Ford has announced the recall of more than 238,000 Explorer SUVs because a rear axle bolt can fail.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt can fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
The Associated Press reported that if the bolt fails, vehicles can lose drive power or even roll away when it is in park.
The recall affects some Explorers from the 2020 through 2022 model years. All have the rear axle bushing part number L1MW-4B425-BA with the following powertrains: 3.3L FHEV Police, 3.3L Gas Police, 3.0L Gas Police, 2.3L RWD, 3.0L PHEV, 3.3L FHEV, 3.0L ST.
There have been 396 reports of rear axle bolt failures, but there have been no reports of crashes or injuries attributed to it, the AP reported.
The NHTSA started investigating in June after complaints of loss of power because of the rear axle bolts, despite Explorers being repaired under other recalls. Ford said a software update would have the parking brake engage automatically but the NHTSA said there was no actual fix for the faulty axle bolt.
Dealers will replace the subframe bushing and real axle bolt on the recalled SUVs for free. They’ll also look for damage on the rear axle cover and replace it if needed, the NHTSA said.
Owners will start receiving letters from Ford next month, or they may call Ford directly at 866-436-7332. Ford’s internal recall number is 23S55.
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