Ford recalls over 128000 cars in India

Press Trust of India (New Delhi) - In one of biggest ever such exercises in the country, Ford India Monday said it has recalled over 1.28 units of its best selling Figo and Classic cars to rectify problems related to steering and rear suspension.

The recall impacts different batches of cars made between January 2008 and December 2010, and from September 2010 till February 2011.

"Ford India rolled out a voluntary and pre-emptive Field Service Action (FSA) starting July 23 to inspect certain batches of its Figo and Ford Classic models for potential issues related to the Rear Twist Beam (RTB) and the Power Steering Hose (PAS)," the company said in a statement.

All Ford Figo and Ford Classic vehicles manufactured between January 2008 and December 2010 will have the RTB inspected, and replaced if found defective, it added.

"With respect to the RTB issue, a total of 1,11,000 vehicles will be inspected in India. Ford Figo and Ford Classic (previously known as Fiesta) sold from January 2008 till December 2010 will need to be inspected but will not necessarily need part replacements," it added.

Ford India said the issue is a potential crack in the RTB which first manifests itself in the form of an abnormal noise from the rear.

"If the vehicle is continued to be driven and the noise symptoms are ignored, it could lead to the RTB unit breaking, resulting in diminished ride and handling and brake performance - potentially rendering the vehicle inoperable," the statement added.

The company further said all units of petrol-driven Ford Figo and Ford Classic manufactured from September 2010 till February 2011 will have the PAS Hose replaced as a precautionary measure.

"In the case of the PAS Hose issue, a total of 17,655 units of Ford Figo and Ford Classic produced and sold in India from September 2010 till February 2011 will be replaced," the statement said.

Ford India said the PAS Hose issue has been identified as having potential for development of an oil leak, which could result in potential fumes being emitted from the area causing the leak.

It may also be possible for power steering fluid to come into contact with the vehicle's exhaust components creating a potential for smoke and, in extreme cases, fire, it said.

Ford India will drive this FSA initiative through its authorised dealers, it said.

"No injuries related to the RTB or PAS issues have been reported," the company said.

In July this year, industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) had announced a voluntary recall policy in July this year.

Market leader Maruti Suzuki India recalled one lakh units of its A-Star hatchback in 2009 to replace a fuel pump gasket.

Last year, Toyota Kirloskar Motor announced recalling of 41,000 units of its Etios sedan and Liva small car in India to replace a faulty inlet pipe to the fuel tank.

Similarly, Honda Siel Cars India had also recalled 72,115 units of its flagship mid-sized City sedan to replace defective power window switches.

While not terming it as a recall, Tata Motors had also replaced starter motor in an estimated 1.40 lakh Nano free-of-cost last December.