Ford recalls 1.28 lakh cars for suspension, steering issues

Ford has announced a recall of about 1.28 lakh cars for technical issues relating to the suspension and power steering, making this the biggest ever recall in the Indian auto industry.

All the recalled units are of Ford Figo and Fiesta Classic models. 1.11 lakh units manufactured between January 2008 and December 2010 will be inspected for issues relating to the rear twist beam and rear axle. An additional 17,665 units of petrol variants produced between September 2010 and February 2011 will have their power steering hoses inspected and replaced.

Ford has advised its customers to log on to their website and check their vehicle identification numbers (VIN) to know if their vehicle is subject to recall (http://www.india.ford.com/support).

Incidentally, of the four vehicles in its portfolio, the Figo and Classic models have been the American carmaker’s saving grace in the current sluggish auto market, accounting for about 90% of its total sales this fiscal.

Recall summary

This recall surpasses Maruti Suzuki’s recall of 1lakh units of the A-star for a faulty fuel pump in February 2010. However, Tata Motors reportedly took off 1.4lakh units of the Nano last December to replace the starter motor, but refrained from calling it a ‘recall’.

The move by Ford comes a month after the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) announced their Voluntary Code on Vehicle Recall which encouraged car manufacturers to voluntarily inspect and rectify safety defects originating at the plant.

Auto recall policy is a norm in the Western countries. While it is taking off in India, the lack of an independent agency to serve as watchdogs for the auto manufacturers is a setback to consumers. In this scenario, Ford’s move is a bold one as it reflects their commitment to customer safety, despite the potential blemish on their market reputation. Honda and Toyota had also announced recalls running into thousands of units last year. However, Tata Motors' Nano activity (as mentioned above) was an exception.

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