Tenneco Automotive recall 24E079

Affected vehicles (2)

Component / system

Defect

Tenneco Automotive (DRiV) is recalling certain aftermarket ball joints for 2013-2019 Ford Escape vehicles, MOOG part numbers K500346, K500347, NAPA part numbers 2601878 and 2601879. The ball joint may separate between the mounting flange and socket.

Risk / consequence

Ball joint separation may cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the ball joints, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 28, 2024. Owners may contact DRiV customer service at 1-877-489-6659 or at Recall.Support@driv.com.

Chronology of events

1. Jul 15, 2024

   7/15/24 – An installer reported that the housing on a Part #260-1878 ball joint fractured when the vehicle was lowered to the ground. 7/15 – 8/5/24 – Investigation into the root cause of the fracture was initiated. A visual inspection was conducted on 40 inventory samples finding no visible cracks. Third-party lab review identified a quench crack in the housing. Results were discussed with the supplier. 8/8 – 8/15/24 – Magnetic particle inspection (MPI) performed on 50 field and inventory samples, with no defects identified. DRiV completed an on-site visit with the supplier with no significant findings. The supplier provided 100% inspection data on 1,064 parts in supplier inventory with no issues identified.

2. Aug 21, 2024

   8/21/24 – Second installer reported a similar occurrence before the vehicle left shop. 8/26 –9/12/24 – MPI was performed on 30 additional parts from inventory, with two suspect samples identified. MPI was performed on an additional 300 parts from inventory completed with no defects found. The supplier reported a root cause as a furnace issue, which the supplier advised was limited to Part #260-1878. Because the two reports involved failures at the time of installation, failure load testing was performed to evaluate whether this issue could occur post-installation (i.e., during vehicle operation). Test results were analyzed. Testing indicated the potential for an affected part to experience fatigue propagation after installation (during operation).

3. Sep 16, 2024

   9/16/24 – Third report was received alleging failure of a Part #K500347 approximately 30 miles after installation. This reported incident suggested that all parts using a similar housing shape and heat treat process may be potentially suspect.

4. Sep 18, 2024

   9/18/24 – Issue escalated to DRiV’s executive management. Based upon the results of the investigation, DRiV decided to conduct a safety recall for the subject parts. There are no reports of accidents or injuries.

5. Oct 14, 2024

   10/14/24 - Amendment to add kits.

Notification schedule

Dealer notification

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Owner notification

NOV 11, 2024 - NOV 11, 2024