Ford and Lincoln recall Fusion, MKZ due to faulty steering wheels

The Ford Motor Company has issued two safety recalls for certain Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles over steering wheel issue.

In the affected cars, a steering wheel bolt may be unable to maintain torque, loosening it over time. If left unfixed, the steering wheel can detach from the steering column and cause the driver to lose control of the steering.

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About 1.3 million vehicles in the U.S. are involved, including model years 2014-2017 Ford Fusions built at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant and model years 2014-2018 Fusion and MKZ vehicles built at the Hermosillo Assembly Plant.

So far, Ford has reported two accidents and one injury in relation to this problem. To fix the issue, dealers will replace the defective steering wheel bolt with a longer one that has more thread engagement and proper torque retention, at no cost to the customer.

To see if the vehicle you drive is affected, or to search any open recalls, enter your car’s VIN on the NHTSA recall website.