The latest Ford F-150 steering flaw could endanger the lives of drivers in Australia. Because of this, hundreds of units had to be recalled by the American carmaker.
Some people may think that the F-150 units sold in Australia and the U.S. are the same since they are all manufactured by Ford. Sadly, this is not the case.
Unlike those in the U.S. market, the Ford F-150 units in Australia are suffering from steering issues, which affect new models. If you're one of the Australians who own or want to purchase an F-150 pickup, here's what you need to know.
Australia: Ford F-150 Steering Flaw Could Endanger Drivers
A Ford F-150 pickup truck is offered for sale a dealership on September 6, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. Ford has announced a recall of about 2 million of the trucks because of a seatbelt problem that could result in a fire.
According to The Drive's latest report, Ford Australia had to recall over 440 F-150 units to protect owners from the dangers posed by the latest steering flaw.
The American automaker also warned drivers to avoid using the pickup truck and temporarily rely on other vehicles instead. Australia's DITRDCA (Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts) issued a recall notice.
DITRDCA said that the affected models are the 2022 F-150 and 2023 F-150. The latest recall involves exactly 443 Ford pickup trucks.
When it comes to the issue, DITRDCA said that the Ford F-150's steering intermediate shaft could separate from the steering rack. This could lead to a loss of steering control.
If this happens during an accident, then the risks of injuries and deaths would increase.
"A loss of steering control could increase the risk of an accident causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and/or other road users," said DITRDCA via its official recall notice.
The Australian department of infrastructure said that F-150 owners should immediately contact Ford to organize a repair and inspection; free of charge.
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Why Ford F-150 In Australia is Faulty Than in US
Ford F-150 pickup trucks are offered for sale at a dealership on September 6, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. Ford has announced a recall of about 2 million of the trucks because of a seatbelt problem that could result in a fire.
Vehicle experts said that there are a few differences between the Ford F-150 sold in Australia and in the United States.
One of these differences is that the units delivered in Australia have steering racks, which came from the Ford Ranger Raptor ute; a smaller pickup truck.
Ford Australia didn't confirm if the steering flaw was caused by using parts from the smaller Ford Ranger Raptor ute truck. But, the American automaker's spokesperson said that they haven't recorded any failure occurring in customer pickup trucks.
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