Ford is recalling more than 2 million vehicles nationwide because doors have a chance of falling off while the vehicle is driving.
The Ford vehicles were previously recalled due to faulty door latches, but according to the company, some dealers who claimed to resolve this issue either did not properly fix the latches or did not repair the latches at all. The affected Ford models include Ford Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max and Mustang cars, Escape SUVs, Transit Connect vans, Lincoln MKZ sedans and MKC SUVs. The models affected depend on the specific model.
The door malfunction is caused by the door latch part of the car door cracking when it is exposed to high temperature and heat, which can lead to a door not closing properly and can pop open unexpectedly.
In a statement, Ford said that it has not been made aware of any accidents related to this problem, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s public safety reporting database has numerous complaints on file of door malfunctions relating to this recall.
There were previous recalls in both 2016 and 2017 covering the same problem with different subsets of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Ford also announced a recall of more than 290,000 F-150 trucks with 3.5-liter V6 engines, with the models affected ranging from years 2014 to 2017. With some of these vehicles, there have been leaks in the brake master cylinder, which can weaken the front brakes.
Ford encouraged anyone who believes their vehicle may be involved in this recall to call their local Ford dealership or search the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s public safety reporting database. For the door malfunction, automobile owners have the option to inspect their door latch date codes and submit them online to see if repair work is necessary.
