Ford is recalling more than 375,000 Explorer SUVs in the USA and Canada after six people were injured in a series of accidents.
The recall affects models built at Ford’s Chicago assembly plant from 2013 to 2017. The suspension problem is linked to 13 accidents, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. At least six people were injured in these collisions.
The automaker said that salt is used to clean the roads in these areas during the winter, which can lead to corrosion. The affected vehicles could suffer a fracture of the rear suspension tie rod, despite an earlier repair under a safety recall. A breakage considerably worsens steering control, which increases the risk of a collision.
The recall affects approximately 350,000 vehicles in the USA and 25,200 in Canada. The cars were built between September 4, 2012, and January 25, 2017, before being sold or registered in 22 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces, according to NBC.
According to the broadcaster, these are the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec are also included in the recall.
The company said that “dealers will perform a torque check on the transverse axis ball joint and replace it if necessary. Customers will be notified in the week beginning November 30.
Washington Newsday has contacted Ford for comment.
Recent Ford recalls
Ford has carried out a series of recall actions for a large number of models in recent months. On October 19, Ford conducted two safety recalls for Ford Transit Connect vehicles with the 2.5-liter engine for the 2019-20 period.
One of the recalls involved vehicles with problems with the fail-safe cooling strategy. Ford said that if the engine warms up quickly due to loss of coolant, it could take longer for the fail-safe cooling strategy to kick in, resulting in critical engine temperatures and, in severe cases, an increased risk of fire. The company said it was not aware of any reports of accidents, injuries or fires.
The recall affects 2,903 vehicles in the United States and federal territories and 584 in Canada.
On the same day, the company also issued a recall for 2020 Ford Escape vehicles, warning that the tire pressure monitoring system may be operating at reduced capacity. Ford said it was not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to this condition, which affected 689 vehicles in the U.S. and 19 in Canada.
In September, Ford issued two safety recalls in North America for 2020 Ford Mustang vehicles and 2019 Ford F Series Super Duty vehicles in North America.
Ford said the action affected 38,005 Mustangs in the U.S. and federal territories, 2,251 in Canada and 322 in Mexico, and the problems included brake pedal brackets that could break if the vehicle stopped suddenly.
A recall of a 2019 Ford F-Series Super Duty affected F-250 and F-350 vehicles with possible front axle problems on 9,628 vehicles in the U.S. and 961 in Canada. Ford reiterated that it is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to the problems in either recall….
