Ford Motor Company is recalling 2023 model-year F-150 vehicles because the instrument panel top cover on the passenger-side may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Crash Protection,” according to a filing just make public by the National Highway Traffic Safety administration. (Autoinformed.com on: Multiple Ford Motor Recalls for Rollaway Safety Defects)
The “non-conforming instrument panel toppers” were built by Faurecia Interior Systems in Michigan with either an injection molded substrate that was manufactured with contaminated resin or with a skin cover extruded with contaminated colorant material.
Dealers will replace the passenger instrument panel top cover, free of charge as required by Federal regulations. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed today 27 February 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 23C01. Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this safety defect. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov about NHTSA recall 23V072.
Recall Timeline
December 10, 2022 – Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) initiated an investigation into a report identified by the instrument panel (IP) topper supplier of a failed weld between the right-hand IP topper substrate and the passenger airbag chute. The supplier discovered the failed weld on December 7, 2022, during routine weld pull testing conducted as part of the supplier’s Lot Acceptance Testing (LAT) of parts for 2023 model year F-150 Limited series vehicles. The supplier notified Ford of the concern on December 9, 2022.
Ford’s initial review of supplier process and maintenance records found that test samples from a material lot produced on November 14, 2022, performed below the minimum specification for weld pull testing. A further review as part of the CCRG investigation identified that purge operations were not completed when the suspect parts were injection molded on November 14, 2022. Incomplete purging of the prior molding material could introduce contaminants and may result in IP topper substrate delamination. Work continued into January 2023 to determine the type of contaminant(s) that was introduced and to review the supplier’s process and purge logs. January 2023
January 5, 2023 – Ford received a report identified by the IP topper supplier of a tear seam opening force above the requirement specification during routine drop tower testing of the passenger airbag door on parts intended for 2023 model year F-150 Platinum series vehicles. The CCRG initiated an additional investigation, which determined that the extrusion material for the instrument panel topper skin did not meet material specifications. The extrusion material was potentially contaminated with colorant from a different job at the supplier facility. The contaminant resulted in out of specification tear seam opening force of the Passenger Airbag door.
During January, the CCRG reviewed the material testing results and analyses conducted by the supplier that determined that the substate material was contaminated with polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC-ABS), which could result in substrate delamination. CCRG also reviewed the results of Ford’s internal testing that determined that the IP Topper skin had low laser score additive (LSA) content, which could result in passenger airbag door tear seam opening force above the requirement specification. Based on weld pull and drop tower test results and engineering judgment, Ford Engineering determined that the suspect vehicles may not meet a F/CMVSS No. 208 compliance test if they were to be tested.
February 3, 2023 – Ford’s Field Review Committee reviewed the concern and approved a field action.
Ford Motor Recalls 2023 Model Year F-150 Air Bags
Ford Motor Company is recalling 2023 model-year F-150 vehicles because the instrument panel top cover on the passenger-side may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Crash Protection,” according to a filing just make public by the National Highway Traffic Safety administration. (Autoinformed.com on: Multiple Ford Motor Recalls for Rollaway Safety Defects)
The “non-conforming instrument panel toppers” were built by Faurecia Interior Systems in Michigan with either an injection molded substrate that was manufactured with contaminated resin or with a skin cover extruded with contaminated colorant material.
Dealers will replace the passenger instrument panel top cover, free of charge as required by Federal regulations. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed today 27 February 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 23C01. Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this safety defect. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov about NHTSA recall 23V072.
Recall Timeline
December 10, 2022 – Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) initiated an investigation into a report identified by the instrument panel (IP) topper supplier of a failed weld between the right-hand IP topper substrate and the passenger airbag chute. The supplier discovered the failed weld on December 7, 2022, during routine weld pull testing conducted as part of the supplier’s Lot Acceptance Testing (LAT) of parts for 2023 model year F-150 Limited series vehicles. The supplier notified Ford of the concern on December 9, 2022.
Ford’s initial review of supplier process and maintenance records found that test samples from a material lot produced on November 14, 2022, performed below the minimum specification for weld pull testing. A further review as part of the CCRG investigation identified that purge operations were not completed when the suspect parts were injection molded on November 14, 2022. Incomplete purging of the prior molding material could introduce contaminants and may result in IP topper substrate delamination. Work continued into January 2023 to determine the type of contaminant(s) that was introduced and to review the supplier’s process and purge logs. January 2023
January 5, 2023 – Ford received a report identified by the IP topper supplier of a tear seam opening force above the requirement specification during routine drop tower testing of the passenger airbag door on parts intended for 2023 model year F-150 Platinum series vehicles. The CCRG initiated an additional investigation, which determined that the extrusion material for the instrument panel topper skin did not meet material specifications. The extrusion material was potentially contaminated with colorant from a different job at the supplier facility. The contaminant resulted in out of specification tear seam opening force of the Passenger Airbag door.
During January, the CCRG reviewed the material testing results and analyses conducted by the supplier that determined that the substate material was contaminated with polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC-ABS), which could result in substrate delamination. CCRG also reviewed the results of Ford’s internal testing that determined that the IP Topper skin had low laser score additive (LSA) content, which could result in passenger airbag door tear seam opening force above the requirement specification. Based on weld pull and drop tower test results and engineering judgment, Ford Engineering determined that the suspect vehicles may not meet a F/CMVSS No. 208 compliance test if they were to be tested.
February 3, 2023 – Ford’s Field Review Committee reviewed the concern and approved a field action.