Ford Motor Company announced that it is issuing a compliance recall and five safety recalls. The company notes that although several accidents have been linked to the issues that came with the defective vehicles, no injuries were recorded.
Vehicles being recalled due to safety compliance issues are listed below.
1998-2003 Ford Windstar - Rear Axle
Roughly 340,000 1998-2003 Ford Windstar minivans, which were built in the Oakville Assembly Plant, are getting recalled due to a potential problem with the previous recall.
"There is a risk that the combined effects of corrosion and stress can lead to cracks in the axle that - if undetected - can grow and result in a complete fracture," Ford explains. The company admits that incidents caused by this issue were already reported.
Ford adds that the incorrect installation of a bracket from the previous recall can affect vehicle handling, which increases risks of a crash. Ford has also received several reports of accidents attributed to this rear axle problem.
More than 600,000 of the minivans were first recalled in 2010 due to the inverted "U" channel design of the rear axle that caused it to collect road slurry. Another recall ensued in 2011 for the 1999-2003 models when the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration raised issues of corrosion.
Dealerships will inspect the vehicles to find out if the repair brackets were correctly installed. The entire rear axle will be replaced if incorrect installation is observed.
2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner - Transmission
Another safety recall is issued for 70 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs models 2001-2008 because of the possible loose shift control lever bolts in the remanufactured transmissions. The affected vehicles have remanufactured transmissions were built from June to July 2015.
"In these vehicles, the shift control lever bolt might not have been tightened properly, which could cause the shift lever to disengage from the transmission without warning," Ford says.
Dealers will handle the inspection for free.
On a related note, 900,000 2008-2011 Ford Escapes and Mercury Mariners were recalled last year due to an issue with the torque sensor in the steering column.
2015 Ford F-150 - Adaptive Cruise Control
An approximated 37,000 2015 F-150 pickup trucks are up for a safety recall due to a possible issue with the adaptive cruise control radar.
"When passing a highly reflective truck,[it] could incorrectly identify the truck as being in the F-150 lane of travel when it is not," Ford elaborates. "As a result, the vehicle might apply the brakes until the truck is no longer perceived to be in the lane of travel."
The faulty sensor can lead to the flashing of the collision warning system light followed by a tone. This will trigger the illumination of the brake lights, which, when prolonged, can increase the risk of the vehicle getting rear-ended.
Dealers will patch the adaptive cruise control software for free.
2015 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS, 2016 Ford Explorer - Fuel Tank Attachment Bolt
A safety recall is issued for 250 2015 Ford Taurus, 2015 Lincoln MKS and 2016 Ford Explorer, all of which were built in the Chicago Assembly Plant. The issue pertains to loose fuel tank attachment bolts. Dealers can tighten them at no cost.
2016 Ford F-53 and F-59 - Shift Control Bracket
1,500 2016 Ford F-53 and F-59, which were built at the Detroit Chassis Plant, are getting recalled due to a subpar shift control bracket.
"The shift control bracket might not have been manufactured properly, so the vehicle might be able to be shifted into reverse without applying the brakes," Ford says.
Ford warns that the issue can result in unwarranted vehicle response. Dealerships will install a new shift control bracket and adjust the shift cable for free.
2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ - Fuel Tank Safety Compliance
Ford issued an FMVSS 301 safety compliance recall for 700 2016 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion sedans, which were built in the Hermosillo Assembly Plant in September, due to poorly made fuel tanks that can crack and leak. Dealers will install a new fuel tank at no charge.
