Ford issues three recalls for fewer than 800 Raptor, Super Duty trucks
If one person happens to own all three, he or she should go out and buy a Powerball ticket.
If there's an automaker that loves more than any other to issue multiple recalls simultaneously, it's Ford . Today, it's got three more, all of which involve its trucks and all of which cover onlya small number of vehicles.
Recall the first: Inability to steer
The first recall covers approximately 77 examples of the 2015 Ford F-650 and F-750. All the trucks in question were built at the Escobedo Assembly Plant between March 4, 2015 and April 27, 2015.
The issue relates to steering components. Castellated nuts and cotter pins for a front-axle tie rod might be too loose, due to improper assembly at the factory. The tie rod may loosen up and disconnect from the steering system entirely, which means turning the steering wheel would do nothing to the passenger side wheel at low speeds.
To remedy the issue, dealers will inspect and either properly torque or replace the front axle cotter pins. In the meantime, perhaps owners should only drive in straight lines at high speeds. (Don't listen to that advice.)
Ford F-750 (2016 model shown)
Recall the second: Wimpy roof structure
Ford's second recall covers 42 examples of the 2018 F-150 Raptor SuperCab, none of which have a moonroof. All the vehicles in question were built at the Dearborn Assembly Plant in Michigan between June 8 and August 21 of this year.
The problem lies inside the roof. Structural braces might be missing rivets that attach them to the roof rail structure. This means the roof might not be as strong as it should be, which can increase the risk of injury in the event of a rollover.
Ford will remedy the issue by installing the correct rivets for the roof rail structure. In the meantime, I suggest not rolling your 2018 F-150 Raptor SuperCab.
Ford Raptor SuperCab (2017 model shown)
Recall the third: Super Duty, not-so-super welds
Ford's third and final recall of the day covers 624 examples of the 2017 F-150 and Super Duty. The vehicles were assembled in a variety of plants starting in Nov. 2016.
The problem here can be traced to bad welds. Poor weld penetration on the seat belt buckle bracket means occupants might not be perfectly secure in the event of a crash, which means there's an increased chance of injury, which means it's recall time. This only affects vehicles with manual seats, though.
In order to fix what's broken, dealers will replace the entire seat track for the front passenger seat. In the meantime, perhaps drivers should refrain from hitting things.
Ford F-Series Super Duty (2017 model shown)
Thankfully, Ford received no reports of injuries related to the above recalls.
Owners should receive notifications for these recalls via first-class mail.