Over 300 Ford Pumas made in 2023 are impacted by the fault.
According to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, a manufacturing error has resulted in the wrong configuration of the vehicle’s Restraint Control Module .The RCM is responsible for deploying safety measures, such as an airbag, if a car gets into a crash.
In the event the RCM needs to be fixed, and an incorrect replacement part is installed, the system will not display warnings and the car’s seatbelt pretensioners and airbags may not work properly. “In the event of an accident, an airbag not deploying or seatbelt pretensioner not activating correctly could increase the risk of injury or death to vehicle occupants,” the department said.
Ford will contact the affected owners in writing, asking them to schedule an appointment at a Ford dealership to update the RCM configuration.For more information, customers can contact the Ford Customer Relationship Centre on 133 673.