Photo: Ford
Filed with the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in May 2021, class-action lawsuit Rodriguez v. Ford Motor Company has transpired into a full-on safety recall. No fewer than 330,784 vehicles are called back, namely the Mustang from the 2015 to 2017 model years.
According to the chronology document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Critical Concern Review Group decided to investigate rearview camera issues in September 2021. A sub-supplier contracted by Magna, the supplier of the rearview camera, reportedly conducted an unauthorized change to their printed circuit board header tooling in 2013, resulting in lower terminal contact forces as per FoMoCo.
As if fretting corrosion on the header wasn’t bad enough, Magna came clean about a damaged solder reflow oven. This condition causes potential twisting of the header on its location prior to the solder solidifying, translating to inadequate pin alignment. Come December 2021, the CCRG reopened an investigation from 2018 due to elevated warranty claims related to wiring damage resulting in the loss of rearview camera image.
Ford explains this condition as follows: “a rigid scroll tube on the dynamic loops bend radius area in the body harness at the decklid causes damage to the wires.” As of January 20th, the Dearborn-based automaker was aware of 7,035 warranty claims for rearview camera issues attributed to fretting corrosion in addition to 35 VOQs attributed to the loss of camera image.
The chronology document further highlights “two reports of minor crashes and no reports of injury.” Ford retailers have been instructed on February 17th to have the rearview camera replaced. They also have to inspect the wiring harness, and if any damage is identified, it will be replaced as well.
According to the attached safety recall report, “the decklid wiring harness concern was corrected to route the harness away from the weatherstrip for the 2018 model year. The camera was updated with an improved solder pan design in January 2015.” Good on you, Ford Motor Company bean counters! It took you seven years (!!!) to finally own up to this oversight.
As if fretting corrosion on the header wasn’t bad enough, Magna came clean about a damaged solder reflow oven. This condition causes potential twisting of the header on its location prior to the solder solidifying, translating to inadequate pin alignment. Come December 2021, the CCRG reopened an investigation from 2018 due to elevated warranty claims related to wiring damage resulting in the loss of rearview camera image.
Ford explains this condition as follows: “a rigid scroll tube on the dynamic loops bend radius area in the body harness at the decklid causes damage to the wires.” As of January 20th, the Dearborn-based automaker was aware of 7,035 warranty claims for rearview camera issues attributed to fretting corrosion in addition to 35 VOQs attributed to the loss of camera image.
The chronology document further highlights “two reports of minor crashes and no reports of injury.” Ford retailers have been instructed on February 17th to have the rearview camera replaced. They also have to inspect the wiring harness, and if any damage is identified, it will be replaced as well.
According to the attached safety recall report, “the decklid wiring harness concern was corrected to route the harness away from the weatherstrip for the 2018 model year. The camera was updated with an improved solder pan design in January 2015.” Good on you, Ford Motor Company bean counters! It took you seven years (!!!) to finally own up to this oversight.
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