Ford will inspect 1.9 million cars in the US due to fears that a part will come off

• Ford Recalls Vehicles
• Risk of Detachment in Exterior Molding
• Daihatsu: Safety Test Cheating

Ford will recall 1,889,110 vehicles of the Explorer model in the United States, according to information from Efe.

This comes after detecting that an exterior vehicle molding can detach, posing a risk to the safety of other vehicles.

On Wednesday, January 24, documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were posted on the website.

They indicate that although the defect was detected in 2018, Ford did not decide to act to resolve the issue until January of this year.

Where’s the Issue?

It’s worth noting that the problem revolves around plastic clips that hold an exterior molding on Ford Explorers.

According to the NHTSA, if all the clips are not properly engaged, the molding can detach.

According to what the U.S. federal agency revealed, «it’s a danger to other vehicles.»

In January of this year, Ford stated that it has information from 14,377 reports from insurance companies related to this issue.

Ford Dealerships to Inspect Affected Vehicles

On the other hand, there is no news of any accidents or injuries due to the detachment of parts, such as the molding.

The recall affects SUV Explorer vehicles from the model years 2011 to 2019.

Ford dealerships will inspect potentially affected vehicles for the defect.

They will also replace the molding free of charge, according to information from Efe.

Operations Suspended at Japanese Automaker Daihatsu

On the other hand, a Japanese automaker, which for years cheated on its safety tests, announced that it does not plan to resume shipments in the short term.

The Japanese government ordered a Toyota subsidiary to suspend production of all its models.

This comes after it was revealed last year that it falsified safety tests, according to information from Associated Press.

Daihatsu Motor Co. circumvented mandatory tests by copying test results from one side of the car to the other (Filed as: Ford part detachment).

No Accidents Reported Yet

No major accidents related to the cheating have been reported, but the incident raised serious questions, according to AP.

Japanese regulators approved five of the company’s models last Friday, January 19, following additional tests.

But the company’s management said the factories will remain closed awaiting components.

«We face a tough road ahead to regain public trust in our safety measures,» said corporate manager Keita Ide.

Customers Feel Betrayed, Says Keita Ide

Keita Ide added that the company is developing a plan to prevent cheating in the future.

Daihatsu is known for its lightweight cars like the popular Daihatsu Tanto and the Toyota Raize SUV.

An investigation involving external experts found 174 cases of manipulated tests on dozens of models.

The inquiry found that the manipulation had been going on for 30 years (Filed as: Ford parts detaching).

Daihatsu Offered Apologies

The scandal erupted when an internal employee reported the company in April last year, as reported by Associated Press.

Daihatsu apologized and promised deep reforms to its corporate culture.

Company President Soichiro Okudaira has attributed the failures to pressure on employees to meet certain deadlines.

Daihatsu stated that it could recall vehicles from the market, although this has not happened so far.