2013 Ford Escapes get third Recall in two Months
For folks looking to buy a new car, this is the time of the year to go on a pursuit. Dealerships are looking to get those 2012 models off the lot to make room for the 2013 models. That means reduced prices on anything from the current year. If one is in search of the latest and greatest, the 2013's are starting to show up, giving them the chance to be one of the first to own the new model. That is why the latest announcement from Ford cannot be making shareholders terribly happy.
The auto manufacturerannounceda recall of 7,600 of their new 2013 Escapes, when it was determined that there was a possible problem with a coolant leak. This recall will affect Escapes that run on 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines. What is intriguing is that Ford is being proactive in this case. That is because there was only one report of a problem, and it was not from a car owner. The problem was discovered at a dealership, so the company decided to head things off before something terrible happened.
That was the right thing to do, given what could happen in this case. Evidently, the manufacturer believes that the plugs in this engine setup may not have been put in properly. In fact, this install issue can cause the plugs to fall out while the car is driving, leading to things like coolant spilling out into the engine. That, in turn, could cause the engine to overheat and lead to an engine fire.
This quick reaction to the problem is admirable, but it lends credence to a much bigger issue with this new 2013 Ford Escape. This will now be the third recall issued for this model in the past two months! Twice in July, the company had to invoke arecallfor two other problems. The first had to do with fuel lines that could crack or leak and cause engine fires. That notice affected 11,500 cars, while another 10,000 cars were brought back in for carpet padding problems. In that case, the height of the padding could cause problems with braking in the vehicles.
According to aWashington Postpiece, there is some disagreement as to what this means for the new model. Clarence Ditlow, executive director for the Center for Auto Safety, is quoted in the story as saying, "three recalls in two months shows there are quality problems with the new vehicle." However, Ford spokeswoman Marcey Zwiebel responded, "the recalls show that Ford is responding quickly to problems and that they are not a sign of quality issues."
For those who own this new model, Ford is doing the repairs for free. All one needs to do is call and make an appointment to get the service done at the dealership. The parts have already been shipped to locations, so Ford is recommending that owners get this done as soon as possible.
