At last week’s Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2013 Ford Fusion was named Green Car of the Year by the Green Car Journal’s 11-member panel of automotive and environmental experts. Each year they select a vehicle that makes good use of current technologies and sets an example in energy efficiency, but the second recall in just two weeks has been issued for the 2013 Ford Fusion making it a vehicle that, in at lest one respect, no one wants to emulate.
Ford already recalled 16,000 Fusions and 73,000 Escape SUVs two weeks ago due to the possibility of engines overheating, leaking fluids and catching fire. They received 13 reports of engine fire issues prior to the recall which only affected 2013 models with a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine and didn’t affect Escape or Fusion models with other engines. This newest recall is for an entirely new problem with the 2013 Ford Fusion.
According to Ford, this new recall affects about 19,000 vehicles and is because the low-beam headlamp projector coating may have improperly cured during the manufacturing process. Although not as scary as the possibility of an engine fire, this is still a danger for drivers.
Over time and with use, the improperly applied coating will grow hazy and reduce driver visibility under low-beams. This reduced visibility may increase the risks of a crash, hence the new recall. Owners affected by this recall will start receiving notices in the mail next week to bring in their vehicles for new headlight assemblies at no charge.
As for vehicles in the pipeline, Ford has issued a delivery stop on the 2013 Ford Fusion until all the headlamp assemblies are replaced. Although the headlamp issue is easily resolved, they still aren’t quite sure what’s causing the engine fires and are recommending that owners affected by that recall contact their dealer for loaner cars.
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. When not drooling over cars, Nicole writes for Wired’s GeekMom.
