A more than year-long NHTSA investigation into leaking fuel injectors in Ford SUVs has just been closed. Federal safety officials were taking a deeper look into Ford's 1.5-liter three-cylinder and a fuel injector problem that led to the discovery that Ford's software recalls weren't getting completed. Now, with Ford issuing a new recall and a better solution to make sure the fix was done, the feds have closed the book. For now.
Fuel Injector Recall Didn't Fix Fuel Injectors
Way back in 2022, Ford issued a recall on certain 2020-2022 Ford Escape and 2021-2023 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs with the 1.5-liter engine. The issue was that the fuel injectors could crack, spraying fuel and vapor into the engine compartment. If the fuel or vapor hit something hot or a spark, it could cause a fire. Generally speaking, fires outside of engines are bad.
The 2022 recall, and another issued in March 2024, were meant to address the issue. Ford added a tube to direct leaking fuel away from possible flashpoints to the ground. It would also update the engine software to detect leaking fuel, derating the engines to try and cool down temperatures and get the driver to stop before a fire started. Astute individuals might notice that the recalls didn't prevent fuel injectors from leaking, which was actually the problem.
NHTSA's Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) "identified various safety concerns with this remedy program." For example, that Ford had made the decision that it wouldn't replace the cracked and leaking injectors. And that the fix introduced new safety concerns, like the possibility of spilling fuel near the spark plugs and the dangers of pouring leaking fuel onto the road.
As a result, the NHTSA and ODI opened a Recall Query. It's an investigation to find out if the fixes worked, and to make sure they didn't cause other problems.
Investigation Found A Wider-Ranging Issue At Ford
While trying to find out if the fixes worked, Ford learned that not everyone marked as getting the fix had actually gotten the fix. Ford learned that a software tool dealers used to install the updates wouldn't always correctly advise of a successful update. It also couldn't dig into modules to let Ford techs check their work.
Such software issues are a major reason why Ford has had a record-setting number of recalls this year. The fuel injector software is just one of many that needed to be confirmed through a follow-up recall. But obviously, a software recalibration was only a part of Ford's questionable fuel injector recall.
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This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
