Photo: Ford / edited
Brand-new automobiles come with a TREAD label that lists tire and loading specifications. The Ford Motor Company messed up said label nearly 30,000 times, which is why the second-largest automaker of the Big Three in Detroit has issued a recall for 29,607 examples of the Bronco sport utility vehicle, Ranger mid-size pickup, and the Super Duty F-250.
Back on January 10, the Critical Concern Review Group within Ford Motor Company started investigating weight data provided by the TREAD labels of certain pickup trucks. Ford of Australia's engineering department reported the potential issue in June 2022 after the Aussie division reviewed the payload capacities of certain Ranger configurations for the US. If that sounds weird, bear in mind that the T6 and T6.2 platforms were developed in Australia rather than America.
What is the problem, though? As it happens, dealer and modification center options were not included in the payload calculation. Payload values were overstated by one to 156 pounds (0.4 to 71 kilograms), depending on the Ranger's configuration and optional content. Fast forward to February 13, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered that Ford had a weight loading issue with the Ranger-twinned Bronco as well. The Dearborn-based automaker eventually discovered that affected Broncos weighed 11 pounds (five kilograms) more than originally estimated.
Ford also validated the NHTSA's concern as no unexpected options or manufacturing deviations were identified. The Ford Motor Company then started weighing vehicles at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, discovering some variability in actual curb weight compared to stated weight.
Not long after, the Super Duty F-250 was also found to feature potentially incorrect load carrying capacity on the TREAD label. Incorrect values are deemed a noncompliance under the NHTSA's federal motor vehicle safety standard 110. Even though said vehicles can safely carry the extra weight, Ford has to abide by the law. As a result, owners will be provided a new TREAD label to install over the existing TREAD label.
Ford-branded envelopes will be sent by first-class mail in the period between July 5 and July 12. No fewer than 4,668 Broncos produced for the 2022 and 2023 model years between September 2021 and March 2023 are called back. The list further includes 8,930 examples of the previous-gen Ranger, namely 2019 to 2023 models assembled in Wayne between September 2018 and June 2022.
Last but certainly not least, the new-for-2023 Super Duty F-250 is recalled to the tune of 16,009 units produced between March 2022 and March 2023. The latter build dates are somewhat curious because 2023 model year Super Duty production kicked off in early 2023.
In any case, it's very easy to tell if your F-250 is recalled. Fire up your browser of choice, search for the National Traffic Safety Administration's VIN look-up tool, enter the 17-digit vehicle identification number, and that's that. Simple, right?
What is the problem, though? As it happens, dealer and modification center options were not included in the payload calculation. Payload values were overstated by one to 156 pounds (0.4 to 71 kilograms), depending on the Ranger's configuration and optional content. Fast forward to February 13, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered that Ford had a weight loading issue with the Ranger-twinned Bronco as well. The Dearborn-based automaker eventually discovered that affected Broncos weighed 11 pounds (five kilograms) more than originally estimated.
Ford also validated the NHTSA's concern as no unexpected options or manufacturing deviations were identified. The Ford Motor Company then started weighing vehicles at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, discovering some variability in actual curb weight compared to stated weight.
Not long after, the Super Duty F-250 was also found to feature potentially incorrect load carrying capacity on the TREAD label. Incorrect values are deemed a noncompliance under the NHTSA's federal motor vehicle safety standard 110. Even though said vehicles can safely carry the extra weight, Ford has to abide by the law. As a result, owners will be provided a new TREAD label to install over the existing TREAD label.
Ford-branded envelopes will be sent by first-class mail in the period between July 5 and July 12. No fewer than 4,668 Broncos produced for the 2022 and 2023 model years between September 2021 and March 2023 are called back. The list further includes 8,930 examples of the previous-gen Ranger, namely 2019 to 2023 models assembled in Wayne between September 2018 and June 2022.
Last but certainly not least, the new-for-2023 Super Duty F-250 is recalled to the tune of 16,009 units produced between March 2022 and March 2023. The latter build dates are somewhat curious because 2023 model year Super Duty production kicked off in early 2023.
In any case, it's very easy to tell if your F-250 is recalled. Fire up your browser of choice, search for the National Traffic Safety Administration's VIN look-up tool, enter the 17-digit vehicle identification number, and that's that. Simple, right?
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