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Black Oval Automotive

Ford Fusion & Lincoln MKZ

Ford Fusion Steering Rack Corrosion: A Recall, a Salt Belt, and a 2019 in Our Shop

Ford recalled certain Fusions for steering-gear corrosion. We currently have a 2019 in the shop with severe rack corrosion that sits outside that recall entirely — which is exactly why inspection beats assuming.

Black Oval Automotive

Updated 1 min read

In this article
  1. What you might notice
  2. How we diagnose it
  3. What the recall covered, precisely
  4. The 2019 in our shop
  5. Why this is a New England problem…
  6. What to do about it

What you might be noticing

  • Clunking from the steering, especially over bumps
  • Noise from the steering motor area
  • Steering warning light or message
  • Steering effort noticeably increased
  • Partial or complete loss of power steering assist

How we diagnose it

  1. Get it on a lift and physically look — Corrosion is a visual and tactile finding. No scan tool reports a rusting bolt.
  2. Inspect the motor attachment hardware specifically — This is where the documented failure starts — the bolts holding the electric motor to the steering gear.
  3. Check whether the vehicle is in a recall population — If it is, that is a dealer conversation and free work, and we will send you there rather than charge you for it.
  4. Assess severity honestly — Surface rust on a New England car is normal. Fastener corrosion severe enough to compromise the joint is not, and the difference matters.

Ford issued a safety recall covering steering-gear motor attachment bolt corrosion on certain Fusion and MKZ vehicles. Road salt attacks the hardware holding the electric steering motor to the gear, and in severe cases those bolts can fracture and let the motor loosen or separate.

What the recall covered, precisely

Recall 19S26, filed with NHTSA as 19V-632, included certain 2013–2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, along with certain related Edge and MKX applications. Depending on what the inspection found, the repair replaced the motor mounting hardware and applied corrosion protection, or replaced the complete steering gear.

If your car is in that population, this is dealer work and it should not cost you anything. We will tell you that rather than quote you for it.

The 2019 in our shop

We currently have a 2019 Ford Fusion with severe steering-rack corrosion. That car is outside the 19S26 model-year population. It does not qualify for the recall, and we are not going to suggest otherwise.

What we can say is what we are looking at: serious corrosion on a later car than the ones Ford named. We have not established that the failure mechanism is identical without a full inspection, and we would not claim it is. But a customer with a 2019 asking whether their steering rack can corrode deserves a straight answer, and the straight answer is that we are looking at one.

Why this is a New England problem specifically

Recalls are written for a national fleet. Corrosion is not a national phenomenon — it is a function of how much salt a car has driven through and for how many winters.

A Fusion that has spent its life in New England has had a materially harder time than the same car in a dry state, and the recall population was never designed to reflect that. That is not a criticism of Ford; it is just why a physical inspection matters more here than a model-year lookup does.

What to do about it

If your steering has developed a clunk, a noise from the motor area, a warning message or noticeably heavier effort, get it inspected rather than waiting to see. If the car is in the recall population, go to a dealer. If it is not, and there is genuine corrosion, it still needs addressing — and we will show you what we found rather than describe it.

Common questions

Is there a Ford Fusion steering rack recall?

Yes — Ford safety recall 19S26, NHTSA 19V-632, covering steering-gear motor attachment bolt corrosion. It included certain 2013–2016 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles and certain related Edge and MKX applications.

What years are covered by recall 19S26?

Certain 2013–2016 Fusion and MKZ. Model year alone does not settle it — the recall applies to a specific VIN population, so a Ford dealer checking your VIN is the only authoritative answer.

Can later Fusion steering racks still corrode?

We are seeing it. There is a 2019 Fusion in our shop right now with severe steering-rack corrosion. That car is outside the 19S26 model-year population and does not qualify for the recall — but the corrosion is real and it needed addressing. Being outside a recall is not the same as being fine.

What happens when the EPAS steering rack fails?

The documented concern is that severe corrosion of the motor attachment hardware can fracture the bolts and allow the electric steering motor to loosen or separate from the steering gear. Symptoms leading up to that can include clunking, noise, a warning message and increased steering effort.

Does losing electric assist mean you lose steering completely?

Losing assist and losing steering are different things, and the distinction matters. Loss of power assist makes the car very heavy to steer, particularly at low speed — difficult and unsafe to drive, but not the same as no steering. Any loss of assist should be treated as get-it-looked-at-now rather than something to live with.

How do you know whether a Fusion rack needs replacing?

By inspecting it. Surface rust on a car that has seen a decade of New England winters is expected. Corrosion severe enough to compromise the motor mounting is a different finding, and telling those apart is a physical inspection rather than a judgement from the model year.

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What the manufacturer published

  • Ford Recall 19S26

    Safety recall — steering gear motor attachment bolt corrosion (NHTSA 19V-632)

    Corrosion of the steering-gear motor attachment hardware, which in severe cases can fracture the bolts and allow the electric steering motor to loosen or separate from the steering gear. The repair replaces the mounting hardware and applies corrosion protection, or replaces the complete steering gear where the inspection procedure requires it.

    Applications listed

    • 2013–2016 Ford Fusion
    • 2013–2016 Lincoln MKZ
    • Certain related Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX applications

Coverage depends on build date and diagnostic criteria, so it does not mean every vehicle of that year is affected — and it does not mean yours is. Check your VIN with a franchised dealer to find out whether your specific vehicle qualifies.

Some details on this page were supplied by our technicians from manufacturer service information rather than verified against a public document.

Work we have actually done

  • 2019 Fusion

    2019 Fusion — severe steering rack corrosion, outside the recall

    Complaint
    Brought in for inspection. Steering-gear area showing corrosion well beyond the surface rust normal on a New England car of this age.
    Diagnosis
    Severe corrosion around the steering gear and motor attachment area. Ford recall 19S26 covers motor attachment bolt corrosion on certain 2013–2016 Fusion and MKZ — this 2019 is outside that population and does not qualify for the recall. We have not established that the failure mechanism is identical, and we are not claiming it is. What we can say is that the corrosion on this car is real and it is on a later vehicle than the ones Ford named.
    Repair
    Assessment ongoing. Documented here because a Fusion owner asking whether a later car can corrode deserves to see one rather than be told it is not covered by a recall.
    Read the write-up →

Vehicles this applies to

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