- Joined
- February 8, 1999
- Messages
- 35,785
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- 3,924
- City, State
- Wayoutin, Aridzona
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '93 XL '20 ST
- Callsign
- AB7FH
Back in April 2022, The Blue Oval recalled select 2020-2022 Ford Explorer models after it discovered that the rear axle mounting bolt may fracture when the vehicle is accelerating, which can lead to severe noise and vibration, or worse – disconnected driveshafts and the potential for the vehicle to roll away when in park. However, some owners filed a lawsuit against the automaker last June, claiming that its proposed fix – replacing those bolts with new parts – was inadequate.
Then, last October, Ford issued another recall instructing dealers to replace the subframe bushing and rear axle bolt in affected vehicles, which – coupled with a customer service program – has prompted the NHTSA to close its investigation, which was opened by the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) last July after the agency received three complaints from owners of affected vehicles. The NHTSA concluded that Ford’s actions aimed at correcting this matter are adequate, citing the automaker’s assertion that its repairs have resulted in “lower current and projected failure rates.”
“In view of the recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this RQ. NHTSA will continue to monitor complaints from the customer satisfaction program vehicles and reopen this issue, if necessary. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.”
