Ford Faces Second Round of Takata Airbag Recalls Due to Inadequate Repairs
Ford, like many other car companies, has been impacted by the mass recall of Takata airbags, which have been linked to numerous fatalities. However, Ford may be facing a bigger challenge than its competitors as it has been forced to recall some of its Takata repairs for the second time. The reason? Reports suggest that some repairs were not done correctly or at all, leaving customers at risk.
According to The Detroit Free Press, Ford is currently in the process of inspecting over 270,000 vehicles that were previously brought to dealerships for the Takata airbag recall. After reviewing internal company documents, dealer memos, federal regulatory filings, and court documents, it is estimated that around 4,000 Fords may still have unsafe airbags due to inadequate repairs. In some cases, technicians allegedly falsely marked vehicles as repaired and fraudulently billed Ford for incomplete repairs. Additionally, Ford dealers reportedly assigned repairs to inexperienced technicians who botched the critical safety system service.
One possible explanation for these inadequacies is the disgruntlement of technicians whose pay was reduced as airbag repairs constituted a majority of their workload. This led some technicians to take shortcuts or even skip the repairs altogether.
Another whistleblower alleged that Ford had lowered airbag repair training standards to address its recall service backlog. While Ford claimed that it only relaxed standards for warranty repairs, not recalls, several dealers stated that their service departments did not distinguish between the two. Most of the inadequate repairs are believed to impact around 232,000 Ford Rangers manufactured between 2004 and 2011, where the passenger-side airbag may fail to deploy in a collision.
As part of its recall audit, Ford is reportedly imposing fines of $10,000 on dealers for each instance of fraudulent repair, with some dealers facing fines exceeding $100,000. Despite Ford’s belief that the issue is limited in scope, the whistleblower consulted by The Detroit Free Press suggests that there may be more affected vehicles than Ford acknowledges.
This latest development raises concerns about the effectiveness of recall processes and the importance of proper repair procedures in ensuring customer safety. Ford customers who have had their vehicles repaired as part of the Takata airbag recall are advised to contact their dealerships for further inspection and potential re-repair if necessary.
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