Rear end damage

[FordMatt]

Those of you claiming to have automatic EPB engagement, this is a feature with all current generation explorers. This feature only engages when the vehicle determines it is parked on an incline. The EPB will automatically disengage after the vehicle determines the power train/drive train has produced adequate torque to prevent the vehicle from rolling once the EPB is released. This feature is not related to “leaked” software update that has been mentioned previously.

Dealerships have not been provided any additional service support information regarding the broken bolt concern beyond SSM 50471. All information supports that the SSM is sufficient in resolving consumer vehicle concerns.

FSA 22S27 was released to address the safety concerns regarding the ability of the vehicle to roll following a failure. This FSA does not address vehicle failures as these were identified/resolved with SSM 50471.

 

[CareerFiremanGuy]

... Dealerships have not been provided any additional service support information regarding the broken bolt concern beyond SSM 50471. All information supports that the SSM is sufficient in resolving consumer vehicle concerns.

FSA 22S27 was released to address the safety concerns regarding the ability of the vehicle to roll following a failure. This FSA does not address vehicle failures as these were identified/resolved with SSM 50471.

Very good sum up of the situation as it exists now.

 

[Bdub]

I wasn’t told of any Safety notice.I had been waiting weeks on this thing to get here. If I had only joined this forum before Saturday. I’m going to call the dealer about the notice.

You're unbelievably lucky IMO. I ordered my ST Oct. 7th. It arrived at the dealership TODAY. They're telling me they can't deliver it because of the recall. They're going off the same info we have (less in most cases) and the info says end of Q2 for a solution. They don't have anything concrete on the solution or timeline.

I'd rather take delivery and replace the subframe with a two bolt myself.

 

[Bdub]

I wasn’t told of any Safety notice.I had been waiting weeks on this thing to get here. If I had only joined this forum before Saturday. I’m going to call the dealer about the notice.

Moreover, delivering a safety recall vehicle is a $21,000 fine to the dealership. Among other punishments with which Ford can hit them.

 

[schaggatron]

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/04/29/ford-explorer-recall-axle-bolt-failure/

Hitting the news outlets. Hopefully it means Ford will ramp up fixing this. Then again…. :/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[boiler662]

So they "admit" the three bolt design wasn't good for the ST but will not commit to replacing the subframe unless the bolt fails or has signs of fatigue..... I guess that's one of way circling around some junior engineer and bean counter found a way to save a few bananas and then it blew up in their face.....

I guess all you three bolters needs to start doing some 2500 rpm brake stands every day on the way to work.....

 

[CareerFiremanGuy]

..... I guess all you three bolters needs to start doing some 2500 rpm brake stands every day on the way to work.....

Been there, doing that!

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

Same here.

 

[Nova90]

Hopefully, they go back to the previous design for new builds going forward...it might be a benefit for those of us still awaiting their order to be scheduled!

 

[GearHead_1]

That would be super if Ford would do that but I think that is simply wishful thinking.

 

[CareerFiremanGuy]

Same here.

I often go full throttle at ~50 mph, because that's one of the best downshifts the ST has for putting you back in your seat. I do it with some regularity.

And power braking on occasion when traffic permits.

 

[CareerFiremanGuy]

Hopefully, they go back to the previous design for new builds going forward...it might be a benefit for those of us still awaiting their order to be scheduled!

I can't believe mine is a '22 and they didn't do that.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

I will take a court intervention to force them to.

 

[boiler662]

Law of averages, you hooligans that purposely abusive your vehicle forced a limp wristed hand to "do something" and the guy who damn near parked his in the water at the boat ramp caused this "solution". I bet at the end of the day if they see a 1% failure rate they will be money ahead.

 

[st8]

I often go full throttle at ~50 mph, because that's one of the best downshifts the ST has for putting you back in your seat. I do it with some regularity.

And power braking on occasion when traffic permits.

Hmm I haven’t noticed that yet. I still feel from a stop this thing rips and puts you back in your seat.

 

[Rick]

Affected vehicles were built with a 3-point mounted axle design," Ford's report said. "On some units the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture. Powertrain torque through the driveline causes axle rotation of the pinion angled towards the subframe, which exerts a bending force on the rear axle bolt. Peak torque is normally experienced during a launch event."
"The joint design is not robust to peak axle input torques and manufacturing variability. The primary contributor is insufficient bearing area for maximum joint loads. This results in bearing area deformation, increasing bending stress on the bolt, which may lead to a fatigue failure," Ford said.
Signs of fatigue failure include loud grinding, binding or clunking noises from the rear end of the vehicle. The remedy for the issue is twofold. Customers will get a software update that will enable a feature where the parking brake will automatically be applied when the vehicle is shifted into park. Owners of some earlier examples (or any that show signs of fatigue) will get new mounting components for the rear axle as well.
Dealers will be notified beginning in April; owners will receive notices by June 10.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

Owners of some earlier examples (or any that show signs of fatigue) will get new mounting components for the rear axle as well.

That sentence right there tells me ford will just replace broken or damaged parts and possibly replace the bolt with a stronger one. Carefully chosen words that are purposely not specific leaves a lot unanswered.

I suspect that the owners of early 21's whose vin shows they should have the 4 bolt subframe will get it if they encounter a failure. But at some point ford probably changed it so they show a 3 bolt subframe as the correct part, and that is what they will get. The only way to know for sure is find a friendly parts counter guy at the dealer and have him run your vin and see what part it calls for. If your vin shows a 3 bolt as the correct part, then the only way your going to get a 4 bolt subframe is buy it yourself because I highly doubt ford will cough up the coin to give you a 4 bolt even with a failure.

 

[db252]

We all know how the pcm change is not the fix but we aren’t talking about the benefit, or lack thereof, of the pcm change. These ‘fractures’ are occurring from high torque events like full throttle from a stop or towing which means under driving events obviously. Does Ford think they are breaking from parking on a slope (sarcasm) or are they just worried that AFTER it breaks when we pull off the road and put the car in park that we don’t set the parking brake so it will just roll away? This is asinine.
Of the two different pics of breaks I’ve seen, the diffs clearly show a two bolt attachment point on the diff cover which also points to the obvious. Ford does make a single attachment diff cover for models that by design (less hp/to) only require the single bolt rear subframe attachment point.
So, I’d love to hear why the auto parking brake engagement with transmission placed in Park, in regards to this situation, is some type of temporary answer.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

I was thinking the same thing. What is the point of auto engaging the e-brake? It won't stop the failure from happening, so why do it? My guess, ford came up with this solution so they can say they no idea why this failure is happening, and it's a stop gap until they can figure it out. If they went straight to replacing the subframe, then they would basically be admitting they know why the failures are happening.

 

[CareerFiremanGuy]

Hmm I haven’t noticed that yet. I still feel from a stop this thing rips and puts you back in your seat.

Absolutely! But I've found the 50 mph downshift just as satisfying. Also, I noticed the trans won't always go down to the lowest gear possible when putting the hammer down. For ex: I cruise up to ~40 mph and floor it. The trans will drop down to 3rd, when 2nd is within easy reach. Shifting in manual mode circumvents that.

Does Ford think they are breaking from parking on a slope (sarcasm) or are they just worried that AFTER it breaks when we pull off the road and put the car in park that we don’t set the parking brake so it will just roll away?

That is EXACTLY what Ford is trying to accomplish, the rolling away after parking if the bolt breaks.