Major car brand recalls more than 112,000 vehicles over fears it could roll away from drivers
One of the world’s most popular manufacturers is being forced to recall more than 110,000 of its wildly popular vehicles over fears that the trucks could roll away.
Ford has announced it is recalling 112,965 F-150 pickup trucks over fears that a rear axle hub bolt could cause the vehicle to roll away if it’s damaged.
The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the affected vehicles were models from between 2021 and 2023.
It is not yet known how Ford will address the North American-wide recall.
A spokesperson for the NHTSA said: “The remedy is currently under development.
“Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer for an interim repair if they experience symptoms related to rear axle bolt breakage, such as clicking or rattling noise.”
Any driver who is affected by the recall is expected to receive a notification letter by January 29, 2024.
According to USA Today, Ford is recalling F-150s equipped with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package and a 9.75-inch heavy-duty axle with a 3/4 float axle design.
The notice shows that the rear axle hub bolt may fatigue and break, which can cause damage to the axle hub.
Damage to the axle hub can cause the vehicle to roll away when the vehicle is parked without the parking brake applied.
A spokesperson for the popular brand told CNN that a fix would be “shared with dealers and customers soon”.
Ford was also forced to recall more than 870,000 of its full-sized F-150 trucks last year.
It was feared that the electronic parking brake could engage unexpectedly at any time, which could cause a loss of control and possibly a crash.
In 2023, more than 700,000 drivers purchased a new Ford F-Series truck in the United States.
This made it the best-selling truck in the US for the 47th consecutive year, with Robert Kaffl, director of US sales at Ford, saying it filled the company with “immense pride”.
It was also ranked as the number one full-size, full-hybrid truck and number one full-size electric truck – giving the F-series the “2023 Truck Triple Crown”.
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Kaffl added: “The electrification of F-Series is also making waves with the F-150 Lightning leading the charge as the best-selling full-size electric pickup truck in the US.
“Looking forward, we are excited to begin production of the new 2024 gas and hybrid F-150 models early in the year.
“Our unwavering focus on growth across gas, hybrid, and electric models in 2024 reflects our promise to offer a truck for every customer – one that fits seamlessly into their lifestyle.”