Ford recalls 270,000 Fusions for potential to roll away

Ford Motor Company issued a recall for 270,000 Fusions on Wednesday, citing a potential for the cars to roll away, the company said.

The recall affects select Fusions made from 2013 to 2016 with 2.5-liter engines. A faulty transmission could cause the cars to incorrectly shift gears without the driver knowing.

"A shifter cable that detaches from the transmission may allow the transmission to be in a gear state different from the gearshift position selected by the driver," the company said in a statement.

"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," Ford said. "If the parking brake is not applied, a shifter cable that detaches from the transmission could result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury or crash."

Ford said there are three reported cases of property damage and one potential injury caused by the flaw.

The recall affects about 270,000 vehicles in North America, including 259,182 in the U.S., 10,282 in Canada and 3,765 in Mexico.

Ford said the cause and final service repair is not yet known. It recommends that drivers always use the parking brake. The Ford reference number for this recall is 19S16.

Ford also said it was recalling 2,500 Ranger pickups built in 2019, also citing potential gear shifting and rollaway concerns.

"On some affected vehicles, the two fasteners that secure the transmission shift cable bracket to the transmission housing may not have been torqued to specification," Ford said. "Over time, an improperly torqued fastener could allow the transmission shift cable bracket to become loose and the transmission to be in a gear state different from the gearshift position selected by the driver."