004 model years because a sub-frame may fail due to premature, excessive rust. If the sub-frame component does fail, it may impact the driver’s ability to steer the vehicle. The majority of the recalled SUVS, about 349,000 Escapes, were sold here in the U.S.
Much like General Motors, Toyota and Chrysler, Ford’s been struggling to correct a lingering defect issue it cannot seem to resolve easily. In this particular example, the defect is excessive rust on several of its older model vehicles. On a larger scale, Ford has actually recalled well over 2 million vehicles since 2010 for various rust problems in older vehicles, according to the Detroit News.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) only recently closed an investigation related to the same issue in more than 800,000 2005 to 2011 model year Crown Victorias, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Cars late in 2013. In each of those vehicles built by Ford, a rust-related defect in the lower intermediate steering shaft was believed to be responsible for a separation of the steering column lower bearing and loss of steering control. Last August, Ford announced a recall of over 355,000 of those very same cars from model years 2005-2011 for rust-related defects that were sold in “salt-belt” states.
Ford has a History of Struggles against Vehicle Rust Problems and Quality Stigma
Over the past two years, Ford has also recalled 2004 to 2007 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans for reported rust issues. In 2012, the company recalled 1.2 million 1997- 2003 Ford F-150 pickup trucks because the supports holding the gas tanks in place could rust so badly the tanks were at risk of simply falling away from the deteriorated mounts and off of the trucks.
The Escapes affected by the sub-frame issue were sold or are registered in Michigan and other states throughout the Midwest and Northeast, as well as eastern Canada. All are considered to be in the “salt belt” where many municipalities utilize salt melt and control ice on roads. Ford dealers will install a reinforcement crossbrace to remedy the issue free of charge.
In the second recall action, Ford recalled 48,950 Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, Ford Escape and C-MAX vehicles from model years 2013-2014 due to non-compliant seatback frames. There are 42,972 vehicles that fall under the recall in the U.S and 4,744 in Canada. Dealers will replace the seatback frames free of charge on all affected vehicles. To date, Ford states that no injuries or deaths have been reported in relation to the sub-frame rust defect issues. It was not made clear whether the rust issues have been linked to any minor automobile accidents not involving injuries.
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