US Regulators Close Investigation Of 411,000 Pickup Trucks And Ford SUVs Related To Engine Problems

Ford Bronco 2021. (Doc. Ford Motor Company)

JAKARTA - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the United States safety regulator, has closed an investigation into 411,000 Ford pickup trucks and SUVs over issues in 2.7 liter EcoBoost engines. The investigation began in July 2022, following reports that several Ford Bronco models could potentially experience valve damage.

Reporting from Reuters, Wednesday, November 6, the scope of the investigation was expanded to include other models, such as Ford Edge, F-150, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and Nautilus, with EcoBoost 2.7L or 3.0L engines from the 2021 and 2022 production years. The regulator found that some vehicles affected were at risk of experiencing engine failure suddenly without any warning with the main cause suspected to be engine valve damage.

NHTSA recorded as many as 1,066 vehicle reports related to this issue. In August, Ford had withdrawn 90,000 vehicles after finding that not all of the valves produced were disabled. Further inspections and testing at dealers were also carried out to ensure vehicles that had not met the usage threshold were still safe from damage.

Ford stated that most failures occur in vehicles with a distance of under 32,000 km, and most incidents occur even before the vehicle reaches 8,000 km. According to NHTSA, the problem lies in a valve that exceeds the standard of violence, making it fragile and at risk of breaking, which could result in severe engine damage.

As an anticipatory measure, Ford will provide a warranty extension for 90,000 recalled vehicles, covering 10 years or 241,000 km, which was achieved first. Ford also confirmed that so far there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue.