Cracked injectors could lead to fire
Fix involves new software, drain tube
Ford is recalling more than 634,000 Bronco Sport and Ford Escape models with the 1.5L engine over a risk of fire from cracked fuel injectors. The recall covers model years 2020 through 2023, with many of those engines already recalled for an oil separator issue that could have also led to fire.
The automaker said that “when the engine is operating, a cracked fuel injector could cause fuel and/or fuel vapor to accumulate near hot surfaces, resulting in a potential under-hood fire.”
Covered by the recall are 516,000 vehicles with the 1.5L three-cylinder in the US and around 114,000 in Canada and other countries.
Ford’s planned fix is two-fold. The company will update the engine control software to allow it to detect a cracked injector. If a cracked injector is detected, it will give the driver a dashboard message. It will also reduce engine power to minimise the risk of fire.
The second part is to install a tube to drain any leaked fuel away from the cylinder head and any hot surfaces. Ford technicians will also check for a fuel odour near the top of the engine to determine if there is a leak at the time of inspection.
While the repair is not yet available for customers, Ford has not told drivers to stop driving their affected vehicles until one is. Once the repair is available, Ford will notify owners.
Ford’s internal projections say that the company expects an injector failure rate of 0.38 percent in 2020 model year vehicles at 15 years/150,000 miles and 0.22 for model years 2021 and 2022.
