Ford recently announced a recall of over 200,000 vehicles. The issue involves faulty brake lights, which can stay on even when the brake pedal isn’t depressed, presenting a safety hazard. Affected vehicles include the Ford Mustang, Ford Fusion, and Lincoln MKZ. Below are the model years involved and what owners should do if their vehicle is part of the recall.
Ford brake lights won’t turn off
2015 Ford Mustang coupes | Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The faulty brake lights pose a safety risk because they could cause other drivers to think the vehicle is stopping, and the confusion could lead to collisions. Affected cars with automatic transmissions can also shift out of park without the driver placing their foot on the brake, which could also cause a crash.
At the crux of the problem are humidity and high temperatures, causing rubber parts to disintegrate. Without the rubber brake pedal bumper, the brake lights could remain on. And a missing clutch pedal bumper causes the clutch problem in automatic transmissions, ABC News reports.
Affected Ford Mustang, Ford Fusion, and Lincoln MKZ models
The recall includes certain 2014 and 2015 Lincoln MKZ, 2014 and 2015 Ford Fusion, and 2015 Ford Mustang models. According to U.S. News, all vehicles were registered or sold in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, or Virginia.
Dealers will replace the brake pedal bumpers and clutch pedal bumpers on the recalled vehicles free of charge to owners. But drivers must take their cars to an authorized Ford dealership for repairs so that licensed technicians can make the fix.
Find out if your Ford vehicle is part of the recall
The recall will officially begin on March 3, 2022, and if you own one of the 200,000 affected vehicles, Ford will notify you by mail. If you receive a recall notification letter from the automaker, contact your local Ford dealership to schedule an appointment. You may also ask the service advisors any questions about the recall.
Even if you don’t receive a letter, you can find out if your vehicle is involved in the recall by entering your car’s VIN on the NHTSA “Safety Issues and Recalls” page. You can also check on the Ford recalls page.
Other recent Ford recalls
This is far from the first time the manufacturer has recalled a large number of models. In December 2021, Ford recalled 115,000 vehicles for brake issues. Specific 2021 and 2022 Ford Bronco and Ford Escape models had defective brake linings. The brakes required drivers to apply more force in certain situations, causing a greater stopping distance and, thus, increasing the potential for crashes.
Another massive recall occurred in October 2021, involving over a million vehicles. Hundreds of thousands of models had issues with their rearview cameras. They included the 2020 Ford F-150 and Super Duty trucks, Expedition, Explorer, Escape, Edge, Ranger, Mustang, and Transit. On the Lincoln side were the 2020 MKX, Corsair, and Nautilus.
Other recalls last year dealt with 360-degree cameras going blank on the 2020 and 2021 Lincoln Aviator, Corsair, and Ford Explorer. Also, the automaker recalled 40,000 2020 Mustangs because of fractures in the brake pedal bracket. In addition, F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks had bad welds on the front axle. And there were recalls on 26,000 2011 to 2013 Ford Explorer SUVs for suspension issues.
Keyword: Ford Recalls 200,000 Mustangs and Other Models for Faulty Brake Lights