Ford is expanding a recall on leaking fuel injectors to include an additional 42,652 model year 2022-2023 Ford Bronco Sport and 2022 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with 1.5-L engines.
So far, Ford is aware of five underhood fires and 14 warranty replacements of fuel injectors. Cracked fuel injectors may leak vapor or fuel inside the engine compartment, risking an underhood fire. Fuel could leak at a rate as high as 19 liters per hour. When it leaks, it can go into the cylinder head, travel out via a drain hole, and down onto hot surfaces inside the engine compartment. Drivers may notice a fuel odor inside or outside the vehicle, instrument cluster warnings, or even smoke or flames coming from the engine compartment.
The previous recall, issued in November 2022, included 521,746 model year 2020-2023 Ford Escape and 2021-2023 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles with 1.5-L engines. Before Ford expanded the recall, multiple complaints submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated that the recall repair was not available to some Ford vehicle owners.
For example, NHTSA complaints 11512013, 11510397 and 11506359 stated the following:
“The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
The remedy for the cracked fuel injectors is identical to that of the initial recall, and it comes in two parts. The first part is an updated engine control software, which will detect a pressure drop in the fuel rail, illuminate a warning light on the instrument cluster, disable the high-pressure fuel pump (if needed), and lower engine power output. If needed, it will also reduce the temperatures of different components in the engine compartment that would otherwise potentially cause a fire.
The second part of the remedy includes a drain tube that will allow fuel to drain from the cylinder drain hole. This tube will allow it to flow away from hot surfaces and instead drip to the ground below the vehicle.
Mailed notices for the updated recall are expected to be mailed some time in April 2024.
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