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Detroit — The U.S. authorities’s auto security company has opened an investigation into a Ford recall for gasoline leaks from cracked gas injectors that may trigger engine fires, saying in paperwork that the treatment would not repair the leaks.
The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration stated 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.
The NHTSA stated that gas injectors can crack, inflicting gasoline or vapors to leak at a excessive charge onto sizzling 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 sizzling surfaces and a software program replace to detect a stress drop within the gas injection system. If that occurs, the software program will disable the excessive stress 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 stated Ford’s repair allows gas to empty from a cylinder head gap to the bottom beneath the automobiles. “The recall treatment doesn’t embody alternative of the cracked gas injector,” the company stated.
A message was left early Friday looking for remark from Ford on the investigation.
Ford stated it has experiences of 5 under-hood fires and 14 guarantee replacements of gas injectors, however no experiences of crashes or accidents.
In an e-mail on Wednesday, Ford stated it is not changing gas injectors as a result of it is 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 allows prospects to drive to a secure location, cease the automobile and prepare for service, the corporate stated. NHTSA paperwork filed by Ford say the issue occurs solely in about 1% of the SUVs.
The corporate additionally stated it would prolong guarantee protection for cracked gas injectors, so house owners who expertise the issue will get replacements. Ford stated repairs are already obtainable and particulars of the prolonged guarantee will probably be obtainable in June.
Ford stated the recall is an extension of a 2022 recall for a similar downside. The restore has already been examined on automobiles concerned within the earlier recall, and Ford stated it is not conscious of any issues.
The corporate additionally stated it is not recommending that the SUVs be parked solely open air as a result of there is no proof that fires occur when automobiles are parked and the engines are off.
Michael Brooks, government director of the nonprofit Middle for Auto Security, known as Ford’s treatment for the gas leaks a “Band-aid sort recall” and stated the corporate is making an attempt to keep away from the price of repairing the gas injectors.
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