Ford Motor Company on Thursday announced a massive recall of 830,000 vehicles due to a faulty door latch spring, according to the Associated Press. The cars, SUVS, and vans involved were made from 2012 to 2016. Ford says it knows of one crash and one injury that may have been related to the faulty door latch.
The specific years and models in the recall include certain 2013 to 2015 Ford Escape SUVs and C-Max cars, 2012 to 2015 Focus cars, 2014 to 2016 Ford Transit Connect vans, and 2015 Ford Mustangs and Lincoln MKC SUVs. Whether or not a specific vehicle will get the recall notice depends on the vehicle’s location.
The recalled Ford products are in 16 states in the U.S. and all of Mexico. Sunlight exposure and high temperatures contribute to the issue, according to Ford. The states are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Oregon, and Washington.
The problem lies with the faulty spring failing and the latch failing to stay closed, which allows the door to open when the vehicle is in motion. Once the spring breaks, the door can no longer latch.
Ford will replace all door latches in the recalled states and in Mexico. If you have one of the cars, SUVs, or vans on the recall list, but don’t live in one of the 16 states or Mexico, Ford will replace door latches, but only if they break.
The recall, estimated to cost $270 million, isn’t the first time Ford has recalled a large number of cars. In 2015, the company recalled 692,000 small and midsize cars for a similar problem, according to the Associated Press.
As with all recalls, it won’t do any good to call your dealer immediately. You have to wait for a recall notice from the manufacturer and then make an appointment with a Ford dealer. If you do have one of the listed cars, however, you should take prudent steps to be sure the doors are latched and locked when you drive.
