Shane McGlaun
Ford has issued a 2019 Ford F-Series Super Duty recall that impacts only certain vehicles. The recall has to do with a problem with the electronically locking rear-axle assembly. The automaker says that no injuries have been reported that have to do with this recall. Ford recalled some F-Series trucks last month.
The defect: the electronically locking rear-axle assembly may have a passenger side axle shaft that uses steel that doesn’t meet Ford specifications.
The hazards: since the passenger-side axle shaft may use steel that doesn’t meet Ford standards, it could fracture leading to the loss of motive power in two-wheel drive mode and loss of the ability to hold park. If the axle shaft fractured and no parking brake was applied, the vehicle could move unintentionally.
Components: passenger-side rear axle shaft.
Affected vehicles: affected vehicles in the 2019 Ford F-Series Super Duty recall were built at the Kentucky Truck Plant and Ohio Assembly Plant May 21st through July 26th, 2019.
Number of affected vehicles: the 2019 Ford F-Series Super Duty recall action affects 28,579 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories, 4,316 in Canada, and 73 in Mexico.
The fix: dealers will inspect the passenger-side rear axle shaft and those with suspect batch code will be replaced.
Owners should: Ford is advising owners to apply the parking brake whenever the vehicle is parked until the recall fix is complete.
Contacts:
- Ford Customer Service: 1-866-436-7332
- FoMoCo Recall Number: 19S31
- NHTSA Toll Free: 1-888-327-4236
- NHTSA (TTY): 1-800-424-9153
- NHTSA Website: www.safecar.gov
It sounds to me as though they should begin metal “spark testing”¹˙² and both Brinnell³ and “core” hardness testing* at Ford’s Sterling Axle Plant (Sterling Heights, Michigan) on all ‘vendor’ axle shafts.
1. https://education.seattlepi.com/spark-test-metal-4725.html
2. https://www.iforgeiron.com/uploads/monthly_2016_05/5726ddf9c35bf_SparkTest.jpg.08cfa73f7bd9534412f989bafd7dbbf3.jpg
3. https://www.hardnesstesters.com/test-types/brinell-hardness-testing
* https://makeitfrommetal.com/how-check-the-hardness-of-metal-a-complete-guide/