Ford issues safety recall, continues with Mexico plans
Staff Writer |
Ford issued a safety recall for approximately 650,000 2013-16 Ford Fusion and 2013-15 Lincoln MKZ vehicles to insulate front driver and passenger seat belt anchor pretensioners to prevent cable separation in a crash.
Article continues below
In the affected vehicles, increased temperatures generated during deployment of the seat belt anchor pretensioner could cause pretensioner cables to separate, which may inadequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing risk of injury.
There are approximately 680,872 vehicles affected, including 602,739 in the United States, 35,614 in Canada, 8,665 in Mexico and 653 in federalized territories. The Ford reference number for this recall is 16S42.
Dealers will inject a conformal coating into the front driver and passenger seat belt anchor pretensioner to protect the cables from increased temperatures generated during deployment at no cost to the customer.
Affected vehicles include:
- 2013-15 Fusion vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Nov. 2, 2012 to July 31, 2014
- 2013 Fusion vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Aug. 13, 2012 to Nov. 1, 2012
- 2015-16 Fusion vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Aug. 1, 2014 to April 2, 2016
- 2015-16 Fusion vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Aug. 1, 2014 to Feb. 22, 2016
- 2014-15 Fusion vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, April 12, 2013 to July 31, 2014
- 2013-15 MKZ vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Nov. 14, 2012 to July 31, 2014
Ford Motor Co. will forge ahead with shifting small-car production to Mexico despite repeated criticism from President-elect Donald Trump, who has warned that companies face consequences for leaving the U.S.
Ford’s plan to rehouse output of the Focus compact car from Michigan to a new $1.6 billion plant being built in Mexico, which isn’t expected to result in job losses, remains on track for 2018, EO Mark Fields said.
“We have made the decision to move the Focus out, and we’re making that investment now,” Fields said. “When you look at moving the Focus out of our Michigan assembly plant, that’s to make room for new products—zero jobs affected, zero jobs impacted.”
Ford is expected to replace the cars headed to Mexico with more-profitable pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles to keep the Michigan plant humming amid soaring demand for such vehicles.
Unionized auto workers would keep their jobs and potentially receive larger profit-sharing checks should Ford’s operating profits in North America increase. ■