Back in May 2022, The Blue Oval announced that the Ford F-150 would be heading to Australia, where a third-party company called RMA Automotive in Mickleham, Victoria is completing right-hand drive conversions on those pickups for the local market. Trouble is, the Australian Ford F-150 launch has thus far been plagued by a host of recalls – many of them related to compliance issues and the aforementioned conversion – as well as more than one stop-sale. Though deliveries have since resumed, this veritable nightmare isn’t over just yet, either.
In fact, the Australian Ford F-150 has been recalled yet again, according to CarExpert, this time, to address four different issues. These four new recalls – which bring that total up to seven issued thus far, along with two stop-sales – pertain to the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system and exterior lighting, both of which fail to meet Australian Design Rules (ADRs) standards.
The AEB system is plagued by a fault where it may not reactivate following an ignition cycle, making it non-complaint with ADR 98. On top of that, the truck’s courtesy lamps, fog lamps, daytime running lamps, and side indicators are also non-compliant with ADR 13, though the side indicators are only faulty on long-wheelbase variants. Owners of impacted Ford F-150 pickups will be contacted by the automaker with instructions on how to proceed, though all of these issues can be rectified at a dealership, free of charge.
After deliveries of the Aussie F-150 began in November 2023, a stop-sale was issued over a problem with the truck’s turbos in January, after which a recall was issued over a problem with the loss of steering control. Later that month, another recall was issued due to a problem with the steering wheel clock spring, followed by another in March for the side indicators. In April, a lighting issue led to another stop-sale, and in May, deliveries were halted over multiple ADR violations. Just a couple of weeks ago, Ford announced that it would be compensating owners for these delays, with select owners also getting five years or 75,000 kilometers of free service as well.
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Comments
Maybe some of these countries, and even a US state or two, just become so burdensome with over the top, micro managing regulations that it’s time to stop doing business there.
Why would Ford bother to export to Australia if the truck had to be converted to right hand drive by some local company.
That has to be expensive and you loose control over quality of workmanship
Who’s the idiot at Ford that didn’t think this through?
I bet Fords reputation is screwed in Australia now.
Over paid white collar morons……..