Air Bags. Review the 437 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 277 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 158 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

39 crash reports15 fire reports23 injury reports

Engine complaints

91 reports

Clear category filter

65,500 miles · Mar 14, 2015

EnginePower Train

WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY ABOUT TO EXIT AND TRANSMISSION SOUNDED AS IF IT GOT STUCK ON 2ND GEAR. ENGINE SOUNDED LOUD AT HIGH RPMS AND MY SPEED DROPPED. I GOT THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY WELL TRUSTED MECHANIC AND HE CONCLUDED THAT MY TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 65,500 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10694274

114,583 miles · Mar 12, 2015

Engine

Read full complaint

THE WATER PUMP IS LOCATED INSIDE THE ENGINE AND WHEN A SIMPLE $160 PART FAILED, IT CIRCULATED ANTI-FREEZE THROUGH THE ENGINE NECESSITATING A COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THIS HAPPENED WITHIN THE SPAN OF 5 MINUTES WITH THE FIRST SYMPTOM THE HEAT WENT OFF INSIDE THE CABIN. NO ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON, THE HEAT CAME BACK ON AND WENT OFF AGAIN, STILL NO INDICATION OF ENGINE OR TROUBLE LIGHTS GOING ON. THEN MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE, INSTANTLY THE OIL LIGHT WENT ON AND WITHIN SECONDS THE MOTOR OVERHEATED. THERE WAS A TERRIBLE NOISE AS I FOUND MY WAY TO A SAFE SPOT TO STOP THE CAR. THIS IS THE MOST BASIC KIND OF IRRESPONSIBILITY IN CREATING AN EXPENSIVE PRODUCT LIKE A CAR. AMERICAN COMPANIES OWE IT TO THE PUBLIC NOT TO FOIST A HUGE DESIGN DEFECT ON AN UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC AND SHOULD WILLINGLY PAY 100% OF ANY AND ALL CLAIMS FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693918

100,000 miles · Feb 10, 2015

Engine

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EDGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS OIL AND ANTI FREEZE COOLANT LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10682575

99,300 miles · Jan 28, 2015

EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainCrash

Read full complaint

I JUST BEEN TOLD BY KOONS THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 1,300 TO FIX A THROTTLE ISSUE ON MY 2008 FORD EDGE, WHICH I PURCHASED AS A USED VEHICLE LABOR DAY SPECIAL 2014. THE CAR STALLS, STOPS, ACCELERATION IS AFFECTED. FORD KNOWS THE THROTTLES ARE FAULTY AND INSTEAD OF RECALLING, THEY DID A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND AGREED TO REPAIR AFFECTED EDGE FROM 2009-2014. THIS IS BOGUS I HAVE 2008, WHICH THAT HAS THIS ISSUE. I REFUSE TO PAY THIS AND DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO INVEST IN JUNK. KOONS TOLD ME BECAUSE OF MY HESITATION I WAS INVESTIGATING IN A CAR THAT HAS VALUED EQUITY & WOULD OFFER GREAT TRADE. THEY KNEW..THEY YET PUT ME IN ANOTHER DANGEROUS CAR. I HAD ACCIDENT AS WELL, DRIVING CA LOST SPEED & STALLED WHILE CROSSING OVER IN PARKING LOT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10679370

130,000 miles · Nov 28, 2014

EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

Read full complaint

WHILE PREPARING TO STOP AT A LIGHT, SEEMED TO HAVE LOST ALL POWER. SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO ZERO, AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND ODOMETER WAS BLANK WITH A READOUT IN ITS PLACE THAT SAID SOMETHING LIKE ODO FAILURE ALSO THE WRENCH ICON LIT UP. SHIFTED TO PARK AND THE CAR JUMPED AND JERKED AND LOUD GRINDING NOISES CAME FROM TRANSMISSION. WAS ABLE TO CREEP TO A SIDE STREET. TURNED OFF ENGINE . WAITED SEVERAL MINUTES , RESTARTED CAR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL RETURNED TO NORMAL. DROVE HOME ABOUT 3 MILES. TOOK IT TO SHOP AND THEY SAID IT WAS A SHAFT SEAL. THEY REPLACED IT FOR $182.00 THE PART WAS $12. GOT HOME AND IT LEAKS VERY BADLY IT HAS LEAKED ABOUT A CUP OF FLUID IN 4 HOURS.(THIS WAS PARKED / NOT RUNNING) I AM TAKING IT BACK TO THE SHOP AND HOPING THEY CAN FIX IT RIGHT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10661229

Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2014

EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

THE VEHICLE STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS AND AT RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS WITHOUT WARNING AND WITHOUT GREAT CONSISTENCY. THIS HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES PER DAY/TRIP WITH NO RESOLUTION. DEALER AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AS NO CODES ARE THROWN WHEN IT HAPPENS AND IT RESTARTS AFTER STALLING. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAF…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10637622

68,000 miles · Sep 19, 2014

Engine

Read full complaint

WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR CODES, THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING. UPON RESTART THE FAN RAN EXTREMELY FAST AND LOUD. UPON INSPECTION, THE WATER PUMP GASKETS HAD ESSENTIALLY MELTED, ALL COOLANT HAD LEAKED OUT AND THE ENTIRE COOLANT/WATER PUMP SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE FIXED AND REPLACED AT A COST OF MORE THAN $3,000. OF COURSE THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 8,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. I'VE SEEN AT LEAST ONE OTHER COMPLAINT IDENTICAL TO THIS ONE. IT IS QUOTED HERE: "DISCOVERED MY 2008 EDGE HAS A FAILED WATER PUMP ASY. CAR OVERHEATED DUE TO THIS. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL SEASONED MECHANICS AND FORD, THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO THIS CAR WITH THIS AMOUNT OF MILEAGE. THE WAY THIS CAR WAS ENGINEERED, IT IS A $2300+ REPAIR - FOR A WATER PUMP! SPOKE WITH FORD SEVERAL TIMES ASKING FOR THEM TO STEP-UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. GOT NO HELP EXCEPT I SHOULD KEEP MY RECEIPTS. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN FORD." *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637619

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2014

EnginePower Train

Read full complaint

BOUGHT MY 2008 FORD EDGE 3 YEARS AGO WITH NO PROBLEMS. HAD SOME WORK DONE AFTER A WRECK YEAR AND A HALF AGO. AFTER THE REPAIR, IT BEGAN JERKING WHETHER I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS. I NOTICED THAT WHEN IT JERKS, I LOSE RPMS AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE TO HIT THE GAS TO GET IT TO ACCELERATE. FEELS LIKE THE GEARS ARE SLIPPING AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN T CONSISTENT SPEEDS. SOME DAYS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS AND SOME DAYS DOESN'T OCCUR AT ALL. IT WILL ALSO IDLE ROUGH AND HAD BEFORE JERKED WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. ALSO, APRIL 2014, I WAS BACKING INTO A PARKING SPOT WHEN THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN STARTED THE CAR AGAIN. IT STARTED RIGHT UP. THAT IS THE ONLY TIME THAT HAS HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10632531

184,000 miles · Aug 25, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EnginePower Train

I WAS STOPED AT STOP SIGN MY 2008 FORD EDGE WITH NO SIGNS OF PROBLEMS. WHEN I STARTED TO PULL OUT THERE WAS LOW POWER AND THE WRENCH SIGNAL WENT ON. CAR WOULD NOT GO FASTER THEN 5MPH. I WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR CARS IN BACK OF WERE IMPATIENT AND PASSING. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INERTNET AND IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING WIT…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10628018

84,000 miles · Aug 24, 2014

Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

Read full complaint

WHEN I PUT INTO GEAR THE TRANSMISSION JERKS INTO GEAR. ALL THE VEHICLE CODES GO OFF AT ONCE. ONE INCIDENT I LOST POWER WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. I ACCELERATED AND VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. THE. SPEEDOMETER READ ZERO AND I WAS CLEARLY GOING OVER 40MPH. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE 7MOS. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AT THE FORD DEALER TWICE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOTHING AND THAT IT MIGHT BE THE BATTERY. TODAY IS THE FINAL STRAW. I AM WRITING THIS AT THE FORD DEALER. THE TRANSMISSION IS JERKING WAY TO MUCH. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. AND THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT ME IN A NEW CAR..I WANT MY CAR FIXED. . *TR

NHTSA ODI #10627897

Official recalls

21V158000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Mar 10, 2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.

21V081000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Feb 16, 2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Air Bags:frontal

17V024000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jan 10, 2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Ranger, Edge, Fusion and Mustang, Lincoln MKX, MKZ and Zephyr and Mercury Milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ, 2005-2008 Ford Mustang and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.

16V384000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

May 31, 2016

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.

14V682000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Oct 29, 2014

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Lincoln MKX, and Ford Edge vehicles, manufactured June 15, 2006, to September 22, 2008, and originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Due to corrosion from salt water exposure such as from road salt use, the affected vehicles may leak fuel from the fuel tank seam weld under the tank mounting reinforcement brackets.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 12, 2014. The recall began on October 6, 2015. Dealers will inspect the vehicles and either clean and treat the fuel tank with a corrosion preventative or replace the tank, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S22.

08V301000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Jul 3, 2008

FORD IS RECALLING 142 MY 2008 EDGE AND LINCOLN MKK ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. THE FUEL TANK WELD FIXTURE MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO A CONTAMINANT DURING PRODUCTION WHICH COULD CAUSE A DIMPLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK AT A SPOT WELD.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS DIMPLE COULD RESULT IN A FUEL LEAK OR A FUEL DRIP FROM THE TANK. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 11, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-437-7332.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE09031 · Front Suspension Lower Ball Joint

Opened Jul 13, 2009 · Closed Nov 19, 2009

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

ON JULY 13, 2009, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATIONS (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE09-031 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATION IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 AND 2008 FORD EDGE AND LINCOLN MKX VEHICLES.THE INVESTIGATION WAS BASED ON THREE OWNER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATED AND CAUSED THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE WHILE DRIVING.ODI ALSO IDENTIFIED INFORMATION RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN EARLY WARNING DATA SUBMITTED BY FORD.PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE RELATED TO THE PINCH BOLT USED TO SECURE THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT STUD TO THE STEERING KNUCKLE.ONE COMPLAINT ALLEGED THAT A CRASH OCCURRED WHICH RESULTED IN A MINOR INJURY.HOWEVER, NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION COULD BE OBTAINED TO SUPPORT THIS CLAIM.INFORMATION PROVIDED BY FORD IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER FOR PE09-031 INDICATE THAT IN EARLY MY 2007 PRODUCTION THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY PROCESS.THE PINCH BOLTS USED WERE HAND STARTED AND HAD THE POTENTIAL TO CROSS THREAD AND NOT ACHIEVE PROPER CLAMP LOAD, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A LOOSE JOINT.IN NOVEMBER 2007, CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED TO CHASE AND CLEAN THE FIRST SIX THREADS OF THE BOLT TO PROVIDE EASIER HAND STARTING OF THE NUT AND ENSURE GOOD THREAD ENGAGEMENT BEFORE TIGHTENING. FORD ALSO IDENTIFIED ONGOING CONCERNS WITH THE POWER TRANSMISSION UNIT (PTU) SEALS AND FRONT SUSPENSION HYDRO-BUSHINGS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, WHICH BOTH REQUIRE DISASSEMBLY OF THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT TO REPAIR.IF THE BALL JOINT IS NOT PROPERLY REASSEMBLED FOLLOWING SUCH SERVICE, THE JOINT MAY SEPARATE IN LATER SERVICE.FORD HAS PROVIDED ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS AND NEW PINCH BOLTS TO THE PTU REPAIR KIT TO IMPROVE THE JOINT REASSEMBLY PROCESS. ODI'S ANALYSIS OF FAILURE DATA IDENTIFIED 31 INCIDENTS OF JOINT SEPARATION (WITH 12 SPECIFICALLY STATING THAT THEY OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING).REPAIR RECORDS FOR THESE 31 VEHICLES SHOWS THAT 28 INVOLVE SEPARATION OF THE JOINT ON THE PASSENGER (RIGHT) SIDE, WHICH IS THE SIDE THAT MUST BE DISASSEMBLED FOR PTU SERVICE.TWENTY-THREE OF THESE WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISASSEMBLED FOR CONTROL ARM BUSHING SERVICE, PTU SERVICE OR OTHER TRANSMISSION REPAIR. THE EIGHT CLAIMS THAT DID NOT INVOLVE PRIOR SERVICE REPAIRS REQUIRING JOINT DISASSEMBLY ALL OCCURRED VERY EARLY IN VEHICLE LIFE, INDICATING THAT IT IS UNLIKELY THAT ANY JOINTS MANUFACTURED WITH LOOSE PINCH BOLTS ARE STILL IN SERVICE.ALL OF THESE JOINTS FAILED WITHIN 6 MONTHS IN SERVICE AND 10,000 MILES (THE MAXIMUM FAILURE MILEAGE IS 8,097 MILES).THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY SUCH FAILURES (I.E., NOT INVOLVING PRIOR SERVICE/DISASSEMBLY) SINCE DECEMBER 2008.THE RATE FOR INCIDENTS THAT DID NOT OCCUR FOLLOWING SERVICE AND, THUS, MAY BE RELATED TO THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY FORD IS VERY LOW (2.5 PER 100,000 VEHICLES) AND THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED VERY EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLES AND ARE NOT SHOWING A CONTINUING FAILURE TREND.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.

PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking

Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve

ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO