Safety Recall 18S25 – Generator and Starter Motor Cable Nuts – 2018 Ford Edge & Lincoln MKX & 2019 Ford Flex & Lincoln MKT

NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V548
Manufacturer Ford Motor Company
Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Potential Number of Units Affected 87

 

Alternator and Starter Cables may be Loose

An electrical arc can increase the risk of a fire.

 

Summary

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, 2019 Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. The power supply cables at the starter and the alternator may not have been properly secured, possibly resulting in an electrical arc.

 

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and starter motor power supply cables to verify that they are properly secured, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 17, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 18S25.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Vehicle has a Recall

 

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August 30, 2018

TO: All U.S. Ford and Lincoln Dealers

SUBJECT: NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD – Safety Recall 18S25
Certain 2018 Edge and MKX, and 2019 Flex and MKT Vehicles
Generator and Starter Motor Cable Nuts

 

REF: NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD – Advance Notice – Safety
Recall 18S25 – dated August 21, 2018

 

AFFECTED VEHICLES

Vehicle	Model Year	Assembly Plant	Build Date
Edge	2018	Oakville	May 29, 2018
MKX
Flex	2019
MKT

 

Affected vehicles are identified in OASIS and FSA VIN Lists.

 

REASON FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL

In some of the affected vehicles, the generator and starter motor cable nuts may be cross-threaded or may not be fully tightened.  An improperly fastened generator or starter motor cable nut increases the potential for electrical arcing, which could lead to a fire.  The customer may experience a warning message in the instrument cluster or a vehicle no-start condition.

 

SERVICE ACTION

Before demonstrating or delivering any new in-stock vehicles involved in this safety recall, dealers are to inspect the generator and starter motor cable nuts and studs for damage, and verify that the nuts are properly torqued using a torque wrench.  This service must be performed on all affected vehicles at no charge to the vehicle owner.

 

OWNER NOTIFICATION MAILING SCHEDULE

Owner letters are expected to be mailed the week of September 17, 2018.  Dealers should repair any affected vehicles that arrive at their dealerships, whether or not the customer has received a letter.

PLEASE NOTE:

Federal law requires dealers to complete this recall service before a new vehicle is delivered to the buyer or lessee.  Violation of this requirement by a dealer could result in a civil penalty of up to $21,000 per vehicle.  Correct all vehicles in your new vehicle inventory before delivery.

 

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment I: Administrative Information
Attachment II: Labor Allowances and Parts Ordering Information
Attachment III: Technical Information
Owner Notification Letters

 

QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE

For questions and assistance, contact the Special Service Support Center (SSSC) via the SSSC Web Contact Site.  The SSSC Web Contact Site can be accessed through the Professional Technician Society (PTS) website using the SSSC link listed at the bottom of the OASIS VIN report screen or listed under the SSSC tab.

Sincerely,

 

David J. Johnson

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NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD – Safety Recall 18S25
Certain 2018 Edge and MKX, and 2019 Flex and MKT Vehicles
Generator and Starter Motor Cable Nuts

 

OASIS ACTIVATION

OASIS was activated on August 22, 2018.

 

FSA VIN LISTS ACTIVATION

FSA VIN Lists became available through https://web.fsavinlists.dealerconnection.com on August 22, 2018.  Owner names and addresses will be available by September 28, 2018.

NOTE:  Your FSA VIN Lists may contain owner names and addresses obtained from motor vehicle registration records.  The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any purpose other than in connection with this recall is a violation of law in several states, provinces, and countries.

Accordingly, you must limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to complete this recall.

 

SOLD VEHICLES

• Owners of affected vehicles will be directed to dealers for repairs.
• Immediately contact any of your affected customers whose vehicles are not on your VIN list but are identified in OASIS. Give the customer a copy of the Owner Notification Letter (when available) and schedule a service date.
• Correct other affected vehicles identified in OASIS which are brought to your dealership.
• Dealers are to prioritize repairs of customer vehicles over repairs of new and used vehicle inventory.

 

STOCK VEHICLES

• Correct all affected units in your new vehicle inventory before delivery.
• Use OASIS to identify any affected vehicles in your used vehicle inventory.

 

DEALER-OPERATED RENTAL VEHICLES

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act law effective June 2016 prohibits a rental company from selling, renting or leasing vehicles subject to a safety or compliance recall.  Please consult your legal counsel for legal advice.

 

TITLE BRANDED / SALVAGED VEHICLES

Affected title branded and salvaged vehicles are eligible for this recall.

 

OWNER REFUNDS   

Refunds are not approved for this program.

 

RENTAL VEHICLES  

Rental vehicles are not approved for this program.

 

LINCOLN PICKUP AND DELIVERY

Owners of 2017 MY and newer Lincoln vehicles have the option of requesting pickup and delivery service with a Lincoln loaner, from their dealership.  For details, reference EFC06121 2018 Lincoln Pickup & Delivery Updates.

 

LINCOLN CLIENT SPECIAL HANDLING

To ensure the best possible experience for Lincoln owners, Lincoln Dealers are encouraged to utilize the Lincoln Loyalty Program to provide clients with surprise and delight offerings, such as:

• Fuel fill
• Gift Card for the client’s favorite restaurant

The Lincoln Loyalty Program is exclusive to Lincoln Dealers.  Owners will not be notified of this service in owner mailings.  Reference EFC06196, Lincoln Loyalty Program Announcement for additional details.

 

ADDITIONAL REPAIR (LABOR TIME AND/OR PARTS)

Additional repairs identified as necessary to complete the FSA should be managed as follows:

• For related damage and access time requirements, refer to the Warranty and Policy Manual – Section 6 – Ford/Lincoln Program Policies – Field Service Actions (FSA) – Related Damage.
• For vehicles within new vehicle bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage, no SSSC approval is required.
  • Ford vehicles – 3 years or 36,000 miles o Lincoln vehicles – 4 years or 50,000 miles
• For vehicles outside new vehicle bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage, submit an Approval Request to the SSSC Web Contact Site prior to completing the repair.

 

CLAIMS PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

• Enter claims using Dealer Management System (DMS) or One Warranty Solution (OWS) online.
  • When entering claims, select claim type 31: Field Service Action. The FSA number (18S25) is the sub code.
  • For additional claims preparation and submission information, refer to the Recall and Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) Repairs in the OWS User Guide.
• Additional labor and/or parts must be claimed as related damage on a separate repair line from the FSA. IMPORTANT: Click the radio button on the Related Damage Indicator.
• For Lincoln Client Special Handling, reference EFC06196, Lincoln Loyalty Program

Announcement for Requirements and Claiming Instructions.  Claims for Lincoln Loyalty should be submitted as a separate line on the same Repair Order.

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ATTACHMENT II

NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD – Safety Recall 18S25
Certain 2018 Edge and MKX, and 2019 Flex and MKT Vehicles
Generator and Starter Motor Cable Nuts

 

LABOR ALLOWANCES

Description	Labor Operation	Labor Time
Edge with 2.7L engine only – Access generator and starter motor, inspect cable studs and nuts, and torque cable nuts – includes evacuation and recharge of the A/C system	18S25MT	Up to 2.0 Hours
All Others – Access generator and starter motor, inspect cable studs and nuts, and torque cable nuts		Up to 1.5 Hours
All Vehicles – As Required – Replace damaged generator and/or starter motor		Up to 3.6 Hours Additional

 

PARTS REQUIREMENTS / ORDERING INFORMATION

• Edge and MKX Vehicles

NOTE: Generator or starter motor parts will only be required if related damage is present.

Description	Order Quantity	Claim Quantity	Part Number
A/C inlet line o-ring – Edge with 2.7L engine only	1	1	DS7Z-19B596-A Ford KIT - AIR CONDI Geniune OEM part $15.60 Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping Last update on 2026-06-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Generator B+ cable nut	As Required		W711953-S900
Generator assembly (part number varies by vehicle – use parts catalog to identify specific part number by VIN)	As Required		*-10346-*
Starter B+ cable nut	As Required		W711953-S900
Starter motor control wire nut	As Required		W716298-S450
Starter motor assembly (part number varies by vehicle – use parts catalog to identify specific part number by VIN)	As Required		*-11002-*

 

• Flex and MKT Vehicles

NOTE: Generator or starter motor parts will only be required if related damage is present.

Description	Order Quantity	Claim Quantity	Part Number
Generator B+ cable nut	As Required		W711953-S437
Generator assembly (part number varies by vehicle – use parts catalog to identify specific part number by VIN)	As Required		*-10346-*
Starter B+ cable nut	As Required		W706414-S413
Starter motor control wire nut	As Required		W707142-S437
Starter motor assembly (part number varies by vehicle – use parts catalog to identify specific part number by VIN)	As Required		*-11002-*

 

Order your parts requirements through normal order processing channels.  To guarantee the shortest delivery time, an emergency order for parts must be placed.

 

DEALER PRICE  

For latest prices, refer to DOES II.

 

PARTS RETENTION AND RETURN

Follow the provisions of the Warranty and Policy Manual, Section 1 – WARRANTY PARTS RETENTION AND RETURN POLICIES.

 

EXCESS STOCK RETURN

Excess stock returned for credit must have been purchased from Ford Customer Service Division in accordance with Policy Procedure Bulletin 4000.

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ATTACHMENT III

CERTAIN 2018 EDGE AND MKX, AND 2019 FLEX AND MKT VEHICLES

 

OVERVIEW

In some of the affected vehicles, the generator and starter motor cable nuts may be cross-threaded or may not be fully tightened. An improperly fastened generator or starter motor cable nut increases the potential for electrical arcing, which could lead to a fire. The customer may experience a warning message in the instrument cluster or a vehicle no-start condition. Before demonstrating or delivering any new in-stock vehicles involved in this safety recall, dealers are to inspect the generator and starter motor cable nuts and studs for damage, and verify that the nuts are properly torqued using a torque wrench.

 

SERVICE PROCEDURE

NOTE: If a generator or starter motor cable stud or nut is damaged, replace the damaged components following the Workshop Manual procedures.

Edge 2.0L Vehicles

1. Disconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.
2. Remove the appearance cover from the engine. See Figure 1.

FIGURE 1

 

3. Remove the starter motor ground cable nut and disconnect the ground cable, detach the cooling hose retainer from the starter motor stud bolt. See Figure 2.
   • Torque to 159 Ib.in (18 Nm).

FIGURE 2

 

4. Remove the starter motor stud bolts and then position the starter motor to gain access to the starter motor battery positive cable nut and starter motor control wire nut. See Figure 3.
   • Torque to 35 Ib.ft (48 Nm).

FIGURE 3

 

5. Inspect the starter motor battery positive cable nut and stud and the starter control wire nut and stud for cross threading or damage and torque both nuts. See Figure 4.
   • Battery positive cable: Torque to 106 Ib.in (12 Nm).
   • Starter motor control wire: Torque to 53 Ib.in (6 Nm).

FIGURE 4

 

6. Inspect the generator battery positive cable nut and stud for cross threading and torque the nut. See Figure 5.
   • Torque to 150 Ib.in (17 Nm).

FIGURE 5

 

7. Install by reversing the removal steps.
8. Reconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.

 

Edge 2.7L Vehicles

1. Disconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.
2. Recover the A/C refrigerant. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 412-00.
3. Disconnect the A/C compressor inlet line nut, disconnect the fitting and position aside the A/C compressor inlet line to gain access to the battery positive cable nut on the generator. See Figure 6.

NOTE: Install new O ring seals. Use Motorcraft PAG Refrigerant Compressor Oil YN-12-D (WSH-M1C231-B).

• Torque to 159 Ib.in (18 Nm).

NOTICE: Only use specified material to lubricate the seals.

FIGURE 6

 

4. Remove the wiring harness clips to gain access to the battery positive cable nut on the generator. See Figure 7.

FIGURE 7

 

5. Inspect the generator battery positive cable nut and stud for cross threading and torque the nut. See Figure 8.
   • Torque to 150 lb.in (17 Nm).

FIGURE 8

 

6. Remove the air cleaner. Please refer to WSM procedures in section 303-12B.
7. Inspect the starter motor battery positive cable nut and stud for cross threading or damage and torque the nut. See Figure 9.
   • Torque to 106 Ib.in ( 12 Nm).

FIGURE 9

 

8. Install by reversing the removal steps.
9. Reconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.

 

Flex 3.5L Cyclone Vehicles

1. Disconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.
2. Remove the upper half of the air cleaner. See Figure 10.

FIGURE 10

 

3. Disconnect the selector lever cable from the transmission controller arm. See Figure 11.

FIGURE 11

 

4. Inspect the starter motor battery positive cable nut and stud and the starter control wire nut and stud for cross threading or damage and torque both nuts. See Figure 12.
   • Battery positive cable: Torque to 106 Ib.in (12 Nm).
   • Starter motor control wire: Torque to 53 Ib.in (6 Nm).

FIGURE 12

 

5. Inspect the generator battery positive cable nut and stud for cross threading and torque the nut. See Figure 13.
   • Torque to 150 Ib.in (17 Nm).

FIGURE 13

 

6. Install by reversing the removal steps.
7. Reconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.

 

Flex and MKT 3.5L GTDI Vehicles

1. Disconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.
2. Remove the upper half of the air cleaner. See Figure 14.

FIGURE 14

 

3. Inspect the starter motor battery positive cable nut and stud and the starter control wire nut and stud for cross threading or damage and torque both nuts. See Figure 15.
   • Battery positive cable: Torque to 106 Ib.in (12 Nm).
   • Starter motor control wire: Torque to 53 Ib.in (6 Nm).

FIGURE 15

 

4. Disconnect the inline connector to gain access to the battery positive cable nut on the generator. See Figure 16.

FIGURE 16

 

5. Inspect the generator battery positive cable nut and stud for cross threading and torque the nut. See Figure 17.
   • Torque to 150 Ib.in (17 Nm).

FIGURE 17

 

6. Install by reversing the removal steps.
7. Reconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.

 

Edge 3.5L Cyclone and MKX 3.7L TiVCT Vehicles

1. Disconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.
2. Remove the air cleaner. See Figure 18.

FIGURE 18

 

3. Inspect the generator battery positive cable nut and stud for cross threading and torque the nut. See Figure 19.
   • Torque to 150 Ib.in (17 Nm).

FIGURE 19

 

4. Inspect the starter motor battery positive cable nut and stud and the starter control wire nut and stud for cross threading or damage and torque both nuts. See Figure 20.
   • Torque to 106 Ib.in (12 Nm).
   • Torque to 55 Ib.in (6.2 Nm).

FIGURE 20

 

5. Install by reversing the removal steps.
6. Reconnect the battery. Please refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in section 414-01.

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Safety Recall 18S25

August 30, 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCMN-18V548-8021.pdf

 

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Advance Notice – Safety Recall 18S25

August 21, 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCMN-18V548-9307.pdf

 

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Ford Media Center Aug 22, 2018 – FORD ISSUES TWO SAFETY RECALLS IN NORTH AMERICA

Aug. 22, 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RMISC-18V548-9115.pdf

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

September 6, 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCAK-18V548-5916.pdf

 

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Last update on 2026-05-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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