Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion Recall Due to Risk of Wheels Falling Off Vehicle

Nearly 129,000 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles have been recalled due to a risk of fractured wheel studs, which could allow the wheels to fall off of the cars while in motion. 

The Ford Fusion Recall and the Mercury Milan recall were announced last week after an investigation by Ford Motor Co. and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The investigation was sparked by reports of wheel separation on Fusion and Milan 2010-2011 model year vehicles.

According to the NHTSA, a Ford wheel defect investigation began in January 2011, following reports of bolts and lug nuts breaking off of some vehicles, causing the wheels to fall off.

The investigation led to Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles equipped with 17 inch steel wheels. The NHTSA and Ford have determined that the studs on those wheels are prone to fracture.

The NHTSA was ultimately able to identify four separate incidents where Ford and Mercury owners experienced wheel separation due to the defective studs.

Wheel separation risk occurs when there have been multiple stud fractures. Owners have reported experiencing vehicle vibration before the wheels separated.

The NHTSA warns that the defective wheels represent an auto accident risk. However, there have been no reports of crashes related to wheels coming off of Ford Fusion or Mercury Milan vehicles.

The recall affects 128,616 2010-2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles with 17-inch steel wheels manufactured from April 1, 2009, through April 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through November 13, 2010.

According to Ford, owners of affected vehicles will be notified via notification letters the week of January 24, 2012. They will be instructed to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the lug nuts replaced on all four wheels and to have the rear brake discs inspected and replaced if necessary. There will be no charge for owners.

Concerned owners can contact the NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at (888) 327-4236 or visit the website at www.safercar.gov.

This is the third major Ford recall this year. In January, the company pulled about 425,000 Ford Windstar minivans due to rust and corrosion problems that could affect the vehicles axles. That was followed in February by a recall of about 144,000 Ford F-150 trucks due to airbags that could go off without warning. In August, the company had its largest recall of the year, 1.1 million Ford pickup trucks that had defective gas tanks which could fall off and burst into flames.

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