The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration mentioned on Monday it has opened two new investigations into Ford remembers, the most recent scrutiny by regulators of the No. 2 US automaker.
Final week, Ford agreed to a $165 million civil penalty after an NHTSA investigation discovered the automaker did not recall automobiles with faulty rearview cameras in a well timed method.
On Monday, the auto security regulator opened an investigation into whether or not Ford ought to recall 112,000 Ford Expedition SUVs over seat belt points and one other into whether or not Ford’s recall of 456,000 SUVs over a lack of energy and {an electrical} system failure is satisfactory.
The company has obtained three complaints, alleging an inadvertent deployment of the seat belt retractor pretensioner. The complaints referenced a loud sound adopted by the seat belt quickly tightening and remaining within the locked place. The investigation follows the February recall by Ford of 77,000 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs over the difficulty.
NHTSA is investigating if Ford’s April recall of about 456,000 Bronco Sport and Ford Maverick automobiles over a lack of energy stemming from sudden degradation of the 12-volt battery is satisfactory to deal with the difficulty.
The recall repair is a collection of software program updates designed to supply improved detection of the 12-volt battery state of cost however NHTSA has obtained 15 experiences describing lack of energy incidents for Ford Bronco Sport automobiles that obtained the software program replace.
The corporate mentioned it was working with the NHTSA to assist each investigations.
Beneath phrases of NHTSA’s settlement with Ford final week, Ford should completely evaluation all remembers it has filed within the final three years and if wanted, file new remembers.
NHTSA mentioned Ford offered inaccurate or incomplete data, didn’t submit well timed quarterly experiences for different remembers and didn’t absolutely adjust to public availability of auto recall data. Ford mentioned it disagreed with NHTSA’s evaluation.