US Launches New Investigations Into Ford Recalls

The US government has launched two new investigations into Ford’s recall practices shortly after fining the automaker for recall delays. The first probe involves approximately 457,000 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and Maverick pickups; the automaker initially recalled some 2021 to 2024 models due to sudden power loss. The issues have been attributed to degraded 12-volt batteries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received five complaints about continued power issues despite purported fixes. This investigation will assess the effectiveness of Ford’s previous recall solutions.
The second investigation concerns about 113,000 Ford Expeditions from 2019 to 2020. Ford’s recall earlier in the year covered about 78,000 of these SUVs due to seat belts unpredictably tightening without apparent crashes. However, reports from three vehicle owners not included in the recall indicate the issue may be more widespread. NHTSA plans to determine whether an expansion of the recall is necessary for the remaining Expeditions.
Ford is reportedly cooperating with these investigations amid recent scrutiny from federal regulators. Last Thursday, NHTSA imposed a fine of up to $165 million on Ford for sluggish recall responses, marking it as the agency’s second-largest fine in its history. The penalty was issued due to delays in addressing faulty rearview cameras and for providing incomplete information, violating federal safety regulations. Ford’s recent record comes on the heels of penalties only exceeded by those against Takata for defective airbag inflators. (This story was generated by Newser’s AI chatbot. Source: the AP)