Ford Recalls Transit Van Over Potential Water Intrusion And Corrosion Of Trailer Tow Module

October 27, 2017 2:40 pm

Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall for Ford Transit vehicles equipped with a trailer tow module for water intrusion that could result in several vehicle malfunctions and an increased risk of a fire.

The defect: in affected vehicles, the trailer tow module is susceptible to water intrusion, resulting in potential wiring corrosion and damage to the module.

The hazards: water intrusion into the module may result in rapid flashing of the turn signals, loss of the instrument cluster display, loss of heater and air conditioning controls, and loss of multimedia including radio, screens and SYNC.

Wiring corrosion from prolonged water intrusion could also result in an electrical short to the ground, which could cause uncommanded seat belt pretensioner deployment, a burning smell and/or increased risk of fire, including when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is off.

Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with this issue. Ford is aware of two reports of vehicle fires on Canadian fleet vehicles potentially related to this condition.

Affected vehicles: 2015 – 2017 Ford Transit vehicles equipped with the trailer tow module built at Kansas City Assembly Plant between February 3, 2014 to August 2, 2017.

Number of vehicles affected: 73,443 vehicles in North America with:

65,206 in the United States and federalized territories
8,365 in Canada

The fix: dealers will add a drainage hole to the driver’s door stepwell and incorporate a fuse into the vehicle wiring harness. All of these services and repairs will be performed at no cost to the customer.

Until the final repair is performed, customers will be instructed to park their vehicles outside. As an interim repair, until parts are available for the final repair, customers may have dealers disable the trailer module.

Owners should: owners who wish to know if their vehicle is included in this Ford Transit recall can visit http://owner.ford.com and click on Safety Recalls at the bottom of the page. There, they can enter their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to see any open safety, compliance or emissions recalls, as well as customer satisfaction programs.

Owners may also contact Ford customer service or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) using the information below.

Contacts: