Ford Motor Company has announced that the models of Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX from 2007 and 2008 have possibly corroded fuel tank reinforcement brackets. If not corrected, this condition could lead to a fuel leak and, worse, a possible fire.
The company decided to recall more than 200,000 of its older Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers in North America to correct the issue. These vehicles were built at Oakville Assembly from June 2006 to September 2008. At least 186,024 vehicles will be recalled in the U.S. while 18,424 vehicles are scheduled in Canada.
The SUVs that will be recalled are those sold at 22 U.S. states, with most of them belonging in the Northeast and upper Midwest. These are Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island and West Virginia and also Washington D.C.
In Canada, the provinces that are covered include Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick.
The issue focuses on the possible corrosion under the reinforcement brackets that nestle the fuel tank to the chassis. A pronounced corrosion can result in gas leaking out of the fuel tank, which poses a fire hazard. Apart from smelling gasoline, owners may also see the "check engine" light flashing on the dash when a gas leak occurs.
There has been only one case of fire that was reported, which is related to the issue. So far, however, there are no reported accidents or injuries.
Owners of affected vehicles are urged to go to the nearest Ford dealership office to have their cars checked. Ford said that for the recall dealers will inspect the vehicles' fuel tank. The fuel tank will either be replaced or repaired without any additional cost on the customer.
Ford Edge is the third best-selling utility vehicle of the company. It reached 86,051 unit sales in the U.S. during the first nine months of 2014. In the case of the Lincoln MKX, Ford has sold 18,728 of the luxury crossovers this year all through September, which is an increase of up to 8 percent from last year. Ford is giving the car a major redesign for the 2016 model year as the company tries to prepare the luxury brand's global launch.
This year has been the worst year ever for vehicle recalls in the U.S. Automakers try to keep one step ahead of government regulators as they announce voluntary recalls when concerns on safety are in question.
