Ford will begin recalling a number of Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles from the 2010 and 2011 model years for an issue with the wheels. Fusions and Milans that were built with 17-inch steel wheels may be at risk of developing fractures in the wheel studs. So far, the automaker has received reports of six separate instances where wheels have separated completely from their vehicles - one report involved a front wheel and the rest were rear wheel issues, according to Bloomberg.
If the studs do fracture, drivers may notice vibrations as the wheels come loose. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that this could possibly cause the wheels to come off the cars while they are in motion, which may dramatically increase the chances of a crash.
When Ford performs vehicle maintenance on the recalled vehicles, they will replace the lug nuts on all four vehicles, and perform brake service. If the rear brake discs show any signs of flatness, Ford will replace the discs as needed.
Other Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan cars that were manufactured during this time, but equipped with aluminum wheels, are not included in the recall.