Another Ford shifter cable bushing was announced in April 2022 for more than 96,000 model year 2015 Escapes equipped with 2-liter engines and 6F35 transmissions.
Ford said it was still trying to figure out why the bushings were falling apart, but engineers believed heat and humidity were potentially contributing to the problem.
“Remedy shift bushings are manufactured from a different grade material with a heat stabilizer. Additionally, a cap will be installed over the shift bushing for protection against contaminants," the lawsuit said.
And finally, another Ford shifter cable bushing recall was issued in June 2022 for more than 2.9 million of these vehicles:
- 2013-2019 Ford Escape
- 2013-2018 Ford C-Max
- 2013-2016 Ford Fusion
- 2013-2021 Ford Transit Connect
- 2015-2018 Ford Edge
Ford told the government that engineers still had not found a root cause of the bushing problems, but “heat and humidity have the potential to contribute to the hydrological breakdown of the bushing material.”
From April 29, 2015, through March 31, 2022, Ford knew of 1,630 warranty reports and 233 complaints related to the shifter cable bushings. In addition, Ford said it was aware of at least six property damage reports and four reports alleging injuries.
Each Ford bushing recall had the automaker asking owners to use the parking brakes to prevent rollaways, but the class action lawsuit contends Ford should provide loaner vehicles to customers because the vehicles are unsafe to drive.
The plaintiffs also say Ford hasn't offered to reimburse vehicle owners for rental vehicles while waiting for repairs that will fix the vehicles.
The Ford shifter cable bushing class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: Diaz, et al., v. Ford Motor Company.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Miller Law Firm and Fegan Scott LLC.
Abby Andrews