- A recall related to a vehicle steering torque sensor has been extended to include parts sold by Ford.
- The recall was initially thought to only impact 2022-2023 Mustang models.
- Dealers will need to track down customers who sold defective Electronic Power Assist Steering gears.
Ford is extending a recent recall that initially impacted 2022-2023 Mustang models, announcing that certain earlier model-year Mustangs, F-150s, Expeditions, and Navigators, may also have a steering issue that can turn the wheel left and right without driver input.
The recall of 2022-2023 Mustang models was announced at the start of this month, impacting 30,735 vehicles. Ford says affected models have a secondary digital torque sensor in the steering gear calibrated with an inverted polarity.
Read: Ford Recalls Over Half A Million F-150 Trucks For Unexpected Downshifts
If the car’s primary steering torque sensor fails, the steering wheel could start swinging left and right because the electronic power steering gear begins to provide unintended steering assist. That’s very dangerous, although Ford noted in its original recall that it wasn’t aware of any accidents caused by the defect.
Fast forward a few days and Ford issued a new recall notice with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It says that Electronic Power Assist Steering gears were sold as service parts for 2018-2023 Mustang, 2018-2020 F-150, 2018-2021 Expedition, and 2018-2021 Lincoln Navigator models, totaling 7,442 units.
Ford first became aware of the steering issue on May 21, 2024, after a supplier informed it of an assembly issue with steering gears. The car manufacturer went on to review supplier maintenance records, warranty reports, and conducted vehicle testing to better analyze the issue.
Informing owners of models installed with faulty service parts will be more involved than a usual recall. While many owners will be alerted from August 5, dealerships will receive separate letters if they ordered suspect parts that cannot be traced.
Dealers must then contact any customer who purchased the Electronic Power Assist Steering gears over-the-counter or had the gears installed at a dealer and provide them with a refund should they wish to return the defective part.
Impacted vehicles that retain the faulty component can be fixed with a software update for the Power Steering Control Module.
