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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

91 reports

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Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2025

EngineVehicle Speed Control

When I accelerate, my car jerks or the shifting is not smooth anymore. Others have been quoted over $9k to fix this issue.

NHTSA ODI #11651357

211,000 miles · Apr 27, 2021

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

HERE WE ARE YEARS LATER AND STILL THE SAME ISSUES....LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING, SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING. BANGS WHEN SHIFTING, VERY ROUGH SHIFTING. FEELS LIKE ITS IN 1ST GEAR AND THEN SHIFTS ROUGHLY INTO GEAR, OR I HAVE TO STOP SHUT IT OFF AND START AGAIN. I SEE ALOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINT AND NO RECALL? ITS GETTIN STUPID NO…

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NHTSA ODI #11414086

147,000 miles · Jan 14, 2021

Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO 0, WRENCH LIGHT AND AIRBAG LIGHT TURNS ON. CAR LOSSES POWER AND KEEPS RUNNING. TO MOVE AT ALL REQUIRES REVING THE ENGINE TO VERY HIGH RPMS

NHTSA ODI #11388228

180,000 miles · Apr 20, 2020

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO 0 WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON CAR HAD ALMOST NO POWER MADE LOUD NOISE THEN AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND TIRE PRESSURE WARNING.

NHTSA ODI #11321694

86,000 miles · Oct 11, 2019

Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

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THE INFORMATION PANEL LIT UP WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE WRENCH, THE AIRBAG LIGHT, THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT AND DISPLAYED A MESSAGE: ODO DATA ERROR. THE ODOMETER/SPEEDOMETER FELL TO ZERO. I STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE NORMALLY, THEN A BIG CLUNKING SOUND AND FINALLY MOVED FORWARD. AFTER A NIGHT IN THE GARAGE, THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY THE NEXT DAY AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE OFF. THEN ONE DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN. TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING TO FIX. SINCE THAT TIME, IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND EACH TIME I PULL OFF THE ROAD, TURN THE ENGINE OFF, WAIT A LITTLE BIT, START THE ENGINE AGAIN AND PULL AWAY. THERE IS ALWAYS THE CLUNKING AND JERKING INTO GEAR. AFTER REVIEWING A FEW FORD ONLINE FORMS, I SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE 2008 EDGE AND MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO TWO SENSORS, THE SPEED OUTPUT AND TURBINE SENSORS. FOR SAFETY REASONS, I WILL ONLY DRIVE ON SURFACE STREETS BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. SEEMS TO ME, FORD IS LIKELY AWARE OF THIS AND WOULD BE A SHAME IF SOMEONE GOT HURT. THE DATE BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE ALTHOUGH IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11268005

85,000 miles · Sep 16, 2019

Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

START ENGINE, MOVE TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE, TRANSMISSION CLUNKS LOUDLY. WHEN TRANSMISSION IS MOVED TO DRIVE, ENGINE REVS HIGH, BARELY MOVES FORWARD, SPEEDOMETER STUCK AT ZERO DESPITE MOVING UP TO 20MPH. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON.

NHTSA ODI #11255657

97,000 miles · Aug 6, 2019

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

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THE WRENCH LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND POWER IS LOST. MY CAR WILL SLOW DOWN TO AROUND 10-20 MPH NO MATTER WHERE I AM OR HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY FORD. I HAVE BEEN ON I-10 WITH MY HUSBAND AND TODDLER AND THE VEHICLE GOES INTO THIS "LIMP MODE" AT 80 MPH! I AM SO TERRIFIED TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT I HAVE TO PAY EVERY MONTH FOR. MECHANICS THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THE CAR HAVE NO DEFINITIVE ANSWER TO PROBLEM, THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY BE CLEANED. WE DID THAT AND IT WAS NO HELP. THE VEHICLE LEFT ME AND MY SON STRANDED THIS MORNING ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET IT OUT OF THE "SAFETY LIMP MODE". USUALLY, I CAN PULL OVER, PARK, AND SHUT THE CAR OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN TURN IT ON AND IT WOULD WORK AGAIN. THIS MORNING, IT WOULD NOT RESET ITSELF. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP OR ADVICE ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA ODI #11241933

125,000 miles · Jul 22, 2019

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed Control

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DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SUDDENLY SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER STOPPED WORKING, LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR ACCELERATION DROPPED AND IT WOULDN'T RESPOND TO INCREASED PRESSURE ON GAS PEDAL. CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. HAD TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY. CAR WOULD ONLY TRAVEL AT A VERY LOW SPEED. MADE MY WAY TO A PARKING LOT AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. SHIFTING INTO ANY GEAR (REVERSE, DRIVE ETC.) CAUSED THE CAR TO JUMP/SHAKE AND MAKE A LOUD NOISE. AFTER A WHILE IT RESOLVED ITSELF. TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY CHECKED IT OUT, COULD FIND NO ISSUE (INCIDENTAL FINDING - CAR NEEDED BATTERY). BATTERY WAS REPLACED, PICKED UP CAR AND RESUMED DRIVING THE CAR. WITHIN A WEEK WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY (SECOND TIME SINCE PICKING THE CAR UP) AND HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY SEE THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER STOP WORKING, LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT AND LOSE ABILITY TO CONTROL ACCELERATION OF VEHICLE. HAD TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, CAR WOULDN'T TRAVEL AT ANYTHING OTHER THAN VERY LOW SPEED, JERKED WHEN SHIFTED ETC. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE AND WHEN LOOKING IT UP ONLINE I CAN SEE IT HAS HAPPENED TO MANY WITH THIS MODEL/YEAR. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO SUDDENLY LOSE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL ACCELERATION. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED WITH A RECALL. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR ONCE THE CAR REACHES CLOSE TO 100K MILES. CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHY DEALERSHIP IS NOT AWARE BUT I CAN FIND REAMS OF DOCUMENTED ISSUES ONLINE. FYI - THIS CAR IS PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY MY 19 YEAR OLD SON AND BOTH INCIDENCES OCCURRED WHEN HE WAS DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11233758

162,000 miles · Jul 16, 2019

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed Control

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VEHICLE WILL ACT LIKE IT ' JUMPS' AND THE WRENCH LIGHT WILL COME ON. VEHICLE WILL DECELERATE IF I DON'T PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY CAUSING ME TO COME TO A STOP. SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING. CANT ACCELERATE ONCE STOPPED. HAS TO TURN VEHICLE OFF TO RESET THE COMPUTER AND THE WRENCH LIGHT WILL GO OFF FOR A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL IT DECIDES TO HAPPEN AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF ON THE HIGHWAY AND CAN'T GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER CARS TO CUT THE VEHICLE OFF. HAPPENS A FEW TIMES A MONTH.

NHTSA ODI #11232233

190,000 miles · Jul 10, 2019

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed Control

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VEHICLE INITIALLY WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 10 MPH THEN COMPLETELY LOST POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. LOCAL REPAIR CENTER REPORTED ISSUES WITH PCM AND WAS UNABLE TO FIX IT. SENT IT TO A FORD DEALER WHO CONFIRMED ISSUES WITH PCM THAT DAMAGED THE BODY THROTTLE, 3 ENGINE COILS, AND OTHER PARTS. HAD TO REPLACE PCM AND PARTS DAMAGED BY IT RESULTING IN A $2894.10 REPAIR BILL. THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER REPAIR, WAS AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOSS POWER AGAIN. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND BASED ON RESEARCH, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. FORD NEED TO RECALL THIS ISSUE. I'M SO THANKFUL MY CHILD WAS NOT IN THE VEHICLE DURING THESE EVENTS.

NHTSA ODI #11230905

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