FORD-IFIED REPAIRS
Ford recently released updated inspection and repair procedures for minor high-voltage battery damage on its Mustang Mach-E SUV. These repair procedures highlight the potential damage that may be found on the vehicle due to curb strikes or driving over road hazards. The section—titled Section 414-03A: High-Voltage Battery, Mounting Cables Diagnosis and Testing–High-Voltage Battery Minor Damage Inspection—details how repairers should first refer to the automaker’s overview on health and safety before beginning any work on high-voltage systems. Using the Ford Diagnostic and Repair System (FDRS) tool, repairers should then verify if any Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) are present and then follow the necessary procedures specific to the visible code. With the vehicle in neutral, repairers should then position it on a hoist while referring to Section 100-02 Jacking and Lifting–Electric Motor and should inspect the bottom of the High-Voltage Battery (HVB).
FRONT-CRASH FINDINGS
Only the Subaru Forester has secured a ‘Good’ rating out of ten tested vehicles in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) new high-speed vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation. The test, which evaluated vehicle performance with a motorcycle and semi trailer as well as a passenger car, aimed to address vehicle crashes that occur at higher speeds and those in which the struck vehicle is a motorcycle or large truck. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 were rated ‘Acceptable,’ and the Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson and Jeep Compass earned a ‘Marginal’ rating. Coming in last, the Chevrolet Equinox, Mazda CX-S, Mitsubishi Outlander and Volkswagen Taos all rated ‘Poor.’ Instead of the earlier 12 and 25 mph speeds, the updated tests included trials at 31 mph, 37 mph and 43 mph or 50 km/h, 60 km/h and 70 km/h.
