Over the past several years, there has been an onslaught of Ford Motor Company safety recalls that at varying times have affected the entire Ford and Lincoln product line.

Most recently, 2.5 million Ford vehicles were recalled due to leaking brake fluid and improperly placed door latches. There have also been numerous recalls issued over the past several months for problems relating to seatbelts, rear coil springs, and poorly positioned battery cables.

The newest recall involves a risk of serious damage or personal injury involving vehicles from both the Ford and Lincoln lineup.

Transmission fluid leaks 

Certain Ford Motor Company vehicles are experiencing transmission fluid leaks. If not repaired, it could cause severe damage to the transmission. More importantly, there is a serious risk of engine fire if the fluid leaks onto an ignition source.

Ford has acknowledged that there may be loose or missing bolts on the start/stop accumulator end cap that is causing the problem, according to Car Complaints. The part in question is a tube with springs that takes the transmission pressure and loads the accumulator with transmission fluid.

The problem occurs when the driver takes his foot off the brake. The engine starts back up and begins to move the car. The transmission takes a little longer to get up to speed. When the brake is released, the accumulator forces fluid into the transmission, causing it to spin faster. Pushing on the gas pedal then allows the car to accelerate.

When an accumulator is not working correctly, it begins to leak transmission fluid. This creates a condition that could be very dangerous, especially when that fluid spills onto the catalytic converter located in the same area. When the fluid comes in contact with the extreme heat, it can result in catastrophic damage.

Another Ford and Lincoln recall because of brake fluid leaking

This isn’t the first time Ford has issued a recall for leaking fluid. It is a well-known fact that the industry-leading auto manufacturer has had its fair share of problems.

Most recently, there was a recall for the Ford F-150 pickup from the 2013 to 2017 model years. More than 300,000 vehicles were affected by leaking brake fluid issues. The brake booster was experiencing damage from a leak occurring at the master cylinder’s front-wheel circuit. The problem was causing brakes to completely fail or reduce stopping capabilities in the front wheels.

Ford claimed that the back wheels could still retain their proper braking function despite the leaking fluid. Regardless, it still increased the truck’s ability to stop by several feet. This increased the risk for crashing, although no major incidents were reported.

Vehicles affected by this latest recall

This most recent transmission fluid leak recall affects vehicles manufactured in the United States as recently as July 2020. According to Ford Motor Company, only vehicles equipped with eight-speed automatic transmission are part of this recall.

The NHTSA is involved in the safety recall that affects the following Ford and Lincoln vehicles built at the designated manufacturing plants:

• Ford Transit Connect: 2019 – 2020, Valencia, 6/29/18 – 6/22/20
• Ford Edge: 2019 – 2020, Oakville, 11/16/18 – 6/18/20
• Lincoln Nautilus: 2019 – 2020, Oakville, 6/12/19 – 6/17/20
• Ford Escape: 2020, Louisville, 8/29/19 – 7/9/20
• Lincoln Corsair: 2020, Louisville, 10/8/19 – 6/22/20

In July 2020, the manufacturer of the end cap, Borg Warner, provided a list of serial numbers to Ford for the accumulators that were missing torque values on the end cap bolts. The missing value indicated that the bolts were not installed or improperly torqued.

Owners of the vehicles affected should contact their local dealer to have the start/stop accumulator replaced and have existing transmission fluids checked. There will be no charge to the consumer for the designated repairs.

Owners may also contact Ford directly at 866-436-7332 to see if their vehicle is directly affected. Refer to Ford recall number 20S49 or NHTSA Campaign Number 20V550000.