Air Bags. Review the 157 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

30 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2017

Power Train

TRANSISSILON HAS BEEN SLIPPINBG FOR MONTHS. TOLD IT WAS MISFIRE. NOW CAR INCHES ALOLNG WITH HIGH ACCELERATION ATTEMPT. SEVERAL NOISES AND STOPPED. WAS ABLE TO CREEP OUT OF TRAFFIC AND PARK. NOW WONT MOVE AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI #10995518

200,000 miles · Apr 6, 2017

Power Train

PTU UNIT LEAKING OUT VENT ONTO EXHAUST ..HEAT HAS CAUSED SEALS TO FAIL AS WELL..

NHTSA ODI #10970915

140,000 miles · Dec 29, 2016

Electrical SystemPower Train

Read full complaint

ENGINE STARTED TO MISS AND LOST POWER HAD TO PULL OFF ROAD IMMEDIATELY. COIL SHORTED OUT SO BADLY MECHANIC SAID IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE! DATE OF TROUBLE 12-26-15. AFTER SPENDING $1600 TO REPLACE ALL 6 COILS PER THE TSB REQUIREMENTS AND SPARK PLUGS ETC STILL NOT WORKING BECAUSE OF BAD PCM UNIT THAT HAS TO BE FIXED AND REPROGRAMMED! ANOTHER $1100! PLEASE CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD! I WAS A SINGLE WOMAN DRIVING MY CAR AND THANK GOD IT WASN'T AT NIGHT! THIS COULD EASILY HAVE RESULTED INA FIRE AND FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10938533

92,808 miles · Nov 6, 2016

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

YESTERDAY (11/05/2016), I WAS GOING TO GO TO THE STORE. THE CAR STARTED FINE AND RAN FINE AS I BACKED IT OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, BUT WHEN I WENT DOWN THE STREET IN FRONT OF OUR NEIGHBORS HOUSE, IT SUDDENLY FELT LIKE IT SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR. I TURNED THE CORNER NEXT TO MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE AND PROCEEDED DOWN A HILL THAT'S THERE, BUT THE CAR STILL WOULD ONLY GO VERY SLOWLY. WHEN I GOT DOWN THE HILL, I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS IT SUDDENLY STARTED TO RUN FINE. I DROVE ANOTHER 7 OR 8 BLOCKS UNTIL STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT, THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THE WARNING LIGHTS SHOWING A WRENCH AND AN AIRBAG COME ON. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO MAKE IT GO, IT AGAIN WOULD ONLY GO AT A VERY SLOW SPEED. BY THE TIME I CROSSED THE STREET, THE LIGHT HAD SWITCHED BACK TO RED. TERRIFIED, I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET AND NOTICED THE ODOMETER WAS SHOWING ALL ZEROS. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WENT INTO THE STORE, SHAKING AND VERY SCARED. I CAME BACK OUT PRAYING IT WOULD START UP AND RUN FINE. IT MADE A GRINDING NOISE AND SOUNDED LOUDER, BUT THEN IT STARTED RUNNING FINE AND DID SO ALL THE WAY HOME. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR TWICE SINCE THEN FOR SHORT DISTANCES BUT HAVEN'T HAD IT HAPPEN AGAIN. WE BOUGHT THIS 2008 LINCOLN MKX USED WITH 92,474 MILES ON IT JUST 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,808 MILES ON IT. THAT'S A WHOPPING 334 MILES PUT ON IT BY US AS WELL AS OTHERS WHO TEST DROVE THE CAR SINCE THIS DEALER LISTED IT FOR SALE. SINCE THE WRENCH WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, MY HUSBAND SUSPECTS THE POWERTRAIN MALFUNCTIONED OR A AWD FAULT OCCURRED, AS IT SHOWS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, BUT SAID HE WOULDN'T RULE OUT OTHER POSSIBLE CAUSES. SINCE WE BOUGHT THIS FROM A USED CAR DEALER, THOUGH WE DID TAKE OUT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH OUR CREDIT UNION, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT RIGHTS EXIST PROTECTING US.

NHTSA ODI #10924525

Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 2016

Power Train

POWER TRAIN UNIT FAILURE - 89K MILES WITH WARRANTY BEING DECLINED DUE TO LUBRICATION ISSUE. APPARENTLY THE FLUID LEAKED AND THERE WAS NO WAY FOR MYSELF TO KNOW THIS AS FLUID IS VERY MINIMAL IN THIS UNIT THAT IT WOULDN'T EVEN SPILL DOWN TO THE GROUND PER THE DEALER.... THIS HAS CAUSED FAILURE TO THE UNIT - THIS IS A HUGE HIT TO …

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10919170

200,000 miles · May 1, 2016

Power Train

Read full complaint

ODO ERROR. WRENCH AND AIRBAG LIGHTS ON. TRANSMISSION WOULD BARELY MOVE CAR, EVEN WHEN REVVING ENGINE. STOPPED ON HIGHWAY IN TRAFFIC. TURNED ENGINE ON/OFF SEVERAL TIMES THEN ODO WORKED, BUT TRANSMISSION BANGED REALLY HARD, THEN ENGAGED NORMALLY, AND RAN NORMALLY. HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES IN TWO WEEKS. WITH JUST 200,000 MILES, THE PTU LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. AFTER ONE WEEK, THE ODO ERROR FIRS T OCCURRED. I BELIEVE THAT THE PTU REPLACEMENT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THIS PROBLEM!

NHTSA ODI #10862427

55,000 miles · Oct 8, 2015

Power Train

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LINCOLN MKX. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED TO GO INTO THE REVERSE POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA ODI #10780869

145,000 miles · Sep 20, 2015

Power Train

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND I NOTICE THE ODO FAULT LIGHT ON WITH AIRBAG AND WRENCH SYMBOLS LIT. THE ODOMETER READ ONLY DASHES BUT SEEMED TO BE OKAY AT THAT SPEED. SEEMED TO BE IN 3RD GEAR? WHEN I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE CAR HAD NO POWER AT ALL. TOOK FOREVER TO GET IT UP TO 20 MPH. VERY DANGEROUS AS I WAS ALMO…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10766289

99,120 miles · May 14, 2015

Power Train

Read full complaint

I RECENTLY FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS TRUCK NOT ACCELERATING IN TRAFFIC AND REPLACED THE TURBO SPEED SENSOR APROX 1 MONTH PRIOR TO THIS. THIS TRIP ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ON AND CAR STRUGGLED TO ACCELERATE, I ASSUMED SAME ISSUE, PUT IT IN CRUISE CONTROL, CAR STABILIZED FOR ABOUT 3 MILES THEN STARTED JERKING FORWARD, I TOOK CRUISE OFF, AND WHOLE TRUCK STOPPED ACCEL, THEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN ENTIRE TRUCK SHUT DOWN! NO POWER STEERING, NO HEAT, NO NOTHING! I PULLED INTO ON RAMP V SECTION TO GET OUT OF SLOW LANE (I95S) IT WAS 6:20 AM SO STILL DARK. VERY DANGEROUS! KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS TRUCK. HAD TO GET TOW. HE CHANGED PRICE FROM $75 $4 AMILE TO $175 $4 A MILE AS SOON AS MY TRUCK WAS ON HIS CARRIER. DEALERSHIP SAID IF TRUCK HAD CAUGHT FIRE IT'D BE A RECALL. FIX COST ME $1100 PLUS $465 FOR RENTAL CAR, THEN AFTER REPAIR I GOT HOME WITH TRUCK, NEXT AM I STARTED IT AND ENGINE LIGHT ON WITH CODE DISPLAY SAYING EXHAUST ISSUE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OR OXYGEN SENSOR OR PISTONS. I TRIED TO TRADE TRUCK NOONE WILL TAKE IT!! FIX IS 299-???? SERIOUS ISSUE AND VERY DANGEROUS VEHICLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ODI #10716531

93,000 miles · Apr 13, 2015

EnginePower Train

WHEN I START MY CAR IT MAKES A CLUNK THEN WHEN I SHIFT IT INTO GEAR IT WILL GO INTO REVERSE BUT WILL CLUNK AND WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND I CAN'T GO OVER 5 MPH. IT'S HAPPENING MORE AND MORE STARTED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO BUT WHEN I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER NOTHING THEY COULD DO CAUSE IT WASN'T HAPPENING THEN. IT'S HAPPENED WHEN I'VE…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10705266

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