Ford Expands Faulty Shifter Recall to 270,000 More Fusions for Risk of Unintentional Roll-Aways
This comes in addition to the 550,000 Ford Fusions and Escapes recalled last year from the same issue.
Ford is expanding upon a recall from last year that addressed an issue which put several models at risk of rolling away unintentionally. Local news affiliates report that Ford is adding up to 270,000 vehicles to a recall in North America for a faulty gear shifter, which could inhibit the cars from staying in park.
The affected cars added to the recall include certain 2013 through 2016 Ford Fusion sedans, specifically with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines. Ford Motor Company, in its recall, is urging drivers with these vehicles to always engage the parking brake while parking until the issue is repaired.
According to the Dearborn automaker’s latest findings, the shifter cable for the transmission could reportedly degrade and snap, preventing the car from shifting into or out of gears.
So far, Ford received one injury report and three property damage reports from these vehicles. A fix has yet to be confirmed and is still in a work-in-progress with engineers.
This recall expansion adds to around 550,000 Fusion sedans made between 2013 and 2016, and even Escape crossover SUVs made from 2013 to 2014, all of which have the same problem. The cars affected all seem to come from the Flat Rock, Hermosillo, and Louisville assembly plants.
Cars rolling away unintentionally became a seriously hot issue when a Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled away and killed famed actor, Anton Yelchin. That prompted Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles to not only issue an immediate fix but a complete redesign of the Grand Cherokee’s shifter. The recall even expanded to affect some 320,000 Dodge Dart models as well.
No deaths have been reported with Ford’s recent recall.
