Just days after imposing a civil fine on Ford for its slow response to a recall, the U.S. government initiated two investigations into whether certain recalls were ineffective or insufficiently comprehensive.
The larger of these inquiries involves approximately 457,000 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and Maverick small pickups. In April, Ford initiated a recall for specific 2021 through 2024 Bronco Sports and 2022 through 2023 Mavericks due to potential sudden power loss.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), five owners have reported experiencing power loss even after their vehicles received the recall fix. The NHTSA has stated that the investigation will focus on determining the effectiveness of the recall, which has been linked to deteriorating 12-volt batteries.
The second investigation revolves around approximately 113,000 Ford Expeditions manufactured between 2019 and 2020. Ford previously recalled around 78,000 of these SUVs in February because the driver and front passenger seatbelts could tighten unexpectedly, restraining occupants without any collision.
The NHTSA has received complaints from three owners regarding similar issues in vehicles that were not part of the earlier recall, prompting investigators to assess whether the recall should be broadened.
In response to the investigations, Ford has stated that it is fully cooperating.
On Thursday, the NHTSA announced that Ford Motor Co. would incur a penalty of up to $165 million for its sluggish handling of a recall and for failing to provide accurate information concerning the recall to the agency.
This civil penalty is noted to be the second-largest in the history of the NHTSA, which spans 54 years, with only the fine levied against Takata for its defective airbag inflators surpassing it.
The NHTSA indicated that Ford’s delay in recalling vehicles with defective rearview cameras and its failure to supply complete information, as mandated by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act, were significant factors contributing to this fine.