Parked Ford SUVs could roll away, safety experts say. What to know in latest recall
Ford has recalled several different SUV models over a precarious issue: Even if these vehicles are parked, they might roll away.
The recall covers over a quarter-million Ford Explorer SUVs, according to the company, which released the recall information on April 14.
The problem with the SUVs is the axle horizontal mounting bolt, Ford said in its recall. If the bolt breaks, it won’t be able to hold the vehicle in park if the parking brake isn’t applied.
“The driveshaft/half shafts may become disconnected, resulting in loss of transmission torque to the rear wheels which is necessary to hold the vehicle in park,” the company said in its recall notice.
Customers and dealer technicians said that SUVs with a broken mounting bolt were “loud, grinding, binding or clunking,” according to the defect descriptions.
Models included in the recall are:
- 2020-2022 Ford Explorer
- 2020-2022 Ford Explorer Hybrid
- 2020-2021 Ford Explorer Intercept Hybrid
- 2020-2022 Ford Explorer PHEV
Police SUVs may be affected, too.
While retail Explorers are built with electronic braking and will need a software update to resolve the issue, police vehicles are built differently and require a “hardware change” to fix the problem, according to Ford’s Chronology of Defect statement.
Ford had 235 warranty claims concerning the issue as of April 5, according to the Chronology of Defect statement. The company said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries due to the problem.
Depending on the model of the vehicle, dealers will replace the bushing and axle cover or update the electronic parking brake software, according to Ford.
All repairs concerning the recall will be free. Owners should expect letters to go out on June 6, according to Ford. The recall number is 22S27.
If Explorer owners have any questions, they can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
