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

What owners actually said

1,119 reports

68,000 miles · Apr 3, 2013

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

REAR BRAKE/TAIL LIGHT SOCKET ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR OF VEHICLE HAVE OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE PLASTIC AROUND LAMP. LAMP WAS BURNT OUT. NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THE HIGH HEAT PROBLEM. NO FUSE WAS BLOWN, NEW BULB WORKED IN SOCKET. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10505577

66,000 miles · Mar 31, 2013

SuspensionWheels

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 FORD EDGE, A ROARING TYPE NOISE COMES FROM THE REAR OF THE UNIT. AS YOU ACCELERATE TO NOISE GROWS IN VOLUME. AT FIRST IT APPEARED TO ME AS "ROAD NOISE" I CHANGED PRESSURES IN THE TIRES AND ROTATED THE FRONT TO THE REAR. NOTHING CHANGES. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, IT APPEARS THAT IT IS THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. ACCORDING TO FORD THE BEARING HUB AND THE REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM/KNUCKLE ASSEMBLY MUST ALSO BE CHANGED ON THE AFFECTED SIDE. THE TRAILING ARM CAUSES TO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE BEARINGS AND WIPES THEM OUT. ALSO THE WHEELS HAVE TO BE RE-ALIGNED DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW TRAILING ARM. FORD STATES THAT JUST CHANGING ONLY THE BEARING HUB WILL CAUSE THE PROBLEM TO HAPPEN AGAIN. IF THE BEARING FAILS THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH THE POTENTIAL OF SERIOUS INJURY OR WORSE TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THIS VEHICLE AND ANYONE ELSE AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE.THIS APPEARS TO BE A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN LATE NOVEMBER 2012. AS I DROVE IT LONGER THE NOISE IN THE REAR HAS GOTTEN LOUDER AND LOUDER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10505126

75,703 miles · Mar 30, 2013

Power Train

APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT ON A HILL. LIGHT TURNED GREEN. DID NOT HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND WHEN I ACCELERATED THE TRANSMISSION JERKED AND MADE A LOUD NOISE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN MY COMMUTES. TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL IS WITHIN NORMAL RANGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10505106

78,838 miles · Mar 28, 2013

Wheels

DURING A UTURN THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WOULD FALL OFF. THE RIGHT REAR TOE LINK BROKE AT THE WELD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10504852

60,894 miles · Mar 20, 2013

Power Train

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WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY A BIG BANG NOISE HAPPENS IN THE CAR, FEELS AND SOUNDS LIKE I HAVE BEEN HIT. THE CAR DOESN'T STOP, KEEPS DRIVING. DEALERS TECHNICIANS SAY THEY CAN'T FIX IT OR DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IT IS SUCH A VIOLENT BANG AND JERK. ONLY DOES IT RIGHT NOW ANYWAY, ON A LONG DRIVE ON A HIGHWAY. I AM OVER MY WARRANTY, SO VERY UPSET, AS MY CHILDREN ARE IN THIS CAR EVERYDAY. JUST BOUGHT IT AND TO TRADE IT IN I WOULD LOOSE SO MUCH MONEY. YOU NEED TO BE DOING RECALLS ON THIS CAR WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS POSTING THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THE FORD FORUM. EVERYONE SAYING IT IS TRANSMISSION AND WHEN THEY REPLACE IT, IT STILL DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. THIS IS CRAZY!! FORD DO SOMETHING PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503851

54,000 miles · Mar 20, 2013

Power Train

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LATELY WHEN DRIVING MY EDGE I NOTICED THAT WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR LIKE JERKS BACK AND MAKES A LOUD BANG SOUND-THEN WHEN I TRY TO DRIVE AFTER STOPPING THE CAR DOESN'T WANT TO GO-IT'S LIKE IT IS JUST STUCK THERE, SO I HAVE TO TAKE MY FOOT ON THE GAS WAIT A FEW SECONDS THAN PUT MY FOOT BACK ON THE GAS AND THAN THE CAR WILL GO BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT TAKES FOREVER TO GET SOME SPEED. THE JERKING AND THE CAR NOT WANTING TO ACCELERATE HAS EVEN HAPPEN WHEN I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND 20MPH- I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY THINKING MAYBE IT WAS THE BATTERY AND NOPE THAT DIDN'T WORK. THIS AS A MOTHER OF 3 YOUNG CHILDREN HAS ME VERY CONCERNED-I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUES I HAVE STATED ABOVE AND FORD HAS YET TO CORRECT THESE DEFECTS. DOES SOMEONE NEED TO LOSE THEIR LIFE BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503829

41,800 miles · Mar 6, 2013

Electrical SystemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EDGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JERKED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND…

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NHTSA ODI #10501847

41,000 miles · Mar 5, 2013

Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine

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VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO POWER FORD IN VALENCIA FOR STANDARD SERVICE A WEEK AGO. 41,000 MILES NEW TIRES BOUGHT- WAS TOLD ALL WAS OK. ONE WEEK LATER I AM DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY SPEEDOMETER STOPS AND MILEAGE IS READING --- GRINDING NOISE THEN A WRENCH ICON APPEARS WHICH MEANS THE POWERTRAIN IS MALFUNCTIONING, THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON AND THEN AN ! ICON WHICH MEANS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TIRES. TERRIFIED, I CALLED POWER FORD AND TOLD TO BRING IT IN... I WAS LESS THAN A HALF A MILE AWAY, AND PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND BARELY MADE IT THE FEW CLOCKS TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A HAUNTING PROBLEM THAT I HAVE READ AT LEAST A DOZEN COMMENTS ABOUT THE POWER TRAIN. HAD I BEEN ION THE FREEWAY I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE ALIVE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE WITH THE FORD EDGE. I DID NOT KNOW THE OUTCOME AT ALL. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI #10501324

82,000 miles · Feb 27, 2013

Engine

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 55MPH, STARTED UP HILL,MOTOR HAD DIED. WAS ABLE TO RESTART, BUT HAD LESS POWER. ONCE RPM'S WERE ABOVE 2,000 WOULD DO REG. SPEED. GOT WORSE,LEFT ON ROAD, LATER SAME DAY HUSBAND DROVE HOME, NO PROBLEMS. SAME PROBLEM MORE OFTEN. DEALER CHANGED SENSOR,AS THEY WERE UNSURE OF PROBLEM. OVER $600.00. HAS STARTED DO…

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NHTSA ODI #10500697

68,586 miles · Feb 10, 2013

Air BagsCrashInjury

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I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON OLD MILL RD IN ANDERSON, SC.I STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN AND PROCEEDED TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY HWY 76. I HAD CLEARED THE FIRST LANE AND THIS CAR DRIFTED FROM THE RIGHT LANE INTO THE LANE I WAS CROSSING BROAD SIDING MY CAR NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED LEAVING ME WITH GLASS EVERYWHERE. MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS COMPLETELY PUSHED IN THAT I HAD TO BE EXTRACTED THROUGH THE BACK DOOR ON A BACKBOARD. THE IMPACT PUSHED MY CAR BACK ON TO THE HIGHWAY GOING EAST. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL FLEW OFF THE CAR LANDING ONTHE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ALSO THEDOOR LEKIFT FRONT SPRING DISENGAGED. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10497656

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