Ford expands F-150 pickup recall to 1.2 million over faulty airbag problem
- Source: Xinhua
- [08:52 April 15 2011]
- Comments
Ford Motor Co and US safety regulators have agreed to recall 1.2 million F-150 pickup due to unexpected air-bag deployments problem, expanding a much smaller recall it had instituted in February, US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Thursday.
The recall covers nearly 1.2 million 2004-2006 F-150 pickup trucks and a few 2006 Lincoln Mark LT vehicles, NHTSA said.
The problem is caused by an improperly placed wire in the steering wheel, insulating material on the wire can rub off, causing a short circuit that can lead to unexpected airbag deployment, mainly when drivers start the car, according to NHTSA.
NHTSA said it has reports of at least 269 airbag deployments and 98 injuries due to the defect, including broken teeth and noses.
The Dearborn automaker rejected classifying the problem as a defect at first, saying that drivers were at little risk because of a safety warning light that comes on before the airbag deploys could alert the drivers that their vehicles need to be serviced.
In February, Ford announced it would recall 135,000 2005-2006 F- 150 trucks in US over concerns raised by the NHTSA, which was only a small part of the 1.3 million vehicles that NHTSA demand Ford recall in a Jan. 26 letter.
NHTSA accused Ford of downplaying the rate of airbag deployments and it firmly believed Ford must initiate a recall, adding that problem will only multiply over time.
Ford said in a letter to NHTSA that it will expand the recall " to reassure customers of Ford's commitment to safety and to eliminate any possible customer confusion."
