July 18, 2018—Ford is issuing a safety recall in North America for approximately 550,000 2013-16 model year Ford Fusion and 2013-14 Ford Escape vehicles to replace shifter cable bushings.
On affected vehicles, the bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may detach from the transmission. A degraded shifter cable bushing that detaches from the transmission may allow the transmission to be in a gear state different than the gear shift position selected by the driver. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to “Park” and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in “Park,” with no warning message or audible chime. If the parking brake is not applied, a degraded shifter cable bushing that detaches from the transmission could result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Affected vehicles include:
- 2014 Ford Fusion vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant between June 18, 2013 and Sept. 15, 2013
- 2014-16 Ford Fusion vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant between June 2, 2014 and Aug. 31, 2015
- 2013-14 Ford Fusion vehicles built at Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant between May 15, 2013 and Sept. 15, 2013
- 2014-16 Ford Fusion vehicles built at Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant between June 2, 2014 and Aug. 31, 2015
- 2013-14 Ford Escape vehicles built at Louisville Assembly Plant between May 15, 2013 and Sept. 15, 2013
The recall involves approximately 549,401 vehicles in North America, including 504,182 in the United States and federalized territories, 36,887 in Canada, and 8,332 in Mexico. The Ford reference number for this recall is 18S20.
Dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing at no cost to the customer. Owners should use their parking brake.
