US: Ford recalls 85,000 SUVs over engine fire risk
Ford is recalling around 85,000 Explorer SUVs for the police in the US, because the engines might fail and cause a fire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the recall on Friday. It affects vehicles from model years 2020 to 2022, that are equipped with either a 3.3-liter hybrid or petrol engine.
What is the issue?
The NHTSA has warned that an engine failure in these vehicles, could result in significant amounts of engine oil or fuel vapor being released into the under-hood area. This could potentially lead to an under-bonnet fire, localized melting of the components, or smoke. As of July 9, there have been 13 reports of such fires in North America due to engine block breaches on Explorer PIU vehicles, built with 3.3-liter engines before June 2, 2022.
No accidents or injuries reported yet
Ford has stated that it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue. The company plans to send a letter to vehicle owners informing them about the ongoing investigation and advising them on safety measures. These include parking and shutting off the mill as soon as possible if they hear unexpected engine sounds, experience an unexpected torque reduction, or see smoke from the engine compartment.
Ford is working on a fix
Ford is currently working on a service remedy for the engine fire risk in its Explorer SUVs. The required parts and software are tipped to be available by the second quarter of next year. This recall underscores Ford's commitment to customer safety and its proactive approach in addressing potential vehicle issues.
