Earlier this year, The Blue Oval issued a recall for 118 2023 Ford Explorer models over right front lower knuckle-to-strut fasteners that may not have been installed or torqued to specification during the assembly process. The automaker noted that this can cause a wheel to slip out of alignment suddenly, increasing the effort required to steer and potentially even damaging the brake lines and causing a fluid leak. Now, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a deadly crash that may have occurred as a result of this problem.
Recently, a 2023 Ford Explorer left the road while traveling near Belle Glade, Florida, and wound up turning over and coming to a rest in a canal after hitting the guardrail. Sadly, nine occupants of the vehicle died in that crash, prompting NTSB investigators from the Special Investigations Branch and the Multidisciplinary Investigations Branch to travel to the crash site and conduct an investigation to try and determine what may have caused it to happen.
The NTSB plans to focus on a variety of factors, including roadway signage, the speed limit, and roadside barriers, as well as any potential issues that may have played a role in this horrific incident. In the meantime, one of the surviving family members recently told WPBF News that the 2023 Ford Explorer – a vehicle that the family had rented – experienced a problem with the steering prior to the crash, noting that it “froze up.” The mother reportedly contacted the rental car agency about this issue, but since it would have been a four-hour roundtrip to swap the Explorer out, they decided to just keep it for their final day on vacation.
Meanwhile, the NTSB is also investigating a pair of deadly crashes involving Ford Mustang Mach-E models where BlueCruise was activated at the time of both incidents. Ford is working with the agency and the San Antonio Police Department to complete that particular investigation.
We’ll have more on this soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford Explorer news and comprehensive Ford news updates.
Comments
You fail to mention there were TEN people in this car meant for a max of seven. None were wearing seatbelts. Six children died, no car seats were used. They were basically murdered by the irresponsible adults driving. Not the fault of the car.
10-4, Harley. One possibility is that the driver may not have had enough physical room to drive the car properly, and lost control. If the wreck occurred after the recall was announced, the rental agency may bear some responsibility if the vehicle was one of the ones in the recall and was still in service,
In the lawsuit that will surely come Ford will not be allowed to point out that the vehicle had more people than designed allowed for, and that the occupants failed to buckle up. That is the bizarre feature of product liability suits in the Uniited States
Gee, let’s pile 10 people in a 7 passenger vehicle and then take a 90° corner way too fast. When it all goes wrong, we’ll just sue the manufacturer!