Ford recalling 1.5 million vehicles for issues with brakes, wipers; Is your car on list?

A Ford logo on a vehicle

Ford Motor Co., in documents posted Friday, March 17, 2023 by safety regulators, said it was recalling more than 1.5 million vehicles for problems with leaky brake lines and for defective windshield wipers.AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File

DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. announced recalls Friday for two problems that affect more than 1.5 million vehicles.

The largest group, nearly 1.3 million Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKX midsized cars made between 2013 and 2018, face recall to address issues with leaky brake hoses, according to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The loss of brake fluid from a leak could increase brake pedal travel and make stopping distances longer.

Ford says it’s aware of one crash, with no mention of injuries due to the problem, the Associated Press reported.

Owners who experience problems should call their dealer, Ford says. There are some parts already available for repairs. The company says only about 2% of the vehicles will have brake hose leaks.

Dealers will replace the hoses. Ford will mail owner notification letters starting April 17 and follow up with a second letter once parts are available for the fix.

The second recall involves more than 222,000 F-150 pickups from the 2021 model year because the windshield wipers may stop working. That could lead to a crash if it happened during rain or snow and drivers can’t see where they are going.

Ford has already recalled over a million F-Series trucks and Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs for similar issues, according to Consumer Reports.

The problem is due to a faulty batch of windshield wiper motors. Before the wipers fail, drivers may notice that one or both wipers are slow or erratic, Consumer Reports said.

Ford told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it did not include vehicles equipped with “smart” wipers— those that can automatically detect obstructions — in an earlier recall, because smart wipers were not failing at the same rate as standard wipers. However, over time, the automaker found that smart wipers eventually failed as well.

The automaker told NHTSA it is aware of at least 576 reports of inoperative or detached windshield wiper arms, nine complaints to NHTSA and no related crashes or injuries.

Dealers will replace the arms if needed. Owners will be notified starting March 27.

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