Ford Motor Co recently announced that it will recall 1.34 million 2015-17 Ford F-150 and 2017 Ford Super Duty trucks in North America to add water shields to side door latches at a cost of $267 million. Ford said the safety recall is due to a latch which can freeze, or a bent or kinked actuation cable in the affected vehicles, that may result in a door not opening or closing. Customers are to be notified next month but did not have a timetable for when parts will be available. Dealers supposedly will install water shields over the door latches and inspect and repair door latch cables if needed.
Ford has now recalled more than 5 million vehicles for many different door latch-related issues since 2016. Also, this new recall is different from prior ones. Ford communicated to its dealers warning that some 2015-2017 Ford F-150 trucks could have inoperative latches during freezing temperatures and suggested installing a water shield to circumvent the problem. The company said it was not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with the issue but said because of the fault, the door may appear closed, increasing the risk of the door opening while driving.
Ford previously recalled approximately 4 million vehicles for door latch issues in six separate recalls since 2014, including 2.4 million vehicles recalled in August 2016. In September 2016, Ford said it was taking a $640 million charge for its expanded side-door latch recalls.
Please remember : if you have a vehicle AND it is under the manufacturer’s warranty, you are entitled to fair treatment and getting the problem fixed in a timely manner. In many cases, the manufacturer will repurchase your vehicle, and may even have to pay civil penalties and or reimbursement of your expenses. It helps to understand your rights as a consumer, and the California Lemon Law expert is here to help you or someone you may know who is in this situation. If your vehicle is not functioning properly and is under warranty, you have rights under the law that you need to thoroughly understand. Call us today for a free, no charge consultation at 916-672-8443.
