Announced on Friday, Ford has initiated four safety recalls concerning multiple truck and SUV models. The affected vehicles include the Ford Super Duty, Expedition, and Explorer, along with the recently launched Lincoln Nautilus and Navigator.
The initial recall pertains to the 2018 Ford Explorer featuring either the 2.3-liter four-cylinder or 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engines. Ford has identified around 160 of the 2018 Explorers that may have improperly assembled fuel pressure sensors leading to potential fuel tank leaks, thereby increasing the risk of fires. No accidents, injuries, or fires related to this issue have been reported. To rectify this, dealers will replace fuel line assemblies in the affected vehicles. All impacted vehicles were manufactured at the Chicago Assembly Plant during the period of July 29-31, 2018.
The second recall concerns the transmission casing of the 2019 Ford Super Duty. Ford has recalled four units due to potential missing material in the transmission casing where the park pawl engages with the transmission. This anomaly could result in the vehicle moving unexpectedly while in park, heightening the risk of injuries to nearby individuals. The affected vehicles were assembled at the Kentucky Truck Plant between August 21-23, 2018.
The third recall encompasses the 2018 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, specifically related to the second-row bench seats. Ford has highlighted that approximately 38,000 SUVs may lack J-channel reinforcement brackets in the seat’s track assembly. A seat missing the J-channel bracket could potentially become unrestrained during a collision, escalating the risk of injuries.
To address the issue, dealers will inspect the vehicles to identify any missing J-channel brackets and replace them at no additional cost to the customers. Ford advises owners to move the affected seat back to its farthest position from the front of the vehicle until the service is completed. The impacted Expeditions were produced at the Kentucky Truck Plant from March 14, 2017, to August 18, 2018, while the affected Navigators were manufactured between March 31, 2018, and August 18, 2018.
Lastly, the recently launched 2019 Lincoln Nautilus is subject to recall for replacing the driver-side airbag module. Around 271 vehicles without adaptive front steering have driver airbag modules with incorrectly injected plastic covers that could detach during deployment, thus increasing the risk of injuries. While no accidents or injuries have been reported, dealers will replace the driver airbag module free of charge. The affected vehicles were made at the Oakville Assembly Plant between October 11-19, 2018.
