Ford announced that it would recall around 570,000 vehicles in North America and Europe that have two separate issues; faulty Door latches and under-hood fire risks. The company is expected to spend around $295 million to solve the problem.
History of faulty door latches
Ford will be adding 211,000 cars to recall it made in 2015 to rectify faulty door latches. This includes the 2013 and 2014 Fuzion, 2014 Fiesta and Lincoln MKZ. A pawl in the door latch may malfunction that might cause the door to either stop it from closing or open it unexpectedly while the car is being driven.
This has been a problem for the company in the past three years. Last fall, the US automobile manufacturer had to recall 2.3 million vehicles for the same problem. This affected the 2012 to 2015 Ford Focus and the 2013 to 2015 Ford Escape and C-Max. The company spent $640 million on recalls last year for door latch problems.
Overheating that may cause fire
The fire risk recall will affect a total of 360,000 vehicles in North America and Europe. In the US, the recall will include 2014 and 2015 compact Fiesta ST, 2014 Escape SUVs, and 2013 to 2014 Fuzion midsize car. Meanwhile, the cars affected in Europe include the 2013 to 2015 Transit Connect van, 2010 to 2015 C-Max hybrid and Focus small car.
The risk of engine fire comes from a lack of coolant circulation that may cause the engine to overheat. Overheating may cause a crack in the cylinder head, and if this occurs, oil can leak through the crack and cause fire once it makes contact with a hot surface. Ford had received 29 reports of fires from the US and Canada, thankfully no injuries were reported.
Ford’s spokeswoman Elizabeth Weigandht stated that owners may still be able to drive the vehicles safely. The company will advise its customers via mail on how to check and refill the coolant with the help of the owner’s manual. If the vehicle leaks coolant or overheats, it’s highly recommended that the car is taken to the nearest dealer, Weigandht has added.
