Ford recalls nearly 200,000 Expeditions and Navigators for fire risk

Ford is recalling 2015-2017 Expeditions and 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigators as a result of the entrance blower motor may fail and trigger a hearth. In complete, 198,482 Expeditions and Navigators will probably be recalled.

Within the official recall paperwork posted by NHTSA, Ford says that it “has not recognized the reason for this situation.” Nevertheless, Ford additionally says it’s at the moment conscious of 25 hearth allegations associated to the blower motors on these autos. Regardless of not strictly figuring out the reason for blower motor fires, Ford put forth a principle in its fieldwork evaluation of the difficulty. 

“In June 2022, primarily based on part evaluation, Ford Engineering theorized {that a} mispositioned blower motor brush holder spring may trigger an inner brief or localized heating of the comb spring or holder. It’s believed that when a hearth initiates on the blower motor, it does so on the constructive brush holder location. The variable blower controller would stay operational and there could be no indicators of an overheated relay. Subject information signifies that this concern sometimes happens at the next time in service, and on autos with greater mileage.”

Because the blower motor is positioned on the passenger aspect inside behind the glovebox, the fires that begin are inside fires. Ford isn’t conscious of any accidents associated to this problem, however there’s one declare of burnt arms and fingers because of a hearth. In keeping with Ford, warning indicators of an impending hearth or failed blower motor embody an inoperative fan, burning odor and/or smoke from the instrument panel vents whereas the car is on.

To treatment this example, Ford is recalling the affected SUVs and changing the blower motor meeting with a revised half. The brand new half makes use of a blower motor meeting design utilized on different functions. If people with these SUVs expertise any signs of blower motor failure earlier than the brand new half turns into out there, Ford says they’ll take their car to the seller to have it changed with part of the identical design. As soon as the redesigned half turns into out there, the seller will then swap it in. Proprietor notification letters are anticipated to start on September 12 this yr.

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