- Practically 36,000 Ford Flex SUVs are beneath federal investigation for trim failures.
- Studies declare B-pillar trim items can detach at freeway speeds with out warning.
- One incident allegedly concerned a indifferent trim hitting one other automobile on the highway.
No one needs to see items flying off their automobile, however in response to 5 house owners of 2019 Ford Flex fashions within the US, that’s precisely what can occur. The complaints have drawn the eye of the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration, which has launched an investigation by way of its Workplace of Defects Investigation (ODI).
Learn: There’s No Stopping Ford’s Recall Machine
Studies describe the B-pillar trim on sure Ford Flex fashions coming unfastened and detaching with out warning, generally at freeway speeds. Past the inconvenience for the driving force, a chunk of trim placing one other automobile might create a security hazard and lift the chance of a collision.
Documented incidents
In line with the ODI’s report, one grievance alleged that the B-pillar trim of a Flex had hit a automobile that was trailing it on the highway. The federal government company can be conscious of B-pillar trim-related complaints on 2016-2018 Ford Flex fashions, however notes this investigation solely focuses on the 2019 fashions, because the “charge of allegations is way larger.”
The NHTSA says that it’s going to got down to decide the scope and severity of the potential drawback by way of this preliminary analysis. It should additionally use 2016-2018 Flex autos within the evaluation to grasp any similarities or variations that would account for why the charges of points range between these mannequin years.
There are an estimated 35,950 Ford Flexes from the 2019 mannequin yr within the US impacted by the ODI’s probe.
Associated remembers
Ford issued a recall for 2016-2017 Explorers over an identical subject in June. In line with the corporate, the driving force and entrance passenger B-pillar door trim can detach whereas driving. Nearly 400,000 autos throughout the nation are concerned on this specific recall.
