NEW YORK: Ford said it is recalling 518,313 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans from model years 2013-2015 and Ford Edge crossover vehicle from 2015 model year because steering gear motor attachment bolts may break due to corrosion. In that case, the steering system would default to manual mode, making it more difficult to steer, especially at lower speeds.
While no total loss of steering would occur, the problem could increase the risk of a crash, Ford said.
Ford said it was not aware of any accidents or injuries in the recall. Of the affected vehicles, 487,301 are in the US its territories, and 31,012 in Canada.
Dealers will replace the bolts and any damaged steering gear at no cost, Ford said. Customers located in non-corrosion states or provinces will be covered by an extended warranty.
Ford also recalled 50,157 Ford Focus, Edge Escape and Transit Connect vehicles from 2014 model year and Fiesta cars from 2014-2015 model years because of a nickel plating issue that could cause the fuel pump to seize. That could cause the vehicle to fail to start or to stall while driving.
Ford said it was aware of one incident that may be related to this issue. Of the recalled vehicles, 45,505 vehicles are in the US, 4,618 are in Canada and 34 are in Mexico.
