Ford Issues Massive Recall Over Fire Risk
Ford has issued a massive recall on some of its vehicles because of a fire risk. Is yours one of the ones with the potential issue?
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Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, Ford is one of the world’s most popular vehicle brands in the world. The company sells commercial vehicles under its flagship brand and luxury automobiles under its Lincoln luxury brand. The company also owns Brazilian SUV manufacturer Troller, has an 8% stake in the UK’s Aston Martin, and possesses 32% of China’s Jiangling Motors. But like any other company, they have experienced a fair share of problems over the years. The latest mishap is a technical defect that prompted a Ford recall.
According to CNBC, the auto manufacturer is recalling 100,000 vehicles due to the risk of under-hood fires. The Ford recall includes specific models of the 2020 to 2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair SUVs, and small Maverick pickups with 2.5-liter hybrid/plug-in hybrid (HEV / PHEV) engines. If the engine fails in these vehicles, fuel and oil vapor can leak onto hot parts and catch fire. To solve the fire hazard, Ford plans on adjusting the affected vehicles’ under-engine shield and active grille shutter to allow for better airflow. The company plans to start notifying owners about the Ford recall on August 8th.
Engines can fail due to a crankshaft machining problem. That problem has been fixed in production, but the recalled vehicles could still have it. Interestingly, the recall repair doesn’t address the engine failures. However, Ford said in a statement that engine failures are rare with 0.17 repairs per 1,000 vehicles. To solve the problem that prompted the Ford recall, dealers will add drain holes to an under-hood shield. They will also change the active grille shutters to allow more airflow and reduce under-hood temperatures to below the ignition points of fuel vapor or engine oil.
Ford has currently received 23 reports of the issue while engines are switched on. But fortunately, no injuries have been recorded. The company is also expanding an earlier Ford recall of select 2021 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs because of a different problem that can cause under-hood fires, even when those vehicles are parked and turned off. At the time, the recall affected about 39,000 vehicles. But an update from Ford expands this pool to 66,221 cars built between July 27th, 2020, and August 31st, 2021, The Verge reports.
During the first recall, Ford didn’t know what was causing the fires. But now the company says it has traced the issue to printed circuit boards that are susceptible to an electrical short. The auto manufacturer received reports of 21 fires and one injury due to the fault, but no reports of fires extending to buildings. The circuit boards are part of the battery junction box. As part of the repair process dealers will check the box for melting damage and replace it if needed. They’ll also remove or repair a cooling fan ground wire that connects to the junction box, according to CNBC.
Ford is still advising owners to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until they can be serviced by a dealer. Around one-third of the recalled vehicles should be able to get fixed immediately, while parts for the remaining automobiles are expected to be available in early September. Customers will be notified about availability via the company’s FordPass app.
