Ford announced it’s recalling almost 185,000 F-150 full-size pickups. The 2021 and 2022 model-year trucks are experiencing driveshaft problems that could cause it to fracture.
Ford is recalling nearly 185,000 F-150 pickups from the 2021 and 2022 model years.
The truck’s underbody thermal/acoustic insulators can loosen over time. If they come in contact with the truck’s aluminum driveshaft, they can cause scoring or marks. If this goes on long enough, the heat generated each time can eventually crack the driveshaft.
Potential results if the issue is not repaired
“A fractured driveshaft may result in loss of motive power,” the report states, “unintended vehicle movement while the vehicle is in park if the parking brake is not applied, and may result in secondary damage to surrounding components.”
Additionally, once fractured, the driveshaft could break loose and touch the ground, causing the driver to lose control of the pickup, potentially resulting in a crash. The company is unaware of any accidents or injuries caused by the problem.
Some Ford F-150 pickups are facing issues with the aluminum driveshaft on the truck.
Owners are advised to look for a “loose underbody insulator.” They should also listen for a rattling, clicking or clunking noise due to the loose insulator coming in contact with the driveshaft. The scoring or marking on the driveshaft described earlier may also be visible.
Next steps
Ford’s taken steps to resolve the problem during production by swapping the underbody thermal acoustic insulator for an under-carpet thermal patch at the two plants — Dearborn (MI) Truck and Kansas City (KS) Assembly — already.
Dealers received the notice Tuesday, and owners will begin receiving notices in the mail shortly. They will be instructed to make an appointment with their dealer to have “positive attachment features adde to the underbody insulators.”
They’ll also inspect the driveshaft for scoring or marks that may have already occurred. This will be done at no expense to the truck owner.
As of Dec. 7, Ford received 27 reports of fractured aluminum driveshafts possibly related to sagging underbody insulators on the F-150s, the automaker said in an Automotive News report.
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Journalist Vince Patton demonstrates its possible to play video games while driving his Tesla Model 3.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) it is investigating 580,000 Tesla vehicles sold since 2017 that allow those seated up front to play games on the infotainment touchscreen while the vehicle is in motion.
The formal safety investigation, which was announced Wednesday, covers 2017-2022 Tesla Model 3, S, X, and Y vehicles. NHTSA opened the investigation “based on reports that Tesla gameplay functionality, which is visible on the front center touchscreen from the driver’s seat, is enabled even when the vehicle is being driven.”
Tesla made the software more dangerous
The 2021 Tesla Model S gets an all-new interior, a yoke-style steering wheel and the updated software being investigated by NHTSA.
The feature, known as “Passenger Play,” increases the risk of a crash. Since December 2020, the feature can be used while driving. Prior to that, it could only be used when the vehicle was in Park. The agency said that it is evaluating aspects of the feature, including how frequently it’s used and when.
NHTSA is concerned about distracted driving, an increasing risk as automakers bring increased online connectivity to infotainment touchscreens. Distracted driving caused 3,142 deaths in 2019, all of them preventable.
While Passenger Play does have a warning stating the game is meant solely for passengers. Although it asks for confirmation that the player is a passenger and not the driver, there is nothing preventing the driver from playing while driving.
Other Tesla safety issues
Consumer Reports criticized the performance of Tesla’s latest version of Autopilot.
It’s not NHTSA’s only Tesla safety investigation, nor Tesla’s only safety issue.
In August, the agency opened a formal safety investigation of 765,000 Teslas equipped with its Autopilot driver-assistance system after 11 crashes involving parked emergency vehicles killed one person and injured 17. The inquiry covers 2014-2021 Models S, X, Y and 3.
In October, Tesla had to roll back full self-driving, or FSD, with Musk revealing that the company is “seeing some issues with 10.3, so rolling back to 10.2 temporarily.”
And in November, Tesla issued a recall for 11,704 vehicles sold in the U.S. since 2017. The recall covers Model S, X, 3 and Y vehicles and came about as a result of an over-the-air firmware update of the automaker’s “Full Self-Driving Beta,” its advanced driver assistance system.
The company identified a software communication error that could cause the forward-collision warning or automatic emergency brake system to falsely activate, possibly leading to a rear-end collision.
Other OEM infotainment issues
The new Mercedes-Benz EQS was recalled after it was found that its MBUX system allowed television and internet to be displayed while driving
Other automakers are far more concerned over distracted driving than Tesla. On November 29, Mercedes-Benz recalled 227 vehicles in the U.S. after the company discovered that its MBUX infotainment system allowed television and internet to be displayed while driving.
The recall affected 2021 Mercedes-Benz S580, 2022 EQS450, EQS580, and S500 models. Mercedes-Benz has already corrected the problem, and no deaths or injuries seem to have resulted from the problem.
Musk pays billions to satisfy tax bill
In other Tesla news, Reuters is reporting that Tesla CEO Elon Musk sold 10% of his own company stock, 13.5 million shares, 8.06 million of which were sold to pay taxes. The billionaire said he is paying more than $11 billion in taxes this year.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk slammed California over its tax policy.
“California used to be the land of opportunity and now it is … becoming more so the land of sort of overregulation, overlitigation, overtaxation,” Musk told Reuters, adding his combined federal and state tax rate tops 50 percent.
The company has submitted all the documentation required to get its factory approved near Berlin, Germany. Approval of Tesla’s newest manufacturing facility has been delayed by environmental concerns and red tape due to Tesla’s decision to add a battery factory to the site. That has delayed the approval process. It remains unclear when the new plant is expected to open.
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General Motors now plans to replace all battery modules on Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles covered by recall the company announced back in July.
A recent Chevy Bolt fire in Ashburn, Virgina caused $235,000 in damage. (Photo credit: Bobby Busche via Facebook)
The module replacements, which could start this month, follows GM’s announcement this week it was recalling 2017-2019 Bolt battery-powered cars for the second time in less than a year, according to Reuters.
Two recent fires involving affected Bolts were reported after the initial recall, including one vehicle that had updated software, the agency said.
GM said in a statement Monday it would replace recalled vehicles’ lithium-ion battery modules with new modules, rather than replacing entire battery packs. “The battery pack case, wiring and the other pack components are not defective and do not need replacing,” the statement said.
Earlier recall plan fails to solve problem
One of the two recent Bolt fires included a vehicle that completed the software update.
GM said earlier the high-voltage batteries being recalled were produced in South Korean battery manufacturer LG Chem’s facility in Ochang, South Korea.
The company disclosed July 23, along with LG Chem, it identified the presence of two manufacturing defects in the same battery cell as the root cause of battery fires in certain Bolt EVs. GM described the defects as “rare” by GM.
LG Energy Solutions, a wholly owned LG Chem battery subsidiary, said in a statement to Reuters it “will actively cooperate to ensure that the recall measures are carried out smoothly.”
Last month, GM disclosed it was taking an $800 million charge to cover the cost of the recall of the battery electric vehicles.
The new Chevrolet Bolt is not affected by the battery pack issue.
The recall of Bolt EVs comes as GM is preparing to ramp up a multi-billion-dollar investment that will put 30 new electric vehicles on the road by 2025. One of the first new models, the GMC Hummer EV, is scheduled to appear this fall. In addition, GM is now committed to building four new battery plants in the United States through a partnership with LG Chem, according to GM chairman Mary Barra.
GM’s not alone
GM isn’t the only automaker facing lithium-ion battery fires. Hyundai Motor Co., Ford Motor Co. and BMW AG have faced similar recalls in recent months.
In February, Hyundai recalled 82,000 battery-electric vehicles worldwide for lithium ion batteries that could catch fire. Vehicles affected include approximately 76,000 battery-electric Hyundai Kona EVs built between 2018 and 2020, with the rest consisting of Hyundai Ioniqs and city buses. Hyundai replaced the batteries rather than resolving the issue through software updates. The recall, which cost Hyundai $900 million, comes after at least 15 Konas reportedly caught fire.
LG Chem, which produces the cells, claims the automaker incorrectly applied recommendations about fast battery charging management. Hyundai advised vehicle owners to limit charging to 90% of the battery capacity until the cells can be replaced. Nevertheless, the battery supplier assumed 70% of the recall cost.
Sen. Ed Markey was joined Sen. Richard Blumenthal and others in re-introducing four bills aimed at improving automotive safety.
The recent crash involving a Tesla Model S appears to have spurred a legislative push to institute mandates for new vehicles making them safer, specifically technology ensuring drivers are paying attending while behind the wheel.
The Stay Aware for Everyone, or SAFE, Act is designed to mitigate issues surrounding distracted driving. The trio believes the increased use of advanced driver assistance systems encourage motorists to engage in risky behavior behind the wheel.
Although not specifically mentioning Tesla and its Autopilot technology, the timing of the reintroduction of the legislation is difficult to ignore. It should be noted that the investigation into the Houston-area crash is ongoing and it’s not been determined it Autopilot played role in the crash and subsequent fire that resulted in two fatalities.
New safety legislation
“Every year on average, over 36,000 people are killed and nearly three million more are injured in motor vehicle crashes,” said Sen. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) in a statement. “These numbers reveal a public health crisis that we must not accept as inevitable. We can prevent these unnecessary tragedies with proven strategies and technologies.
Tesla’s facing the fallout from another fatal crash where the driver was reportedly using Autopilot, but not as recommended by the automaker.
“That’s why I am proud to reintroduce a robust legislative package that will address several of the most dangerous safety issues on our roads. As Congress debates infrastructure and surface transportation reauthorization in the weeks ahead, I will fight for these bills and ensure that safety is at the forefront of everything we do. Upgrading our roads and highways also means upgrading safety.”
Sens Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota joined Markey in introducing that measure. It’s part of a four-bill package of auto safety bills introduced Monday. The goal is to get them added to the massive $2.3 trillion infrastructure bill.
The Tesla crash highlights one of the issues with semi-autonomous driving technology. Tesla is either the poster child or whipping boy for the issue. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened 28 probes into Tesla crashes, with 24 pending, where Autopilot was suspected of being in use, according to Reuters.
Three other auto safety bills
Recent events likely helped to put the Promoting Auto Recalls Toward Safety (PARTS) Act on the list. American Honda revealed late last week faulty Takata airbag inflators are being blamed for a South Carolina driver’s death — the 19th in the U.S.
Takata’s faulty airbag inflators have been linked to 19 deaths and hundreds of injuries in the U.S.
The PARTS Act aims to apply lessons learned from the ongoing Takata recall — the largest in history — to improve the repair rate of vehicles subject to a recall.
It specifically authorizes the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide grants to states for use in notifying registered motor vehicle owners about manufacturer-issued safety recalls, as well as require additional reporting and an annual scorecard on how effectively automakers are completing any recalls.
The Early Warning Reporting Systems Improvement Act is designed to “fill a safety gap created by the historically low number of defect investigations launched by NHTSA in recent years,” according to a statement. The legislation requires automakers to provide more information about incidents involving fatalities and serious injuries directly to the public. It also mandates NHTSA to deliver the information it receives publicly available in a user-friendly format, so users can better evaluate potential safety defects themselves.
The fourth bill — the Modernizing Seat Back Safety Act — requires NHTSA to update its standards for seat back integrity in new vehicles. The current standard has remained largely unchanged for decades, allowing for a slew of back seat passenger fatalities, mostly children.
