Your Recalled Ford May Roll Away Unexpectedly
When learning to drive, one of the first things we are taught is how to shift a vehicle into different gears (especially if it is a manual transmission): “D” for driving, “R” for reversing, “P” for parking and so on. . There is also usually a warning that if the car is in neutral and you are on any hill, it may roll away. Turns out this can also happen in vehicles with a disconnected shift cable. That’s why Ford is recalling 2.9 million of its vehicles that may have this defect. Here’s what you need to know.
Why are Ford vehicles being recalled?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2,925,968 Ford vehicles are being recalled because they may have damaged or missing parts that prevent drivers from shifting into their intended gear. If this happens, there is a possibility that the vehicle will move in a different (and unexpected) direction, including rolling away if the driver puts it in the “park” position, resulting in accidents and/or injuries.
As of June 3, Ford acknowledged that the company is aware of six reports of alleged property damage and four injury reports potentially related to the rollback issue, out of the nearly three million vehicles included in this recall. The company also told NHTSA that from April 2015 to March 2022, it identified 1,630 warranty reports and 233 other reports related to the issue.
What vehicles are included in the recall?
Ford vehicles (and their model years) that may have this defect include :
- Escape (2013-2019)
- S-Max (2013-2018)
- Fusion (2013-2016)
- Transit connection (2013-2021)
- Edge (2015-2018)
What to do if you own one of the recalled vehicles
If you own one of the vehicles listed above, this does not automatically mean that it is potentially dangerous: of the nearly three million vehicles that may have this defect, NHTSA estimates that it is present in one percent of cars.
Ford will send letters to the owners of the recalled vehicles by June 27. But if you don’t want to wait to see if your car might shift into the wrong gear, you can look it up on the NHTSA website or call a Ford customer. call 1-866-436-7332. The Ford number for this review is 22S43.
If your vehicle is recalled, you will be asked to take it to your dealer, where they will install a new part free of charge and add a protective cap to the shift cable bushing.