SYDNEY: NEARLY 18,000 locally made Ford Territory and Falcon vehicles will be recalled because of a potentially serious ignition fault that can stop cars in their tracks and disable safety devices.
The federal government yesterday released the recall advice, warning that the fault could lead to accidents if the ignition switch electrical connector disengages, stalling the engine.
The recall affects FGII Falcon sedans and utes and SZ Territory vehicles built from November 12, 2013, to October 13 last year and comes as the company battles poor sales in its Falcon range.
The government warns in its recall bulletin that drivers of the affected vehicles should not adjust the steering column because it may lead to the fault stalling the vehicle.
“If the connector disengages while driving, the engine will stall, electrical functions will be lost, and the vehicle will be unable to be restarted,’’ the government warned. “This poses a potential accident hazard to the driver and other road users.’’
The bulletin says Ford will write to owners of all affected vehicle, with the company stating that there appear to have only been two cases of members of the public being affected by the fault.
The industry is acutely aware of problems suffered by General Motors in the US, with dozens of deaths allegedly related to a separate ignition issue.
There is no evidence to suggest there could be a similar, significant problem in Australia.
The timing of the recall comes as Ford struggles to maintain enthusiasm for its products in Australia, having vowed to end production in October next year.
Collapsing sales of Ford’s once-iconic Falcon have intensified pressure on the company to axe Australian production ahead of schedule, forcing premature job losses and escalating the urgency of structural reform in the embattled component sector.
Despite this, the company has continued to commit to next year’s production deadline.
