Ford recalls 1.3m vehicles for loose steering wheels in North America
Oz-market Mondeo not affected
Ford has issued a recall for around 1.3 million vehicles in North America over concerns loose bolts could see the steering wheel come away from the column.
According to the Blue Oval, the steering wheel bolt may "not maintain torque", and if left untreated, the steering wheel could potentially detach when in use – leading to a loss of steering control and an increased risk of a collision.
Vehicles affected include the Ford Fusion (top) and related Lincoln MKZ, (bottom) produced at the company's Flat Rock and Hermosillo facilities from 2013 through to 2018.
Ford says the recall affects approximately 1,378,637 vehicles across North America – 1,301,986 in the US, 62,479 in Canada and 14,172 in Mexico.
The company reports there have been two accidents and one injury linked to this fault in North America.
As a fix, dealers will replace the steering bolt with a longer one "with more robust thread engagement and [a] larger nylon patch placed properly for proper torque retention".
Australia
Ford's local division has confirmed the Fusion's Oz-market twin – the Mondeo – is not affected by this recall.
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