NOVEMBER 24 (Portal) – Ford Motor Co (FN) is recalling 634,000 sport utility vehicles (SUVs) worldwide over the risk of fire from possible cracked fuel injectors and will urge owners to have their cars inspected, it said on Thursday.
America’s No. 2 automaker by sales said the recall affects 2020-2023 model year Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs with 3-cylinder, 1.5-liter engines, including many that were also recalled in April because an oil separator housing cracked and a leak could develop which could cause an engine fire. Vehicles repaired under the earlier recall still require the new recall fix, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.
Ford said when engines are operating in the SUVs affected by the recent recall, a cracked fuel injector could allow fuel or fuel vapor to collect near hot surfaces, potentially leading to an underhood fire .
As repairs become available, dealers will update the vehicle’s software to determine if a cracked fuel injector and provide a dashboard message to alert drivers.
“When a drop in fuel line pressure is detected, engine power is automatically reduced to minimize any risk, while allowing customers to drive to a safe location, stop the vehicle and arrange for service,” added Ford .
Dealers will also install a hose that will drain fuel out of the cylinder head and away from hot surfaces, and check for excessive fuel odor near the top of the engine.
The recall includes approximately 520,000 vehicles in the United States and approximately 114,000 in other countries.
Ford said it had a total of 54 reports of 1.5-liter underhood fires, including four with cracked fuel injectors. About 13 others were likely caused by a leaking fuel injector.
There are no deaths related to the recall.
Ford said it is not telling owners to stop driving vehicles under this recall. The company predicts a low failure rate for fuel injectors that experience external leaks.
Reporting by David Shepardson in Petaluma, California Editing by David Goodman and Nick Zieminski
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