33K Vans and SUVs Included in Ford Safety Recall

Ford Motor Co. is recalling certain models of vehicles in a safety recall involving tens of thousands of vans and SUVs.

The Ford safety recall has been issued on some newly built Ford Explorers, Lincoln Navigators and E-series vans for possible overheating and power-loss issues, according to a release sent by the automaker.

Ford says 33,228 vehicles made in their North American plants may have this issue, but the bulk of the Ford safety recall surrounds the 2021 Ford E-Series vans, a popular model used by airports, hotels and car-rental businesses to move customers around. 

2021 Ford E-Series

Ford says in its safety recall these vans have misplaced insulation on the engine cover that doesn’t fully cover the edges, according to Automotive World. 

The interior paneling is left exposed to the engine and can get overheated. Drivers and passengers in the front seats could possibly get burned, Ford says. 

E-series vans with “stationary idle control” or “battery charge protect” are especially at risk of overheating, according to the Ford safety recall.

Heat coming from the engine isn’t properly shielded from the interior, causing the inside surfaces to get overheated, which could cause burns. 

Ford says no injuries have been reported but the misplaced insulation issue involved 29,344 of the E-series vans in the U.S. and 2,412 sold in Canada. 

These models were built at Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant from May 11, 2019, to Nov. 13, 2020, according to the Ford safety recall notice. 

Ford advises owners of these vehicles to take them to the dealership, where technicians can check the engine cover for gaps and install the necessary patches, the Detroit Free Press reports.  

The recall number is 20S73.

2020-2021 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator

The second Ford safety recall involves an estimated 1,405 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator models sold in the U.S. and 65 in Canada. 

These models were assembled with loose motor mount fasteners, according to the Ford safety recall. The shaky connections could disconnect the engine from its power source as a result. 

These models were built in Ford’s Chicago plant from July 28 – 30, 2020. 

Owners are being advised by Ford to have their dealer fix the issue, which will entail replacing the right-hand motor mount fasteners.

The recall number on this alert is 20S72.

The 2020 Ford Explorer has been recalled at least nine times by the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration.

In November, the SUV was given one of the lowest scores in a reliability survey done by Consumer Reports, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

“The troubled launch of Explorer and Lincoln Aviator was blamed for disappointing earnings in 2019,” according to the Detroit Free Press.

Last year, Ford spent $1 billion upgrading their centuries-old Chicago plant in an effort to revamp the Explorer, the Chicago Tribune reported.