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Ford recalls Fusion, Ranger for separate transmission issues

The Ranger recall isn't very large, but the Fusion one is.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
2 min read
Ford

Whether it's to lessen the blow or to save time writing press releases, Ford loves issuing multiple recalls simultaneously. Sometimes, they have no relation to each other, but this time around, both recalls focus on pieces related to the transmission.

Recall the first: Ranger fasteners

Ford's first recall of the day covers approximately 2,500 examples of the 2019 Ranger midsize pickup. The vehicles were all built at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant between March 5 and 13, 2019. This recall also covers about 260 trucks in Canada.

The problem stems from fasteners that secure a transmission shift cable bracket to the transmission's housing. These fasteners might not be torqued to proper specifications. If one or both fasteners become loose, it might allow the transmission to be in a different gear than what the driver has selected. It can create a rollaway situation if the vehicle is placed in Park without actually shifting to Park, and it may also allow the driver to remove the ignition key without the vehicle being in Park.

Recalled vehicles will need to return to dealerships. There, Ford's technicians will torque the fasteners to the proper specification and verify that the transmission and gear lever are properly synced up. In the meantime, Ford recommends applying the parking brake when the vehicle is turned off, just in case.

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Recall the second: Fusion bushings

Ford's second recall covers a much larger number of vehicles, encompassing some 270,000 examples of the 2013-2016 , all of which are equipped with Ford's 2.5-liter I4 gas engine. The vehicles were built at both the Flat Rock Assembly Plant and the Hermosillo Assembly Plant between early 2012 and early 2016.

This problem comes from the shifter cable bushing, which helps reduce unwanted vibrations. The bushing may degrade and detach from the transmission. The result is the same as in the first recall: If this occurs, the transmission might be in a different gear than what the gear selector suggests. Thus far, Ford has received three reports of alleged property damage and one report of alleged injury that might be related to this defect.

Ford is still working on identifying the root cause and the methodology for a final repair. Both owners and dealers will be notified when the remedy is made available. In the interim, Ford suggests making liberal use of the parking brake.

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