Ford Fusions, Lincoln MKZs involved in 1M vehicle recall over detaching steering wheels

Written by |
Advertisement

Ford has announced the recall of 1.38 million vehicles because their steering wheels can become loose or even detach while you’re driving.

RELATED: 1.3 million Ford trucks recalled due to safety hazard

Ford’s 1.38 million vehicle recall

Reuters reports all Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ cars from model years 2014 to 2018 that were built at plants in Mexico and Michigan are involved in this recall.

At issue are loose bolts in the steering wheel that are too short to hold the wheel properly in place.

Not sure how to determine where your vehicle was built? It’s as easy as looking at the VIN! We’ve got full instructions here.

So far, two accidents and one injury have been pegged to issues surround these loose bolts in steering wheels.

As for the remedy, if you have a vehicle affected by this recall, you should bring it to the dealership. They will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt to make sure your wheel stays where it should be.

“The steering wheel fell off in my lap”

Apparently, this recall has been several months in the making. According to a 2017 report, the investigation leading up to this recall began on October 27.

That’s when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) took a closer look at 841,000 Ford Fusions from model years 2014 through 2016 after a pattern of complaints started to emerge.

The federal agency received three dramatic reports of the bolts that held the steering wheels in place becoming loose. In one instance, the loose bolts even resulted in the wheel detaching completely in one motorist’s hands.

Advertisement

“[I] went to turn in [to a] gas station and the steering wheel fell off in my lap,” the motorist writes.

NHTSA Ford Fusion steering wheel complaint

Meanwhile, other complaints in the NHTSA database about this issue relating to Ford Focus vehicles date back to 2015.

The motorist below reports that the steering wheel fell out while driving at 20 mph and “was hanging by a wire.”

NHTSA complaint about Ford Fusion steering wheel

RELATED: 10 cars that will almost certainly last 200,000 miles

Advertisement