Ford Motor Co. issued a recall Wednesday of several of its 2013-2017 Ford Explorer vehicles due to suspension issues that have led to crashes across the U.S.
Some of the affected vehicles were sold or registered in certain areas of North America states and provinces where corrosion is common, according to a news release. Those vehicles might have experienced a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link after completion of a safety recall repair. The fracture of that part can lead to steering control diminishing significantly, increasing the risk of a crash.
This action affects about 350,000 vehicles in the U.S. and 25,200 in Canada. Affected vehicles were built at the Chicago Assembly Plant from Sept. 4, 2012, to Jan. 25, 2017. Ford said in a news release that officials have been notified about 13 crashes and six injuries as a result of the rear suspension toe link failing.
Owners can bring their cars to dealers, so mechanics can complete a torque inspection of the cross-axis ball joint and replace it as necessary. The Ford reference number for this recall is 20S62.
In June 2019, Ford issued a recall for 1.2 million Ford Explorers built between 2011 and 2017 for the same issue. Earlier this year, the company issued a recall for the 2013–2018 Flex, Taurus SHO, Taurus police car and Lincoln MKT due to issues with the rear suspension toe link.
The most recent recall for the 2013–2017 Ford Explorer is not yet on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, but owners of vehicles potentially involved should be able to find more information soon on NHTSA’s recalls website.
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