Ford was fined in Mexico by the country’s environmental prosecutor for selling vehicles without proper certifications.
According to Mexico’s environmental prosecutor Profepa, Ford’s 4,690 vehicles related to the penalty were missing the required certificates for gas emissions and noise levels.
For the moment, it is unclear why Ford has ended up in this situation, as automakers usually have teams of people who are taking care of paperwork of this kind for every model they sell in every country.
Automotive News reached out to Ford’s spokesperson in Mexico, but the official did not have any immediate comment on the matter. We expect Ford to publish a press release explaining the situation.
Until then, it is clear that this situation is just a mistake, judging by the rather small number of vehicles involved. Looking at the quantum of the fine, we do not see Ford in any jeopardy from a financial point of view either.
Most likely, the Ford vehicles that led to the penalty did not obtain the certifications on time. If this is the case, Ford Motor Company will have to overhaul their procedures to ensure this human error is not repeated in any other country, as a million-dollar fine is something any company wants to avoid.
Profepa is in charge of enforcing environmental laws in Mexico, and the name stands for “Procuraduria Federal para la Proteccion del Ambiente.” The organization also oversees the federal voluntarily environmental audit program, in addition to performing inspection visits and prosecuting environmental non-compliance.
Unlike Volkswagen’s Dieselgate situation, Ford’s vehicles were fully compliant with Mexico’s legislation. However, the penalty was issued because the Blue Oval’s Mexican division did not file the required papers for environmental certifications on time for the affected vehicles.
The customers who purchased the 4,690 Ford products do not have anything to worry about, as the company will not have to make a recall action of any kind. Most likely, the entire situation will be resolved shortly between Ford and local authorities.
For the moment, it is unclear why Ford has ended up in this situation, as automakers usually have teams of people who are taking care of paperwork of this kind for every model they sell in every country.
Automotive News reached out to Ford’s spokesperson in Mexico, but the official did not have any immediate comment on the matter. We expect Ford to publish a press release explaining the situation.
Until then, it is clear that this situation is just a mistake, judging by the rather small number of vehicles involved. Looking at the quantum of the fine, we do not see Ford in any jeopardy from a financial point of view either.
Most likely, the Ford vehicles that led to the penalty did not obtain the certifications on time. If this is the case, Ford Motor Company will have to overhaul their procedures to ensure this human error is not repeated in any other country, as a million-dollar fine is something any company wants to avoid.
Profepa is in charge of enforcing environmental laws in Mexico, and the name stands for “Procuraduria Federal para la Proteccion del Ambiente.” The organization also oversees the federal voluntarily environmental audit program, in addition to performing inspection visits and prosecuting environmental non-compliance.
Unlike Volkswagen’s Dieselgate situation, Ford’s vehicles were fully compliant with Mexico’s legislation. However, the penalty was issued because the Blue Oval’s Mexican division did not file the required papers for environmental certifications on time for the affected vehicles.
The customers who purchased the 4,690 Ford products do not have anything to worry about, as the company will not have to make a recall action of any kind. Most likely, the entire situation will be resolved shortly between Ford and local authorities.