Ford Is Recalling Over 2 Million Vehicles For Faulty Door Latch, Brake Fluid Leaks

Ford Motor Company is issuing two safety recalls in North America. The first is for select 2011-15 Ford and Lincoln vehicles with a door latch issue.

Affected vehicles may not have had all door latches replaced or correctly replaced when repaired by dealerships under safety recalls 15S16 or 16S30. Safety recalls 15S16 and 16S30 were issued to replace door latches with latch pawl spring tabs that were susceptible to cracking and failure in areas with high thermal loads (i.e., a combination of outdoor air temperature and solar radiation).

A door latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a “door will not close” condition. If the door latches after repeated attempts to shut it, there is potential for the door to unlatch while driving, increasing the risk of injury.

Ford is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to this condition. The recall affects approximately 2.15 million vehicles in the United States and federal territories.

Affected vehicles are:

• 2011-14 Ford Fiesta
• 2012-15 Ford Focus
• 2013-14 Ford Fusion
• 2013-14 Lincoln MKZ vehicles
• 2013-15 Ford Escape
• 2013-15 Ford C-MAX
• 2014 Ford Fusion
• 2014-16 Ford Transit Connect
• 2015 Ford Mustang
• 2015 Lincoln MKC

Owners will be given the option to inspect the door latch date codes and child safety locks and submit latch date codes online to confirm if repairs done under safety recalls 15S16 or 16S30 were completed correctly. The online system will provide instant validation that the door latches are OK or the latches cannot be confirmed and require dealer service.

If a customer does not want to do the inspection, has difficulty completing the inspection, or receives an indication that the latches cannot be validated, dealers will inspect the latch date codes and replace latches as needed. The Ford reference number for this recall is 20S30.

The second recall is for select 2014-17 Ford F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. In affected vehicles, the brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the brake master cylinder front-wheel circuit into the brake booster.

Depending on the amount of brake fluid loss from the brake master cylinder front-wheel circuit into the brake booster, the driver will receive an audible chime, message-center alert, red brake warning indicator in the instrument cluster, and/or may begin to experience a change in brake pedal travel and feel, including increased pedal effort. If a loss of brake fluid is substantial enough to reduce brake function to the front wheels, full braking function will remain in the rear wheel circuit. However, reduced brake function in the front wheels can extend stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford is aware of seven low-speed/low-impact accident allegations with two injuries associated with this issue. The recall affects 292,311 vehicles in the United States and federal territories, 43,536 in Canada, and 8,053 in Mexico.

Affected vehicles are:

• Select 2015-17 Ford F-150
• Select 2014-17 Ford F-150

Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder and, if it is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. The Ford reference number for this recall is 20S31.