HYBRID ONLY Fuel line issue

[SafetyGuy]

Very interesting indeed. It will be even more interesting to see if they replace what was there with the older design from 22-24, or a the newer part from 25+. Thanks for keeping us up to date!

If this starts to be an issue for more people down the line, I wonder if we will see a recall for this? I'm sure, as other noted, Ford didn't add the extra protection for nothing!

I would bet dollars to doughnuts that the new line will have a synthetic cover like in mine.

Exactly true about "if this becomes a problem"...it already has, as this thread shows.

Fortunately nothing terrible happened in this instance, as the engine was cold.


A big thank you to @Waterick and @MYNOMAV for lifting their hoods and taking photos of their 2024 engines to see what their fuel line look like.


Andy

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[SafetyGuy]

Seems to me from the description of the leaking area and the pictures, that the leak coincides with that area of the thin shielding in the OP's that has a nick in it. Could it also be the cause of the leak?

to ft

The question has been asked, by Heybales I believe....we have received no further information regarding that possibilities.

Andy

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I don't have a Facebook account..but.
This is what pulled up when I googled fuel line leaks in Maverick hybrids. This was from last year so it is a thing.

What will it take before we get a new fuel line???

 

[SafetyGuy]

I'm not on Facebook.
This is what pulled up when I googled fuel line leaks in Maverick hybrids. This was from last year so it is a thing

Okay, Glen...that freaks me out to see the fuel leaking like that!

Edit to remove my mistaken belief that it was Glen's Mav leaking fuel!

I am glad it wasn't his truck!

Andy

 

[SafetyGuy]

@Glen Baker LLC

It is a pressurized fuel line, so not good to have leaking fuel, of course.

Edit to add para below...

Reporting to NHTSA to be investigated would be the first thing to do, to get the ball rolling, for anyone finding a defect such as the examples shown here.

Andy

 

[SafetyGuy]

The posting is just something I saw on Facebook it's nothing related with MY truck.
I posted it to illustrate that it's happened before.

Oh, phew! I was worried there. Thanks for sorting me out that it wasn't your truck.

I will need to go do some editing...

Andy

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

We live in an age where consumers can immediately take pictures of their products and compare them.

Here's the OP'S LEAKING FUEL LINE.

Ford Updated The Fuel Line 25-26
Here's the same area on the fuel line but it's been further insulated on the 2025 / 2026 Along with green factory verification marks
Obviously Ford must have detected or was inform of a problem.

SafetyGuy's 2025

El Kobong's

It seems Ford knows of a potential problem. Hence the redesign fuel line on @SafetyGuy 's 2025 and @El Kabong 2026

I doubt it involved a rodent, otherwise why did Ford add insulation to that particular area?

 

[Timothyd]

My continuing thoughts, as we await any further feedback from the OP.

In the front of my mind is the thought that if this hazardous situation (vaporized fuel spewing into the potentially hot engine bay) did happen with no exterior forces acting upon the line, is the saving of the subject failed fuel line for investigative purposes.

If the dealership (involved technician as well as the job person behind the desk) show no interest in why this happened, parts will be changed and quickly disposed of. Fix it up and get it out, which is normal for a repair facility.

I can only think of 3 things that could lead to this fuel line leaking:

1-was the line damaged during the installation/assembly and time (I am assuming the OP's truck is a 2022) took its toll resulting in a small fracture and vaporized fuel escaping into the engine bay,

2-was any maintenance carried out on the line or in the area where accidental damage occurred and eventually led to the fuel vapor leak,

3-a design fault, by Ford as to the construction of or quality/specifications of the plastic fuel line that is under pressure and time, heat etc has taken its toll resulting in a hairline fracture allowing the fuel release.

It is interesting that early models of Mavericks have no sturdy 2nd layer of shielding, while my 2025 model does.

And now we wait...

Andy

4- some critter with a evil chewing compulsion spent some time in the engine bay.

You're right, we'll see. I would have liked to take a close look at that leak. Good thing it's the hybrid with the lower pressure fuel. The direct injection would have squirted even harder.

 

[KO Stradivarius]

We live in an age where consumers can immediately take pictures of their products and compare them.

Here's the OP'S LEAKING FUEL LINE.

Here's the same area on the fuel line but it's been further insulated on the 2025 / 2026
Obviously Ford must have detected a problem.

It seems Ford knows of a potential problem. Hence the redesign fuel line on @SafetyGuy 's 2025 and @El Kabong 2026

I doubt it involved a rodent, otherwise why did Ford add insulation to that particular area?

One thing to know is that the 5-digit "FY4RC" code on the tag is the supplier site code. I checked my '25 and it is FXL6E. Obviously a new part number, too.

It seems like there was a redesign of the fuel line and a new supplier (or same supplier, new site) was chosen. I wonder if the new part is backwards compatible? It could be that there were some supplier quality issues that factored into this decision. It's hard to say but this does happen sometimes.

 

[HeyBales]

While some items may break and leave you stranded safely but annoyed - and a TSB will replace item with better/new design then - this isn't that kind of issue.

If indeed a potential issue - I'd bet that zip tied wrap would take less time than a software update, and probably done before the service manager finished the paperwork logging with Ford it was done.

Shoot - for likely half of us - let us pull into the check in area - hand us the shield/ties and a picture of where it goes exactly - and we'll install it before the paperwork is done with a picture showing done correctly.
ETA: also give us a cloth cover to lean against, and sink/towel to clean hands with. And a T-shirt that says "I'm on the team!"

Please report that - tells me it must be known, but not enough seen to cause a recall.
Good grief though - effects when it happens could be rather severe.

 

[SafetyGuy]

Exactly right, @HeyBales

That is the cause of my concern, if it infrequently happens, in different situations, eventually somebody will have more severe outcomes.

And I also believe most here could do it in a snap as well!

But some would need assistance.

Cheers,

Andy

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

While some items may break and leave you stranded safely but annoyed - and a TSB will replace item with better/new design then - this isn't that kind of issue.

If indeed a potential issue - I'd bet that zip tied wrap would take less time than a software update, and probably done before the service manager finished the paperwork logging with Ford it was done.

Shoot - for likely half of us - let us pull into the check in area - hand us the shield/ties and a picture of where it goes exactly - and we'll install it before the paperwork is done with a picture showing done correctly.
ETA: also give us a cloth cover to lean against, and sink/towel to clean hands with. And a T-shirt that says "I'm on the team!"

Please report that - tells me it must be known, but not enough seen to cause a recall.
Good grief though - effects when it happens could be rather severe.

Exactly right, @HeyBales

That is the cause of my concern, if it infrequently happens, in different situations, eventually somebody will have more severe outcomes.

And I also believe most here could do it in a snap as well!

But some would need assistance.

Cheers,

Andy

Fuel line fires may have happened, but we haven't read about them.
Something caused Ford to update the fuel line in that area. I'd like to know why?

I feel For Liability reasons.
A Ford dealer would insist their mechanics install it, instead of just handing it over to the customer.

 

[SafetyGuy]

Fuel line fires may have happened, but we haven't read about them.

I feel For Liability reasons.
A Ford dealer would insist their mechanics install it, instead of just handing it over to the customer.

It is my thought that if the line is a potential problem, or if I was in charge of the decision...the line in question would be changed as part of a recall...the reason being no one would know if the already installed line has already been compromised/damaged or not with it not being shielded sufficiently during years of use.

So, to do an effective repair it would require the line of concern being replaced with a new line with the shield in place. And of course this would be done down at our friendly neighbourhood Ford dealership!

Again, just my thoughts after carrying out my own risk assessment of the situation, and the inherent prejudice of my own thoughts of how things should be done correctly!

Andy

 

[KO Stradivarius]

While some items may break and leave you stranded safely but annoyed - and a TSB will replace item with better/new design then - this isn't that kind of issue.

If indeed a potential issue - I'd bet that zip tied wrap would take less time than a software update, and probably done before the service manager finished the paperwork logging with Ford it was done.

Shoot - for likely half of us - let us pull into the check in area - hand us the shield/ties and a picture of where it goes exactly - and we'll install it before the paperwork is done with a picture showing done correctly.
ETA: also give us a cloth cover to lean against, and sink/towel to clean hands with. And a T-shirt that says "I'm on the team!"

Please report that - tells me it must be known, but not enough seen to cause a recall.
Good grief though - effects when it happens could be rather severe.

Yeah but you are assuming that the only change was adding the extra shealth. There could be other changes such as different material, increased wall thickness, retention changes, etc. We are just guessing. The fact that it looks like the supplier changed tells me it could be more complicated.

 

[OleFordGuy]

Yeah but you are assuming that the only change was adding the extra shealth. There could be other changes such as different material, increased wall thickness, retention changes, etc. We are just guessing.

You’re right, we use to call it spit balling. 1st issue reported in 5 years now. I get it could have had much much worse but until more than 1 is reported in that length of time, for me, I sum it up as a freak 1 off issue and conclude the sky is not falling and not make a mountain out a mole hill. Others may have different opinions and that’s fine. Just my 2 cents

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