Ford Recalls Millions of Vehicles that Might Roll When Parked

The Ford Motor Co. is recalling over 2.9 million vehicles in the United States that could roll when parked. This is the third recall campaign Ford has issued this week, and the company by far leads all other auto manufacturers in recalls across the country this year.

The vehicles include “certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles,” according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) letter sent to Ford confirming their intention to recall.

The vehicles listed above may roll away when parked because a “bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach,” the letter states. “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” while parked.

“Ford said it was aware of six reports alleging property damage and four reports of injuries potentially related to the recalled vehicles,” Reuters reported.

Heat and humidity may have contributed to the malfunction of the bushing material, according to a Ford root cause investigation report.

The “remedy” for the recalled vehicles is to exchange the part for new bushing and install a protective cap over it, serviced through a Ford dealer – free of charge.

“This is Ford’s fifth recall over the issue since 2018,” Reuters reported. “Ford previously recalled about 1.4 million vehicles worldwide in an earlier shift cable part recalls [sic].”

This recall coincides with two other recalls the Dearborn automaker issued this past week, as more than 48,000 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles were recalled over a possible battery overheating problem, and more than 53,000 four-door Ford Bronco vehicles were recalled over the passenger-side rear door potentially “opening from inside” while the child safety lock is “ON,” according to a pair of NHTSA reports.

This past year alone, Ford has recalled over 6.5 million potentially affected vehicles and leads all other auto manufacturers with 38 recalls in the United States. Mercedes Benz is next with 19 recalls, followed by Volkswagen with 18.

Chart:

(Chart: U.S. Department of Transportation)

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