Ford Motor Company issued four safety recalls in North America on Wednesday, including one covering more than 1.2m SUVs.
Approximately 1.2 million 2011-2019 model-year Ford Explorers, built between May 17, 2010 and January 26, 2017 in Chicago, will be recalled in the US after the automaker discovered a defect that puts drivers at risk of crashing. The error concerns loss of steering control.
The same recall affects approximately 28,000 SUVs in Canada and Mexico.
Damages on the SUVs are expected to cost the company around $180m, according to a regulatory filing.
The company also recalled roughly 123,000 select 2013 F-150 pickup trucks, which they found to be equipped with 5-litre and 6.2-litre engines that were insufficiently repaired in a previous recall. This puts these trucks at risk of crashing as well.
"It did not have the updates necessary to prevent a potential unintended downshift into first gear or the updates necessary to ensure illumination of the malfunction indicator light in the event of an intermittent transmission output speed sensor signal," Ford said of the “incomplete” repairs on the F-150.
The affected vehicles were built in plants in Michigan and Missouri.
About 4,300 2009-16 Ford Econoline cars, built in Ohio, were found to have faulty welding, and will also be recalled.
In Canada only, select versions of the 2010-17 Ford Taurus, 2009-17 Ford Flex, 2009-15 Lincoln MKS and 2010-17 Lincoln MKT have recalls regarding a rear suspension toe link fracture. This recall will affect about 12,000 vehicles.
Ford says that one crash with minor injuries has been reported regarding that final recall. They are not aware of any injuries related to the first three.
