Ford Motor Company has issued a recall that includes 70,483 pickups and crossovers. According to recall documentation released by NHTSA, the affected population is equipped with power windows that, when using the global function, do not automatically reverse after detecting an object.
A pinched finger is bad enough, but the vehicles in question do not meet the requirements of a motor vehicle safety standard. Rather than a design issue with the driver and passenger door modules, the problem stems from the software logic of the modules in question. In other words, the remedy comes in the form of improved software logic.
The new version prevents the driver and passenger windows from exerting an upward force greater than 100 newtons. Vehicle Engineering and Validation identified the above issue in July 2024, prompting the Dearborn-based automaker’s Critical Concern Review Group to investigate.
Fortunately, Ford Motor Company is not aware of any reports of injuries resulting from this condition. Dealers will be instructed to update the door module software on or about September 9, 2024, with owner notification letters being sent later in September 2024. As for the production dates for the affected 2024 Ford Ranger trucks and 2024 Lincoln Nautilus utility vehicles, they are listed as December 9, 2022 to July 15, 2024 and September 26, 2022 to August 5, 2024.
Those who prefer to find out right away whether their vehicle is affected can do so by running the 17-character VIN into the automaker's recall database. Alternatively, the federal inspection agency also offers a search tool. The numbers in question should begin with 1 for the medium-duty truck and 5 for the Nautilus.
1 stands for Made in the USA of A, with the current Ranger coming from the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne. 5 also stands for United States of America, but don’t let that fool you because the 2024 and later models are made in China. Aside from cheap labor, it’s hard to understand why Ford Motor Company would decide to form a Chinese joint venture with Changan Automobile to produce the Nautilus, especially in light of the ongoing trade war between the world’s major superpowers.
Photo: Lincoln
Originally based on the Ford Edge CD4 platform, the Nautilus is based on the C2 in the Lincoln Corsair, Ford Escape, Bronco Sport and Maverick. Pricing starts at $50,415 for the Premiere trim level, followed by the Reserve at $54,850 and $74,350 for the top-of-the-line Lincoln Black Label.
Potential buyers are presented with a choice between a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine and this same engine with some degree of electrification. Instead of a plug-in hybrid, we are dealing with a self-charging hybrid. Going hybrid also means a continuously variable transmission instead of an automatic.
The Ranger, meanwhile, comes exclusively with a torque converter automatic. The box in question is the 10R60, also used in the Ranger Plug-In Hybrid. Coming in early 2025, the first-ever hybrid Ranger won't be offered in the U.S. Its hybrid system is built around the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, with Ford aiming for an electric driving range of at least 45 kilometers (28 miles) in WLTP Procedure.
In the U.S., the midsize truck can be had with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost, the 2.7-liter EcoBoost, and the 3.0-liter EcoBoost. Of course, the most exciting of the bunch is exclusive to the Ranger Raptor off-road model.