DETROIT — Federal investigators say they have “significant safety concerns” over a recall-related repair for a Ford SUV that doesn’t fix gasoline leaks that can cause engine fires.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is demanding extensive information from the automaker as it investigates the fix in a March 8 recall of nearly 43,000 Bronco Sport SUVs from the 2022 model years and 2023, and 2022 Escape SUVs. All have a 1.5-liter engine. engines.
Ford says SUVs are equipped with fuel injectors that crack, allowing gases or vapors to escape near hot engine parts, which can cause fires, fuel odors and an increased risk of injuries.
In an April 25 letter to Ford released Thursday, the agency’s Office of Defect Investigation wrote that, based on its review of the recalled repairs, it “believes that the repair program does not address not to the root cause of the problem and does not proactively call for replacement of faulty fuel injectors before they fail.
Ford’s remedy to the leaks involves adding a drain tube to direct gas away from hot surfaces, as well as a software update to detect a drop in pressure in the fuel injection system. If this happens, the software will disable the high pressure fuel pump, reduce engine power and reduce the temperature in the engine compartment. Owners will also receive a “search for service” message.
But in the 11-page letter to the automaker, the agency asks Ford to detail any tests performed to verify that the remedy fixed the problem and whether hardware repairs are necessary. It also asks the company to explain any other remedies considered and any cost-benefit analysis the company conducted when choosing the fix.
Safety advocates said Ford was trying to avoid the cost of replacing fuel injectors and instead opting for a cheaper solution that drained gasoline to the ground.
Ford said Thursday it was working with NHTSA during its investigation.
NHTSA is also asking Ford to detail how the software will detect a drop in fuel pressure, how much time passes between cracking and detection and what messages will be sent to the driver. He also asks what effect disabling the high-pressure fuel pump has on other parts of the fuel system and how SUVs will operate when the pump is disabled.
The agency also wants to know how much fuel will leak and whether that amount meets federal environmental and safety standards. And he wants to hear Ford’s view on “its obligations (legal, ethical, environmental and otherwise) to prevent and/or limit fuel leaks onto the roadway at all times during the life of a vehicle.”
Ford must provide information to the agency by June 21, the letter said. Depending on the results of its investigation, the agency may request additional repairs to fix the fuel leaks.
The company said in documents that it had reported five underhood fires and 14 warranty fuel injector replacements, but no reports of accidents or injuries.
In a previous email, Ford said it would not replace the fuel injectors because it believed the recall repairs would “prevent the failure from occurring and protect the customer.” The new software triggers a warning light on the dashboard and allows customers to drive to a safe location, stop the vehicle and arrange maintenance, the company said. NHTSA documents filed by Ford indicate the problem only occurs in about 1 percent of SUVs.
The company also announced that it would extend the warranty for cracked fuel injectors, so owners experiencing the problem will get replacements. Repairs are already available and details of the extended warranty will be available in June, Ford said.
The recall is an expansion of a 2022 recall for the same problem, according to Ford. The repair has already been tested on vehicles involved in the previous recall, and Ford said it was not aware of any issues.
The company also said it does not recommend that SUVs be parked only outdoors because there is no evidence that fires occur when vehicles are parked and the engines are turned off.
NHTSA said in documents that in the 2022 recall, which covered nearly 522,000 Bronco Sports and Escapes, Ford had the same remedy as in the last recall.
ABC News
