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Ford Taurus key can come out of ignition

NHTSA campaign 18V141000 · Reported 2018-03-01 · Ford Motor Company

medium How serious is it? About this label

If the key is removed from the ignition while the vehicle is not in the PARK position and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.

What's wrong, in plain English

On some Ford Taurus cars with a regular metal key, the key can be pulled out of the ignition even when the car is not in Park. People often treat the key coming out as a sign the car is safely parked. If the car is still in gear and the parking brake is off, it can roll away on its own after you step out. Ford is replacing the shifter assembly at no cost.

What you should do

1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm your Taurus is included in recall 18C02.
2. Call your Ford dealer, or Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, to book the shifter replacement.
3. Until it is fixed, always put the car in Park and set the parking brake before removing the key. The repair is free.

Affected vehicles (1)

Who to contact

Ford — official Ford recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Official notice

Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford Taurus vehicles equipped with mechanical key ignition systems. The keys for these vehicles may be able to be removed from the ignition when transmission is not in the PARK position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Safety risk
If the key is removed from the ignition while the vehicle is not in the PARK position and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter assembly, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C02.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.