The Ford Explorer Recall Causes A Federal Investigation

(CTN News) – As part of an ongoing investigation into the Ford Motor Company’s recall of 300,000 Explorer SUVs, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation on Saturday.

An investigation into the condition of these vehicles was prompted by allegations that they behaved erratically even after they had been repaired as a result of a recall.

It was originally announced by the manufacturer in April 2022 that Ford Explorers made between 2020 and 2022 would be recalled.

According to Ford, the recall was largely about a problem with the mounting bolt for the rear axle, which could fracture and “allow the vehicle to roll in park if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of a crash and injury,”

Ford explained in its recall notification.

There was a software update released by Ford that attempted to address these rear axle issues by implementing an electronic parking brake in the event the manual parking brake fails.

Nonetheless, the NHTSA recognized that this fix only creates an electronic failsafe, and does not address the actual issue with the rear axle itself.

It has been reported that at least two complaints have been filed alleging that the Explorers continued to have problems even after the company reported that they had been repaired.

During one instance, the Explorer was reported to slam to a complete halt at a speed of up to 30 or 40 mph as the driver attempted to disengage the electronic brake, while in another instance, the Explorer was reported to have lurched into motion while the driver was trying to disengage the vehicle’s electronic brake.

While no injuries were reported from these incidents, the AP reported that the first driver struck a utility pole after rolling downhill after a sudden stop when the Explorer started rolling downhill.

There have been multiple incidents where the vehicle slammed to a complete stop while driving.

It happened different times with three different drivers (myself, my wife, and my son),” states one of the complaints obtained by Reuters, which quotes a company of the complaint as alleging such behavior.

According to Fox News, Ford is in contact with the NHTSA regarding the investigation, according to a Ford representative.

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