2023 Ford Transit Recall: When the accessory kit is installed, the auxiliary wire harness will…

The defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Transit vehicles equipped with the Special Vehicle Operations Accessory Service Kit #1 or #2 with a High Specification Vehicle Interface Connector. When the accessory kit is installed, the auxiliary wire harness will disable the heating, air-conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) including the defrost and defog systems. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."

The risk

An inoperative windshield defrosting and defogging system may decrease the driver's visibility under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix — what to do

Dealers will repair the auxiliary wire harness by modifying the wire harness to include the necessary twisted loop, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 20, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C02.

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.nhtsa.gov.