More automakers issuing recalls due to fire but don’t have the parts to fix the problem

ORLANDO, Fla. — Parked outside the family home in DeLand, Kedena Douglas’ 2020 Ford Escape is seen burning.

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It was a sunny day when Kedena Douglas looked outside of her Deland home, spotting her Ford Escape in flames on her front driveway.

“I was so scared. Like I told my husband, I’m scared. And you know, I was terrified,” said Kedena.

Kendena’s Escape had been on a recall list, and she took it in to get it fixed, but the SUV still caught on fire.

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For residents in central Florida, recalls have been growing at an alarming rate, jumping 44% since May of 2023 according to Carfax with 334,013 “park outside” recalls in the state.

“Some of these recalls can happen on a vehicle that is off, hasn’t been, touched or started for six hours and just as a result of, of a short that the potential for a short that could then subsequently cause a fire,” says Mike Lavigne of Carfax. “So definitely something to pay very close attention to and to take action when you can.”

The problem, as Carfax has discovered is that while automakers have been quick to issue recalls or “park outside” warnings when problems are discovered, getting the parts to fix the issues remains a major hurdle.

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“A recall that gets announced that will impact a couple hundred thousand cars. If the fix is out there, then you’ll see those numbers slowly start to decline as motors take their vehicles in to get addressed,” says Mike. “But when you have several makes and several models, several years worth of make some models that don’t have a fix yet ready, that’s where you start to see those numbers climb and climb over a short period of time.”

Complicating matters, vehicles are changing hands more often with recall notices often not reaching the right owner in time.

Mike recommends checking your vehicle’s VIN to ensure it is not on a “park outside” recall, and if it is reach out to the manufacture to see if a fix is available.

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