634,000 Ford SUVs are being recalled due to fuel leaks and fire hazards | Rare Techy

Sault Ste. Marie owners of Ford SUVs may want to read this. Ford Motor Co. recalled more than 634,000 SUVs worldwide because of a broken fuel injector that could leak fuel or steam onto a hot engine and cause fires.

The recall identifies Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs from the 2020 to 2023 model years. All of the vehicles in question have 1.5-liter three-cylinder engines.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said in an official statement Thursday that it is not recommending that owners stop driving the vehicles or park them outside because fires have been found to be rare and generally do not occur when the engine is off.

Even so, Ford says it has received 20 reports of fires, including three that spread to nearby structures. The company has additionally identified four claims of fires discovered less than five minutes after the engines were shut down. As a further consequence of the problem, Ford has received four non-burn injury lawsuits and another 43 legal claims.

Repairs are not currently available, but at that point owners are encouraged to schedule service with a preferred dealer, Jim Azzouz, executive director of customer experience, said in a statement. It is reported that owners will be notified by letter from December 19.

Ford suggests that owners can take their SUVs to a dealer and get a free rental vehicle, or they can pick up and deliver for free.

During service appointments, dealers thoroughly inspect the injectors and replace them if necessary. Ford also extends the warranty on cracked fuel injectors by up to 15 years.

As an additional measure, dealers update the vehicles’ engine management software to detect a cracked injector. If such a problem is detected, drivers will receive a dashboard message that advises them to seek service. Additionally, when a drop in pressure is detected in the injectors, engine power is cut off to minimize danger and allow drivers to get to a safe place, stop and call for service, Ford said.

The last safety feature to be implemented is to install the pipe to drain the fuel away from the cylinder head and hot surfaces.

Ford has said it will not directly replace the injectors because leaks are considered low, citing an estimated 0.38% for 2020 models and 0.22% for 2021-2022 models. The price is valid for 15 years or 150,000 miles (240,000 kilometers).

– with files from ctvnews.ca