On Wednesday, Ford announced it was recalling 1.3 million Ford Fusions and Lincoln MKZs for a rather alarming defect: it's possible their steering wheels could fall off. The problem affects model years 2014 through 2018 and vehicles built at two different factories: Flat Rock and Hermosillo.
The issue appears to be the bolt that holds the steering wheel onto the steering column, which can loosen over time. Obviously, the consequences of this are serious, because no one wants their steering wheel to come away in their hands while driving.
Ford's fix is to replace the bolt with a better one. Ford says the replacement part is "a longer bolt with more robust thread engagement and larger nylon patch placed properly for proper torque retention." If you happen to have a Ford Fusion or Lincoln MKZ that might be affected, we suggest checking with your local dealer to get the issue remedied.
While removable steering wheels ought to be the preserve of racing cars, according to Autoweek, this isn't even the first such recall this year. A few weeks ago Hyundai had to issue a similar recall for 44,000 Santa Fe crossovers for a similar issue.
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