DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 9 (UPI) — The Ford Motor Company expanded its safety recall to cover 1.5 million more cars, bringing the total number recalled to 2.4 million.
The increase Thursday comes at the request of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sought a wholesale recall, instead of a partial recall — begun Aug. 4 — of vehicles sold only in selected regions.
It covers the 2013 through 2015 model C-Max and Escape; 2012 through 2015 Focus; 2014 through 2016 Transit Connect; and 2015 models of the Lincoln MKC and the Mustang. About 2 million vehicles sold in the U.S., 233,034 in Canada and 61,363 in Mexico are affected.
The recall will repair a toothed lever, called a pawl, in the side-door latching mechanism, which could break and prevent the door from closing or cause the door to open while the vehicle in in motion. Dealers will replace the latches at no cost to vehicle owners.
Ford has found one accident, with three injuries, related to the defect.
More information is available on line by visiting www.ford.com under “safety recalls.”
A required Securities and Exchange Commission filing estimated the cost of the expanded recall at $640 million, lowering Ford’s 2016 total company adjusted pretax profit expectations to about $10.2 billion, down from $10.8 billion.
