Ford also issued three other recalls Friday.
Ford’s latest round of recalls includes over half a million cars and trucks in the United States, Canada and Mexico for possibly faulty seat-back recliner mechanisms. According to their release Friday, vehicles with improperly assembled mechanisms may not securely restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk for injury.
The recall affects certain 2018-2020 Ford F-150 and 2019-2020 F-Series Super Duty trucks, 2018-2019 Ford Explorers and the 2019-2020 Ford Expedition with manual front driver and passenger seat-back recliner mechanisms. 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator models with manual reclining rear outboard seats are also part of the recall. 483,325 total vehicles in the United States are affected, as are 58,712 in Canada and 8,149 in Mexico.
As part of the repair process, dealers will inspect the seat structure of owners’ vehicles. Ford says “most vehicles are expected to pass the inspection and not require repair. If a repair is required, the dealer will replace the seat structure.” Owners can have their cars checked and repaired, if necessary, free of charge.
Ford’s recall number for the seat-back reclining mechanism issue is 19C07. While that was the largest recall, Ford also started other smaller recall campaigns Friday as well. See the other recalls below.
Steering gear motor corrosion
The second recall affects the 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, the 2015-2016 Ford Edge and 2016 Lincoln MKX in parts of the U.S. and Canada with high-corrosion environments. Ford is recalling 90,646 vehicles in the U.S. and 8,134 in Canada over an issue concerning the steering gear motor. The bolts attaching the steering gear motor to the gear housing could come loose or detach completely, resulting in loss of power steering assist. The driver will then suddenly need to put in higher steering input, which may increase the chance of a crash.
Ford says these cars did not get the proper application of wax coating for the steering gear motor bolts. Since the company’s focusing on high-corrosion environments, like states that use corrosive materials to clear snow off the roads, the parts could then rust more easily over time.
Dealers will replace the steering gear motor attachment bolts and apply wax sealer, if necessary. If bolts are broken or missing, Ford will also install a new steering gear free of charge. Ford’s reference number for the steering gear motor bolt recall is 19S26.
Front brake caliper seal contamination
Ford is also recalling the 2019 Ford Fiesta for brake calipers that could leak. The company says they could have been exposed to improperly labeled assembly fluid during production. The leaking caliper could lead to reduced functionality and brake drag, increasing the risk of a crash.
This is a fairly small recall by comparison, only affecting 2,624 cars in the U.S. and its territories. Ford says only 50 of these cars have made their way to customers. The rest are currently in dealer inventory and will be fixed before customer delivery. If you did happen to buy one of the affected cars, dealers will flush the brake fluid and replace the front calipers and brake lines free of charge. Ford’s reference number for the leaking caliper recall is 19S27.
Canadian recall: Battery junction-box corrosion
Ford’s fourth recall that emerged Friday only affects Canadian vehicles. In this case, certain 2012-2013 Ford Fiestas may have corroded battery junction-box relays or fuses. If that happens, drivers may lose their daytime running lights or headlights while driving.
The recall affects 13,564 vehicles in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Dealers will clean the battery junction box, install foam coating and replace corroded fuses free of charge.
Ford’s reference number for this Canadian recall is 19S28.
If you’re concerned about your car in any of Ford’s recalls, you can go to this website and enter your VIN to see if your vehicle is affected. Ford’s Customer Relationship Center has a toll-free line as well, at (800) 398-3673.
