Vehicle manufacturer Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) on July 24 announced a safety recall of 1 050 Ranger and Everest vehicles, 1 796 Puma vehicles and 2 872 EcoSport vehicles sold in Southern Africa.

The Ranger and Everest models being recalled have 3.0L V6 engines and were built between June 2022 and March this year.

"FMCSA has identified that in some of the affected vehicles, there is a possibility that the left-side camshaft sprocket may fracture causing the engine to stall. An engine stall without warning increases the risk of an accident, the manufacturer warns.

Of the 571 affected Ranger vehicles, 534 were sold in South Africa, ten in Botswana, 24 in Namibia and three in Eswatini.

Of the 479 affected Everest vehicles, 461 were sold in South Africa, seven in Botswana, ten in Namibia and one in Eswatini. 

Meanwhile, the EcoSport models being recalled were built between April 2021 and July 2022. FMCSA explains that, in the affected vehicles, the front half shafts may not have been fully inserted into the transmission during assembly, creating the potential for the half shaft to disengage from the transmission.

"If the half shaft disengages, there is a possibility of loss of engine power while driving. It may also result in a vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in "Park" without the park brake being applied. Both conditions increase the risk of an accident," FMCSA says.

It notes that, of the 2 872 affected vehicles in Southern Africa, 2 806 were sold in South Africa, 25 in Botswana and 41 in Namibia.

Further, FMCSA says it has become aware of a number of Ford Puma vehicles, built between November 2021 and September 2024, that have a fuel line that may rub against a bracket, damaging the fuel line.

"Over time, the fuel line damage may result in a fuel leak. This potential issue may result in an engine stall or, in the presence of an ignition source, a fire. Owners may notice fuel odour, fuel leaking beneath the vehicle, or smoke from fuel on a hot surface," the vehicle manufacturer explains.

It notes that, of the 1 796 affected Puma vehicles in Southern Africa, 1 775 vehicles were sold in South Africa, six in Botswana, 13 in Namibia and two in Eswatini.

FMCSA is contacting affected customers and advising them to contact their preferred dealer to schedule an appointment. The dealer will inspect the vehicle and carry out the necessary repairs. This service will be performed on all affected vehicles at no charge to the customer.

Customers who want to check if their Ford vehicle is affected by any recall, can enter the vehicle's VIN number on a Ford website to determine if the vehicle is affected.