Ford recalls nearly 519,000 U.S. vehicles due to fire hazard | Rare Techy

Nov 24 (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co ( FN ) is recalling nearly 519,000 SUVs (SUVs) in the U.S. over a fire hazard caused by possible cracked fuel injectors and is urging owners to have their cars inspected, it said on Thursday.

America’s No. 2 automaker by sales said the recall covers model-year 2020-2023 Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs with 3-cylinder 1.5-liter engines, including many recalled in April because the oil separator housing could crack and leak, causing engine fire.

Ford said that when the engines of the SUVs covered by the latest recall are running, a cracked fuel injector could cause fuel or fuel vapors to collect near hot surfaces, potentially causing a fire under the hood.

When repairs are available, dealers will update the vehicle’s software to detect if the fuel injector is cracked and send a dashboard notification to drivers.

“When a drop in fuel line pressure is detected, engine power is automatically reduced to minimize risk while allowing customers to drive to safety, stop the vehicle and arrange for service,” added Ford.

Dealers will also install a pipe that drains fuel away from the cylinder head and away from hot surfaces, and check the top of the engine for excessive fuel odors.

Ford said it has had a total of 54 reports of fires under the hood of the 1.5L, including four cases of broken fuel injectors. About 13 others were probably caused by a leaking fuel injector.

There are no deaths related to the recall.

Ford said it will not tell owners to stop driving the vehicles as part of this recall. The company predicts a low failure rate for fuel injectors in case of external leakage.

Reporting by David Shepardson in Petaluma, Calif. Editing by David Goodman

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