Ford has issued a recall of close to 550,000 of its vehicles sold in North America. The recall campaign affects two of the manufacturer’s more popular models, the Fusion sedan and the Escape compact SUV.
According to Ford, the recall arose from the discovery of a problem related to a ring that connects the gear shifter cable to the transmission. The ring could degrade over time, and eventually give way completely. If that happens, the gear lever could find itself physically in Park position even though it’s actually in another gear. And as the vehicle thinks the transmission is in Park, it doesn’t emit any warning signals or sounds.
Ford is warning that this potential situation could lead to unwanted movement of the vehicle, creating a risk of accidents and injuries. At the same time, the company states that it has not received any reports of accident or injuries related to the problem.
The affected models are 2013-to-2016 Fusion sedans, as well as 2013-2014 Escape SUVs.
Ford dealerships will fix the problem at no charge by installing a new ring for the cable. Until owners can visit their dealer, Ford recommends using the handbrake when placing the vehicle in Park.