Ford Issues Recalls For The Fiesta, Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Sedan

September 4, 2024 at 7:47 AM

With the COVID-19 virus creating widespread problems across the globe, automakers are suspending production across their facilities, worldwide. To take advantage of this situation, Ford has voluntarily issued recalls for some of its vehicles, to ensure the peace of mind of the current owners of the brand’s vehicles. Read on to find out the vehicles affected and the reason for recall.

Ford Motor Company is going on a recall spree. The automaker has issued recalls for 2014-15 Ford Fiesta, 2014-16 Ford Fusion, 2014-16 Lincoln MKZ vehicles and select models of the 2021 Ford E-Series vehicles

Recalls are a pretty common occurrence in the automotive industry. Automakers around the world have practiced this to prevent a failure that could cause an accident. Ford has recalled several vehicles in the past and the new recall 20S15 is for a door that may not securely latch. The safety recall 20S13 is for the Ford E-Series is for possible wire harness damage.

Recall 20S15

The recall has been issued because the automaker suspects the latch pawl spring-tab design is susceptible to cracking and failure in areas with high ambient temperatures. A door latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in the doors not closing. Moreover, If the customer is able to latch the door after repeated attempts, there is a potential the door may unlatch while driving, increasing the risk of injury.

Affected vehicles include:

2014-15 Ford Fiesta vehicles built at Cuautitlán Stamping and Assembly Plant, Nov. 1, 2013, to Dec. 4, 2014
2014-16 Ford Fusion vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant and Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Nov. 1, 2013, to April 27, 2015
2014-16 Lincoln MKZ vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Nov. 1, 2013, to April 27, 2015

Ford has recalled 248,912 vehicles in the United States. Affected vehicles are or have been previously registered in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, and federal territories. Ford has instructed dealers to remove and replace the side door latches. The automaker is also not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to this condition.

Recall 20S13

This recall is issued for the select 2021 Ford E-Series stripped chassis and cutaway vehicles. The affected vehicles may have frame-mounted wire harnesses that could, over time, chafe on the frame and damage the wire harness and the circuits within it. This may cause damage to the fuel pump circuit and result in an unexpected engine stall while driving.

Affected vehicles include:

2021 Ford E-Series vehicles built at Ohio Assembly Plant, May 11, 2019, to Jan. 30, 2020.

Ford suspects 2,871 vehicles in the United States to be affected by this issue. The automaker has instructed dealers to inspect the wire harness for damage and replace any defective parts.

Ford Fiesta

The Ford Fiesta was the top-selling car of last year in its segment. It was also one of the top-selling cars during 2014 - 2015. With over six years the car has kept up well. The 2014 and 2015 models have a good safety history.

Previous Recalls for the 2014 and 2015 models

Recall 14S12 - 2014 Fiesta models manufactured from October 25, 2013, to February 27, 2014, may have fuel tanks that may leak due to a manufacturing error. About 175 cars were suspected to be affected by this issue
Recall 14S30 - This recall was for Improper nickel plating of components within the fuel pump that may result in the fuel pump failing. About 54,543 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue, this included the 2014 and 2015 Ford Fiesta.
Recall 15S16 - A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not. 456,440 Ford vehicles were recalled including the 2014 Fiesta.
Recall 17S09 - Select models of the 2014 and 2015 Fiesta and other Ford vehicles were affected by this recall. This recall was for the insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system which would cause the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil. 208,584 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue.

The automaker since rectified the issues by instructing the dealers to replace or repair the affected components and parts.

Ford Fusion

The Fusion faces tough competition in its segment. What else can you expect when you go up against the Toyota Camry. It also doesn’t have the best record either, the 2014 model has 13 recalls, 2015 has 8 recalls and the 2016 model has 7 recalls all disregarding the latest one.

Previous Recalls for the 2014 to 2016 models

Recall 14C03 - Ford suspected the driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints used to attach the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. About 43,135 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue including the 2014 Fusion.
Recall 14S21 - This recall was for Airbags that may not Deploy as Intended. The short circuits could cause the frontal airbags, side curtain airbags, and the seat belt pre-tensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash. Ford recalled 746,842 vehicles including the 2014 Fusion.
Recall 14C11 - In the affected vehicles, the key may be able to be removed even while the transmission is not in Park. This doesn’t meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. 56,479 Ford vehicles are affected including 2014-2015 Fusion models.
Recall 15S16 - the recall was for a door that is not securely latched which could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant. About 456,440 Ford vehicles were affected including 2014 Fusion
Recall 15S14 - This recall was regarding corroded bolts which could cause the steering gear motor to detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist. Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash. About 487,301 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue including the 2014 and 2015 Ford Fusion
Recall 16S42 - The issue was In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pre-tensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail. 603,392 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue including 2014 to 2016 Fusion models.
Recall 17S09 - This recall was for the insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system which would cause the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil. About 208,584 Ford vehicles were affected by this including the 2014 Fusion.
Recall 18S08 - This was for the steering wheel retaining bolt that may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving. This recall affected 1,301,986 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles.
Recall 18S07 - The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak. Which, in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire. 5,361 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue including the 2014 Fusion.
Recall 18S20 - This recall was for the bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime. 504,182 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue, including 2013-2016 Ford Fusion models.
Recall 18S24 - This was for chords that were manufactured without thermistors, and during vehicle charging, increased resistance in the house's outlet or wiring can cause the cord to overheat and melt. About 49,197 Ford vehicles were affected by this including 2014-2015 Fusion models.
Recall 19S16 - This is for the bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime. 259,182 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue including 2013-2016 Fusion models. This recall is an expansion of 18V471
Recall 19S26 - 116,160 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue where road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts. Including 2013-2016 Fusion models were affected by this issue.
Recall 19S25 - In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pre-tensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail. This recall was issued for certain models 2015 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. This recall is an expansion of a recall 16V-875
Recall 15C11 - The affected vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficient wall thickness. As a result, the fuel tanks may crack in the event of a crash. 658 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue including 2016 model fusion.
Recall 16C05 - The front driver seat track assembly's rear riser may have been improperly welded to the seat track rail, and as a result, the driver may not be adequately restrained in a crash. 39 Ford Fusion’s were affected by this issue.

Ford has rectified the issues and there haven’t been any mishaps because of the issues. The automaker has been working on longevity for their cars and it reflects in the 2019 Fusion. It is one of the most reliable cars in segments.

Lincoln MKZ

Lincoln is the premium brand from Ford motor company and the MKZ is the Midsize Luxury Sedan from the brand. It has had a pretty decent record, the 2014,2015, and 2016 models received 5-star ratings in the NHTSA crash test. Even the current model is some of the best reliable and safety scores.

Previous recalls for 2014-2016 models

Recall 13C09 - This recall was for a manufacturing error where the transmission range sensor may not function properly allowing the affected vehicles to be shifted out of the Park position without first applying the brake pedal. 7,153, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid models were affected by this.
Recall 14C03 - Recall pertains to the driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints used to attach the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. About 43,135 Ford vehicles were affected by this including the 2014 Lincoln MKZ.
Recall 14S21 - This was for a possible crack on the coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) when exposed to humidity. Which, will cause the printed circuit board to short and in turn cause the malfunction of the airbags. 746,842 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue including 2014 Lincoln MKZ.
Recall 15S16 - A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not. 456,440 Ford vehicles were affected by this issue including 2014 Lincoln MKZ.
Recall 15S14 - This recall pertains to possible corrosion of the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts. Due to snow or water containing road salt or other contaminants. Ford suspected this to be an issue on about 487,301, including the 2014-2015 Lincoln MKZ models.
Recall 16S42 - In the affected vehicles, in the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pre-tensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail. Ford recalled about 603,392 vehicles including 2014-2015 Lincoln MKZ models.
Recall 18S08 - in the affected vehicles, the steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving. Ford suspected 1,301,986 vehicles to be affected by this issue including certain 2014-2016 Lincoln MKZ models.
Recall 19S26 - In the affected vehicles, road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts. Ford recalled 116,160 vehicles including certain 2014-2016 Lincoln MKZ models.
Recall 15C02 - In the affected vehicles, the parking lights do not reduce their light output from a DRL level when used in conjunction with the headlights. 21,435 Ford Vehicles were affected by this including certain 2015 models of Lincoln MKZ.
Recall 19S25 - in the affected vehicle, In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pre-tensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail. 103,374 Ford vehicles were affected by this including certain 2015 Lincoln MKZ models. This recall is an expansion of a recall 16V-875
Recall 15C11 - The affected vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficient wall thickness. As a result, the fuel tanks may crack in the event of a crash. Ford recalled 658 vehicles including 2016 Lincoln MKZ models.

Ford Motor Company has since rectified the issues and are not aware of any mishaps due to any of the issues with the Lincoln MKZ. Earlier this year Lincoln announced that they are discontinuing the MKZ and the 2020 model will be the last.