The Ford Motor Co. is recalling 2.9 million vehicles following reports of transmission issues that can increase the risk of inadvertent rollaway crashes, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a letter issued on Tuesday. The automaker is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles.
According to the letter, “the bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach” and “a damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the ‘Park’ position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.”
While notification letters on the recall are not expected to be mailed until June 27, concerned vehicle owners can call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 and ask for details on the ford recall designated 22S43. Owners can also call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 for more information.
Ford said in documentation submitted June 10 that the company is aware of six property damage claims, four injury reports, 1,630 warranty reports and 233 complaints due to the issue.
The company is still investigating what caused the bushing material to possibly fail on the affected vehicles.
“Root cause is unknown,” the report said. “Based on Ford’s root cause investigation, heat and humidity have the potential to contribute to the hydrological breakdown of the bushing material.”
For those worried that their Ford vehicle may be affected, the automaker said that it is important to pay attention to how your transmission and electrical systems react to gear shifting.
“If the vehicle ignition is on, the instrument panel display position on the cluster will show the correct transmission gear state, which may not match the gear shift lever position,” the report said. “The driver may also notice the defect if they attempt to shift to an intended gear and the vehicle responds differently than intended based on the transmission gear state. Additionally, if a vehicle is turned off in a transmission gear state other than Park, regardless of the gear shift lever position, the engine will not restart.”
For drivers that have identified that their vehicle is affected by the recall, Ford Motors Co. will replace the faulty part for free. The company’s reimbursement eligibility, however, ends Aug. 29.
“Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the under hood shift bushing replaced and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing,” the report said. “There will be no charge for this service. Ford provided the general reimbursement plan for the cost of remedies paid for by vehicle owners prior to notification of a safety recall in May 2021. The ending date for reimbursement eligibility is August 29, 2022.”
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