We try to boil down the news about Ford to the most important bits and pieces -- recalls, service bulletins, and lawsuits that can help you solve you car problems. Oh, and the occasional interesting story as well. If you're interested in getting these quick story summaries as an email, signup for free over at CarComplaints.com.
"The government says it's received 61 complaints about doors that won't latch in the 2011-2013 Ford Fiesta. Some Fiesta owners said the doors opened after being shut and while the cars were moving. One person reported an injury after the door flew back open and struck the individual."…
keep reading article "Investigation Opened Into Fiesta Doors That Open When They Shouldn't"
The automaker has named the affected vehicles as the 2005-2007 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, and 2004 Ranger vehicles.
What – Inflators are controlled exposions that deploy the airbags in the event of a crash. Takata's inflators are failing under pressure and exploding with too much force, so when the airbag deploys, sharp metal shrapnel from the inflator also shoots out into the cabin. The inflators were first recalled in 3 million vehicles, none of them Fords, last year.
Where – The inflators are failing in places of higher humidity which is why this is a regional recall limited to vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
When – Neither Ford or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a date for the recall. You can call Ford at 800-392-3673 and reference recall number 14B04.
keep reading article "Ford Recalls Exploding Takata Airbag Inflators"The plaintiff says she complained about exhaust odors inside the cabin 8 times to a local dealership, only to be told the stink won’t hurt anyone. Yeah, about that.
“The lawsuit claims independent testing of the Ford Explorer confirmed carbon monoxide was entering the cabin of the vehicle while it was being driven.”
The CO allegedly builds up when the auxiliary rear air conditioning is on and the engine is running at a higher RPM. This matches up with other stories told by owners to CarComplaints.com, saying the problem also happens during heavy acceleration:
“When I accelerate fast, the exhaust enters the vehicle from the AC unit. It is only a matter of time before a child that is strapped into his seat dies of C.M. poisoning! The smell is extremely worse in the back seat, never mind sitting in the 3rd row! You would probably die a silent death rather quickly!”
None of this should come as a surprise to Ford, considering they issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 12-12-4) in December 2012 titled Explorer Exhaust Odor in Vehicle.
The TSB tells mechanics how to respond if a customer makes a stink about the stank:
keep reading article "Are Ford Explorer Owners Being Exposed to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning? This Lawsuit Thinks So."“Some 2011 - 2013 Explorer vehicles may exhibit an exhaust odor in the vehicle with the auxiliary climate control system on. Customers may indicate the odor smells like sulfur. This Technical Service Bulletin contains steps to correct the condition, including replacing the left side rear air extractor, installing a new drain valve, and applying new layers of undercoating.”
The concern here is the seats won't hold in a crash. The recall affects the 2013-14 Ford Escape, [C-Max][5], and [Fusion][4]. The issue also affects the Lincoln MKZ.
There is no scheduled date for the recall to begin, but owners should be on the lookout for a notification soon from Ford.
keep reading article "Bad Seat Welds for the Escape, C-Max, and Fusion"NHTSA had received 95 complaints about the 3.5L EcoBoost engine in F-150 trucks misfiring. The misfires would only happen under humid or rainy conditions.
The EcoBoost engine uses twin turbochargers that compress air to increase the engine's power, and what Ford found was condensation building up inside of the air cooler tubes. When the condensation is high enough, up to three cylinders can misfire.…
keep reading article "Engine Investigation Closed for the 2011-2013 F-150"If your control arm is dragging on the ground, steering suddenly gets a lot more difficult -- go figure. The problem affects 2001-2004 Escape SUVs that are sold or registered in the "salt belt" states, where large quantities of road salt are used during the winter. The states include Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as Washington, D.C.
This recall also affects vehicles in the Canada because in case you didn't know, it snows up there sometimes and they're pretty familiar with road salt as well. The following provinces are affected: New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.
Ford is aware of at least one crash related to this issue, but thankfully no injuries occurred. Dealers will install a cross-brace reinforcement to make sure the lower control arm stays in place. No word yet on when that will start.
keep reading article "Subframe Recall for the 2001-04 Escape"Just don't call it a recall. Oh no, Ford has spun this one into a "customer satisfaction program." The program extends the warranty on the ETB for up to 10 years or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle and encourages owners to visit a Ford dealer to have their vehicle's software updated.…
keep reading article "Ford Agrees to Fix 1.6 Million Vehicles That 'Limp Home'"Ford is recalling 9,500 Escapes because a previous recall might not have fixed the problem. The affected vehicles were manufactured from October 5, 2011, through July 11, 2012. Ford says the engine compartment fuel line may have been installed incorrectly when repaired under the prior recall. The placement of the fuel line could cause irritation to the line and cause it to leak.
All affected vehicles, repaired or otherwise, need to be inspected.
keep reading article "Chestnuts Still Roasting on an EcoBoost Fire"Ford says it's related to the angle of the drive shaft. Or in Ford's words 'driveline windup'," complained the upset Ford owner. “Since they haven't been able to find a similar truck without the problem, they've washed their hands of the problem by claiming it's ‘characteristic’ of the vehicle and an ‘acceptable’ vibration. It's not acceptable to me."
The V6 EcoBoost is an option in the 2010-2013 Ford Flex, Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKT and Lincoln MKS; the 2011-2013 Ford F-150; and the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport.
keep reading article "EcoBoost Lawsuit Says the Engine Shakes and Rattles, Before it Rolls"Ford said the engine compartment fuel line could split and leak fuel, which could cause the SUV to go up in smoke.
The affected vehicles are equipped with the 1.6L EcoBoost engine and total about 11,500 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada.
Ford is so concerned about these fires they don't even want you driving to the dealership for repairs. Instead, they'll arrange to have your Escape towed. Seriously.
keep reading article "Ford to 2013 Escape Owners: Stop Driving, Immediately."The best way to find out what's wrong with a vehicle is from the people who drive them. Not only do owner complaints help us rank vehicles by reliability, but they're often used to spark class-action lawsuits and warranty extensions. Plus, they're a great way to vent.