DETROIT — The U.S. authorities’s auto security company has opened an investigation right into a Ford recall for gasoline leaks from cracked gas injectors that may trigger engine fires, saying in paperwork that the treatment does not repair the leaks.
The Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration mentioned within the paperwork posted Friday on its web site that the probe will “consider the adequacy and security penalties of the treatment” that Ford specifies within the recall.
The company moved with uncommon pace, posting paperwork detailing the “recall question” simply two days after the recall was made public.
The recall covers almost 43,000 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs from the 2022 and 2023 mannequin years, and Escape SUVs from 2022. All have 1.5-liter engines.
NHTSA mentioned that gas injectors can crack, inflicting gasoline or vapors to leak at a excessive charge onto scorching surfaces within the engine compartment.
The Related Press reported Wednesday that Ford’s treatment for the leaks is set up of a drain tube to ship the fuel away from scorching surfaces, and a software program replace to detect a strain drop within the gas injection system. If that occurs, the software program will disable the excessive strain gas pump, scale back engine energy and minimize temperatures within the engine compartment. Homeowners additionally will get a “search service” message.
However the security company mentioned that Ford’s repair lets gas drain from a cylinder head gap to the bottom beneath the automobiles. “The recall treatment doesn’t embody substitute of the cracked gas injector,” the company mentioned.
A message was left early Friday in search of remark from Ford on the investigation.
Ford mentioned that it has experiences of 5 under-hood fires and 14 guarantee replacements of gas injectors, however no experiences of crashes or accidents.
In an electronic mail on Wednesday, Ford mentioned it isn’t changing gas injectors as a result of it’s assured the recall repairs “will forestall the failure from occurring and shield the shopper.” The brand new software program triggers a dashboard warning mild and permits prospects to drive to a protected location, cease the car and organize for service, the corporate mentioned. NHTSA paperwork filed by Ford say the issue occurs solely in about 1% of the SUVs.
The corporate additionally mentioned it would lengthen guarantee protection for cracked gas injectors, so house owners who expertise the issue will get replacements. Ford mentioned repairs are already out there, and particulars of the prolonged guarantee might be out there in June.
Ford mentioned the recall is an extension of a 2022 recall for a similar drawback. The restore has already been examined on automobiles concerned within the earlier recall, and Ford mentioned it’s not conscious of any issues.
The corporate additionally mentioned it isn’t recommending that the SUVs be parked solely outdoor as a result of there’s no proof that fires occur when automobiles are parked and the engines are off.
Michael Brooks, govt director of the nonprofit Middle for Auto Security, known as Ford’s treatment for the gas leaks a “Band-aid kind recall” and mentioned the corporate is making an attempt to keep away from the price of repairing the gas injectors.
