Ford Motor Company has sent dealers a so-called “New Vehicle Demonstration / Delivery Hold”* covering 2022 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles. The engine rails may have been improperly heat-treated. This means affected Aviator and Explorer SUVs fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, “Occupant Crash Protection” and 301, “Fuel System Integrity.”
In the latest example of quality being off the rails at Ford, an engine rail may detach and contact the road while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. The unsafe vehicles were built in Chicago during April and May of this year.
Dealers will perform an engine rail strength test and replace the rails as necessary, free of charge as required by Federal regulations. If the engine rails require replacement, owners will have the option for a vehicle replacement or buyback. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 1, 2022.
Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 22C13. 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.
* Federal law requires dealers to complete this recall service before a new vehicle is delivered to the buyer or lessee. Violation by a dealer could result in a civil penalty of up to $21,000 per vehicle.
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.
Off the Engine Rails: Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator Recall
Ford Motor Company has sent dealers a so-called “New Vehicle Demonstration / Delivery Hold”* covering 2022 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles. The engine rails may have been improperly heat-treated. This means affected Aviator and Explorer SUVs fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, “Occupant Crash Protection” and 301, “Fuel System Integrity.”
In the latest example of quality being off the rails at Ford, an engine rail may detach and contact the road while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. The unsafe vehicles were built in Chicago during April and May of this year.
Dealers will perform an engine rail strength test and replace the rails as necessary, free of charge as required by Federal regulations. If the engine rails require replacement, owners will have the option for a vehicle replacement or buyback. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 1, 2022.
Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 22C13. 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.
* Federal law requires dealers to complete this recall service before a new vehicle is delivered to the buyer or lessee. Violation by a dealer could result in a civil penalty of up to $21,000 per vehicle.
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.