Announcing Advance Notice 14C03 Compliance Recall

[Bill-N]

This from OASIS last Friday.  Perhaps one of our Ford reps can elaborate.

 

Apr 04 2014 4801 -Announcing Advance Notice 14C03 Compliance Recall

Advance Notice: DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD - Compliance Recall 14C03. Certain 2013-2014 Model Year C-MAX, Escape, Fusion, and MKZ Vehicles - Front Seat Back Frame Replacement. Refer to FMCDealer.com. 

 

[dweiser]

How many recalls does this make?  Anyone know?  I've lost track.  I've renamed my C-Max "Rolling Recall" and yesterday filed a complaint with the NC Lemon Law.  It's a great car but they took it out of the oven before it was done!

[DaveofDurham]

For more info see "RECALL 14C-03 seat back frame" thread started by ptjones yesterday. This affects c-max w build dates back to July 23, 2012.

[ptjones]

How many recalls does this make?  Anyone know?  I've lost track.  I've renamed my C-Max "Rolling Recall" and yesterday filed a complaint with the NC Lemon Law.  It's a great car but they took it out of the oven before it was done!

I would agree with you if this was a design flaw, but it sounds like a manufacturing welding quality control problem and FORD may not even make the seats. Most of us haven't had any significant problems with our CMAX's. Personally I don't think software updates count, our personal computers are being updated all the time, that a way of life these days. Given the GM problems, I think FORD is being very careful not have something like that happen to them. IMO   It will be interesting to see the solution they come up with for this problem. It may be difficult to tell if a weld is bad or not. :)

 

Paul

[ptjones]

Found this on FFH forum posted by jeff_h

Looks like most of us would be affected by this -

 

SUBJECT: DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD Advance Notice - Compliance Recall 14C03

Certain 2013-2014 Model Year C-MAX, Escape, Fusion, and MKZ Vehicles

Front Seat Back Frame Replacement

 

AFFECTED VEHICLES

Vehicle          Model Year    Assembly Plant   Build Date Range
C-MAX          2013-2014        Michigan         July 23, 2012 through May 28, 2013
Escape         2013-2014        Louisville        June 5, 2012 through August 12, 2013
Fusion/MKZ  2013-2014       Hermosillo      August 15, 2012 through September 10, 2013

Affected vehicles are identified in OASIS. In addition, for a list of vehicles assigned to your dealership, visit https://web.fsavinli...rconnection.com. This information will be available on April 3, 2014.

 

REASON FOR THIS COMPLIANCE RECALL

 

Certain front driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints attaching the seatback recliner mechanism to the seatback frame. A sub-standard recliner to seatback frame weld joint may separate and the operator may notice noise in the seatback or a loose or leaning seatback. Sub-standard recliner to seatback welds may also not meet the requirements of S4.2 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 207, potentially increasing the risk of injury in certain collisions.

 

SERVICE ACTION

DO NOT DEMONSTRATE OR DELIVER any of the affected vehicles involved in this compliance recall. It is anticipated that a complete Dealer Bulletin will be provided to dealers in the second quarter of 2014, once parts to repair this condition are available.

 

NOTE: Parts are currently not available in sufficient quantities to support this compliance recall. In the interim period, if a vehicle arrives at your dealership with a front seatback that exhibits a loose or leaning condition or for dealer stock vehicles with a customer sales contract, please contact the Special Service Support Center.

 

CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION

Owners of record will be notified via first-class mail after repair instructions and parts ordering information have been provided to dealers. :sad:

 

Paul

Thought I'd move this info to this thread.

[mtb9153]

Another unhappy owner, I think people need to realize that a car like the CMax in its first year or two of production is going to have issues.  Especially when it is as complicated and cutting edge as the CMax is and Ford's first outing with production Hybrid vehicles.  Cut them some slack.  It's not like they are just leaving us out to deal with this on our own.  As I see it they are trying to fix things in a timely manner.  Maybe I've got nothing to talk about since Maxus seems to be running fine, I'm sorry but I just get tired of hearing all the griping.  There done venting...bring on the flames. :gaah:

Edited April 8, 2014 by mtb9153

[plus 3 golfer]

How many recalls does this make?  Anyone know?  I've lost track.  I've renamed my C-Max "Rolling Recall" and yesterday filed a complaint with the NC Lemon Law.  It's a great car but they took it out of the oven before it was done!

 

Too many.  I like my C-Max SEL but it gets old running to the dealer 5 going on 6 times with this recall in 15 months.  SE models have had more recalls than the SEL model.

 

1st year of ownership - 4 times to the dealer  - musty AC, 13C02, 13B07, 13C07 - (only 13B07 was a software update) + 1 self install software update SYNC with MyFord Touch which many likely had the dealer do.  

 

2nd year of ownership through 3 months - 2 times -  Service Stability Traction Control Message code U0126 and prospectively for 14C03. 

[dweiser]

Does anyone think it's time for someone to initiate a Class Action against Ford to force them to buy back any and all Ford C-Max vehicles IF the owners are sick and tired of all the recalls?  The car has become a bad joke and not only that, "Consumer Reports" lists it as one of the four least reliable vehicles!  Even if you like your C-Max, can you say "very low trade-in and resale value"?  How do we initiate a Class Action suit involving these vehicles?  I'd appreciate some info.  Thanks.

 

 

[plus 3 golfer]

I plan on keeping my C-Max for quite some time so trade-in and resale aren't as important to me as the car not being dependable (AKA, battery no start issue).  I can live with the trips to the dealer for the safety recalls, software updates and so forth albeit the trips are a nuisance.  As long as Ford continues to correct the issues, there's little (maybe no) basis for a class action suit.

 

I think the recalls speak to why Ford is below average in reliability / first year ownership surveys. 

 

"Quality means doing it right when no one is looking." - Henry Ford

 

"You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do."  - Henry Ford

 

"Vision without execution is just hallucination."  - Henry Ford

[ArizonaEnergi]

I don't think the recalls have been excessive, but haven't kept a list. My Honda Odyssey had a number of recalls, and so does every other car it would appear. Humans are prone to fail in any enterprise and to sue seems counter-productive to the introduction of new products. Count me out.

[fbov]

I don't know about you guys, but 2 oil changes and an elective software update (PCM) in 20K+ miles hardly seems excessive.

 

While I realize not everyone's had a problem-free experinece, many of use have!

 

Have fun,

Frank, who has had to weld seat back frames before...

[FordService]

Hi folks,

 

If you're concerned about whether this recall applies to your vehicle, check out the Ford Owner website. If it applies to you, I recommend keeping in touch with your dealer so you will be notified when the parts arrive to perform the recall.

 

Ashley

[ptjones]

It appears that my car is one effected by recall and I set up an appointment online. It will be interesting to see how this goes, the Dealer didn't even know about the recall and I thought FORD hadn't come up with a solution  yet.  I'm not interested in a class action suit, I like my car. To me it seems like FORD isn't trying to hide anything which  good. I don't have any problems with my seats. :)

 

Thanks Ashley for the link.

 

Paul

[mtb9153]

Does anyone think it's time for someone to initiate a Class Action against Ford to force them to buy back any and all Ford C-Max vehicles IF the owners are sick and tired of all the recalls?  The car has become a bad joke and not only that, "Consumer Reports" lists it as one of the four least reliable vehicles!  Even if you like your C-Max, can you say "very low trade-in and resale value"?  How do we initiate a Class Action suit involving these vehicles?  I'd appreciate some info.  Thanks.

Don't plan to trade it in or resell it, so not worried about about low values.  Maxus is a keeper.

[homestead]

Recall didn't show up for my feb 2013 SEL, so maybe it applies to the SE seats.

[DaveofDurham]

Recall did show up for my SEL built in Nov 2012.

[Edsel]

It says my VIN is not valid.

[Bill-N]

Recall did show up for my SEL built in Nov 2012.

 

I'm also on the list.  And I haven't noticed a seat issue.

[fbov]

It says my VIN is not valid.

+1

 

And I copied the VIN from ETIS so I know it's valid, regardless what the link says... Ford's systems aren't common; apparently this one doesn't know about a lot of cars.

[homestead]

It says my VIN is not valid.

I got that error before I logged in, then it recognized it.

[Edsel]

After logging in, it doesn't show up for my Dec 2012 SEL.

 

Still have the IPC reprogram to take care of.

[fbov]

but it does for mine... logging in is required - who knew? etis doesn't care, and it lists the recall as well.

[pjurek99]

In my case I am the only driver of my CMax and I am the only person in the car at 99% times. 

I thought I was too heavy (~250lbs) for the seat. It became squeaky, moves a little. 

Today I have dropped the car at the dealership (I think it is the 13th time in 11 months) and left the car overnight (got a sweet 2010 Fusion).

Tomorrow in the morning I am going to call them to have the thing looked into.

[kostby]

I just got email notification of the notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

 

Here's a link to the 'official' notice page from the NHTSA:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?refurl=email&searchType=ID&targetCategory=R&searchCriteria.nhtsa_ids=14V164

 

That page contains links to three .pdf documents with more details. They require Adobe Reader.

 

1. April 11, 2014 NHTSA letter to Ford, acknowledging the safety recall.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM453425/RCAK-14V164-8361.pdf

 

 

2. March 31, 2014 Ford letter to NHTSA, reporting Recall 14C03. 

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM453246/RCDNN-14V164-3883P.pdf

 

3. April 3, 2014 Ford letter to Ford and Lincoln dealers giving Advance Notice of DEMONSTRATION/DELIVERY HOLD Compliance Recall 14C03

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM453226/RCMN-14V164-8777.pdf

 

 

 

A few specific details quoted from doc #2, the Ford letter on March 31st to the NHTSA

 

"Ford is aware of 12 warranty claims potentially related to this condition that reported noise, or a

loose or leaning seatback. As of March 25, 2014, there were no known reports of accidents or

injuries attributed to this condition."

 

"573.6 © (7)- Basis of Non-Compliance Determination

In November 2013 Ford identified a small number of warranty reports associated with seatback

recliners in the subject vehicles. A review of those warranty claims did not identify any patterns

or trends associated with typical attributes such as date of manufacture, option content, or

usage in the field."

 

"From November 2013 through January 2014 Ford began to obtain and evaluate parts from the

field that had been replaced under warranty. A review of the detailed supplier manufacturing

information available for the field return parts identified certain production conditions that could

result in sub-standard seat recliner welds. Those conditions included power outages,

maintenance actions, and other activities that impacted the robotic weld process on certain

parts. It was further identified that certain process controls failed to properly identify parts with

sub-standard welds at the supplier."

 

"During January through March 2014, Ford continued to monitor field reports, obtained additional

parts replaced under warranty, and obtained seat back frames from vehicles that had seatback

assemblies manufactured in close time-proximity to some of those previously returned, for

analysis. Ford and the seatback manufacturer also continued to review manufacturing records

from the beginning of production (beginning of the 2013 model year) through November 2013

when corrective actions were fully implemented at the manufacturing facility. This review of

manufacturing information identified other production dates during which sub-standard seat

recliner welds may have escaped process controls. Although no reports from the field have

been identified on parts produced during those specific time periods, those parts are also

included in this action."

[grggwlkr]

I ran a vehicle health report and the recall/TSA showed up in the report.