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Motor 1
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Ford Issues Do Not Drive Order for Exactly Three Broncos
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Friday issued a "Do Not Drive" warning to the owners of precisely three Ford Broncos over loose suspension bolts that weren't properly tightened down at the factory. This could allow the front lower control arms to detach from the frame, increasing the risk of a crash. The problem first came to light when a customer complained to a dealer in April about a loud, audible "pop" noise when turning at full lock. Upon inspection, the dealer discovered all nuts holding the lower control arms to the frame were loose. Photo by: Ford How does a Bronco leave the factory with loose bolts? Well, according to the NHTSA's recall report , the Bronco in question failed an alignment test at the plant before being manually approved by someone Ford calls a "Quality Leadership System operator," rather than being re-run through the factory's alignment validation equipment. As such, no one confirmed the Bronco's control arms were properly aligned and bolted to the frame before it left the plant. Ford says this mistake could've affected a total of four Broncos, making this a very rare problem. One of the affected SUVs, one was fixed prior to the recall being issued, meaning there are three in the field that still need examining. Despite the small number of Broncos affected, the recall spans both 2024 and 2025 model years. Ford says it's reaching out to owners by phone, email, and mail, instructing them to avoid driving their vehicles. They'll be towed to the dealer free of charge, where a technician will inspect the control arm fasteners and tighten or replace them if needed. The vehicle's alignment will also be checked and corrected, as needed. If you think you're one of the three remaining Bronco owners with an affected truck, stop driving your car and check your VIN against the NHTSA's database . And check your phone; odds are Ford is already blowing it up telling you not to get behind the wheel. More Ford Recalls Ford Already Has 40 Recalls This Year Whoops: Ford Issues Even More Recalls to Fix Previously Botched Recalls Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Road & Track Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Issues Another 'Do Not Drive' Warning, for Another Bronco Recall
On Friday, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration announced that Ford is recalling a whopping three examples of the 2024-2025 model year Bronco. But it's a serious situation for those few vehicles involved, as they're also subject to a 'Do Not Drive Warning' ahead of the recall work being completed. Why are only a trio of Broncos being recalled? Ford's recall docs explain that 'assembly plant records indicate that the vehicles required a repair to correct wheel alignment. Following the repair, the vehicles were not re-processed through the assembly station to tighten and verify torque of the front and rear attachment bolts securing the front lower control arm to the frame.' As a result of those fasteners being loose, Ford says the front lower control arm can separate from the frame. Owners are told to look out for extra noise while driving or degraded vehicle handling as a sign that there's an issue. Ford discovered the problem when it received a field report about a customer complaining about an audible 'pop' when turning at full lock. The dealer inspected the vehicle and noticed that all four front lower control arm to frame nuts were loose. This vehicle had also failed the alignment test at the plant; records showed it received a manual approval from the 'Quality Leadership System operator' instead of being re-run through the alignment validation equipment that Ford suggests would verify the vehicle was 'properly aligned, secured and verified with the proper tooling.' Ford's records showed that four Broncos in total could be affected, but one of them was fixed prior to this recall, which leaves the three in question here. Ford says the vehicles were not produced in VIN order, so there's no range of vehicles to check in on; however, the recall docs state Ford is contacting the affected owners by phone, email and mail, and instructing them to not drive their vehicle. Once the Bronco is brought in for service, the dealer will then inspect the fasteners and either tighten or replace the fasteners if necessary. The alignment will also be checked and adjusted, if incorrect. Ford says it's not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this concern as of April 30 this year. If you're a concerned Bronco owner, it looks like the only folks with vehicles subject to a 'do not drive' order are being contacted by phone. Official mail notification to owners is also expected to be completed by May 19. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
