If you own a Ford pickup truck, it probably just got recalled
Ford has issued a recall of approximately 1.3 million of its vehicles.
The recall concerns pickup trucks, specifically the full-sized F-150 and the heavy-duty Super Duty vehicles.
Ford announced today that the recalled models lack a shield to protect their side doors' latches from water. This is a problem because water can severely damage a door's latch or actuation cable, the cable that facilitates the opening and closing of the door.
If a cable or latch is damaged by water or freezes, it can stop the door from being able to open or close. This could literally trap you in your car.
It could also make your car door unable to fully close, putting it at risk of flying open while you're driving. Despite these risks, Ford claims that it is not aware of any injuries related to the issue.
If you own one of these vehicles, a Ford dealer will install a water shield over your door latch for free. So you should really figure out if your pickup truck is affected -- it could be a matter of life and death.
The massive recall comes as something of a surprise, since the past year has seen Ford pushing high-tech innovation after high-tech innovation, from self-driving cars to wifi software updates. It should serve as a reminder that even as we embrace futuristic technology, the basics should always remain paramount.
Monica wrote for Mashable's Tech section with a focus on retail, internet of things, and the intersections of technology and social justice. She holds a degree in creative writing from Brown University, and has previously written for Dow Jones Media, the New York Post, Yahoo Finance, and others. In her free time, she can be found attempting to cook Asian food, buying board games, and looking for new hobbies.
