Ford Motor Company is recalling 2023 Bronco and Ranger vehicles because lug nuts on the driver’s side wheels may have been improperly tightened and can fall off. At least one wild wheel struck another vehicle. Driving and dealer delivery holds are in place for the safety defect.
In a public filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford said the nut tightening machine was broken and that a manual – translation human – backup was in place.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed today 1 May 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 23S17. Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, retighten the lug nuts, free of charge as required by law. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or at www.nhtsa.gov.
Recall Timeline
- On 13 April 2023, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) initiated an investigation into reports of loose wheel lug nuts and wheel detachment for 2023 model year Ford Bronco vehicles. Vehicle assembly plant personnel reviewed plant process records and found that the automated tool used to torque road wheel lug nuts on the left side (driver’s side) of the vehicle was down for repair from 9 February 2023 to 11 February 2023. During this time, a manual backup process was in place to torque the lug nuts on the left side of 2023 Bronco and 2023 Ranger vehicles.
- Ford found that the lug nuts may not have been torqued to specification on the left-front and left-rear road wheels during the so-called manual backup process. This potential safety defect does not affect the wheels on the right side of the vehicle because the production tool used to torque lug nuts on the right side of the vehicle was not down for repair.
- As of 12 April 2023, Ford claimed it is aware of one occurrence of an owner contacting Ford’s customer hotline with a warranty report of wheel detachment. There is also one field report of wheel detachment as well as one warranty report of loose lug nuts on 2023 Ford Bronco vehicles. Ford received these reports on 21 March 2023, 8 April 2023, 12 April 2023, and 1April 2023, respectively. The CCRG investigation determined that all vehicles with reports of detached wheels or loose lug nuts were produced on February 9, 2023.
- On 14 April 2023, Ford’s Field Review Committee approved a recall.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
NHTSA – Wheels Falling Off 2023 Ford Bronco, Ranger Trucks
Ford Motor Company is recalling 2023 Bronco and Ranger vehicles because lug nuts on the driver’s side wheels may have been improperly tightened and can fall off. At least one wild wheel struck another vehicle. Driving and dealer delivery holds are in place for the safety defect.
In a public filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford said the nut tightening machine was broken and that a manual – translation human – backup was in place.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed today 1 May 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 23S17. Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, retighten the lug nuts, free of charge as required by law. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or at www.nhtsa.gov.
Recall Timeline
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.