SAN FRANCISCO—The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating a Ford Motor Co. recall of more than a quarter-million Explorer SUVs in the United States after receiving complaints about repairs intended to prevent the vehicles from unexpectedly rolling away even while placed in park.
The problem, ascribed to fractures of a rear axle mounting bolt that could lead the drive shaft to disconnect, was addressed by a Ford software update designed to apply the electronic parking brake if the drive shaft failed, the agency said. But according to two complaints from vehicle owners, their SUVs behaved erratically following the repair.
