Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it was recalling about 375,000 Explorers in North America to fix a problem where the rear suspension toe link may fracture.
The recalled vehicles are from the 2013-17 model years.
Ford said “some of the affected vehicles, sold or registered in certain areas of North America states and provinces where corrosion is common, have experienced a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link after completion of a prior safety recall repair.” A fracture of a rear toe link can reduce steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The action affects about 350,000 vehicles in the U.S. and 25,200 in Canada. The affected vehicles were built at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant from Sept. 4, 2012, through Jan. 25, 2017.
The automaker said it was aware of reports of 13 accidents and six injuries related to the defect.
Dealers will complete a torque inspection of the cross-axis ball joint and replace it as necessary, the automaker said.
In 2019, Ford recalled 1.2 million Explorers in North America from the 2011-17 model years. Ford said those vehicles could experience a fracture in the rear suspension toe link that could reduce steering control and increase the risk of a crash.
Ford, at the time, said one customer reported hitting a curb because of a broken toe link, but it was not aware of any injuries related to the defect, according to the NHTSA document.
Ford spokeswoman Monique Brentley confirmed the latest action was related to the June 12, 2019, safety recall. Brentley said Ford does not discuss its supplier relationships.
