Ford India recalls 16,444 units of compact SUV EcoSport

New Delhi - US auto major Ford is recalling 16,444 units of its popular compact SUV EcoSport manufactured between November 2013 and April 2014 in India to rectify faulty rear twist beam bolt, which is a part of suspension. “In some of the affected vehicles, there is a possibility that the Rear Twist Beam (RTB) bolt may not be tightened to specification, which may cause the pivot bolt to break,” Ford India said in a statement.  This condition can potentially compromise vehicle handling and thereby increase the risk of an accident, it added. “Ford is writing to 16,444 EcoSport customers for getting their vehicles inspected at a local Ford dealer. If needed, Ford dealership will carry out necessary rework free of cost,” it said. This is a proactive voluntary action and no accidents related to the concern have been reported, the company added. Automobile manufacturers have been recalling vehicles on safety issues since industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) initiated a voluntary policy in July 2012. With Ford’s latest recall, over 13.25 lakh vehicles have been recalled by various manufacturers in India so far. In September, Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) had recalled around 2.24 lakh units of its premium sports utility vehicles – CR-V, sedans Civic, City and hatchback Jazz, manufactured between 2003 and 2012 – to replace faulty airbag inflators in the largest such exercise in the country. Previously, Ford India had recalled also 1,66,021 units of its Figo and Fiesta Classic models in September 2013 to rectify faulty rear twist beam and the power steering hose. PTI