New Maverick Recall: 2.5 Hybrid Engine Fire Hazard [Updated w/ Safety Recall Notice to Dealers]

[Aza]

Pre-production/test/pilot models.

ok.. I thought those get destroyed. I learned something new

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[Platinum2]

It looks like the Ford dealer will drill some holes through the front under engine shield and remove some blinds from the active grill shutters.

I'm fine with the holes. Seems like a simple solution to let fluids escape.

But I'm NOT OK with removing blinds from the active grill shutters. They are there for a reason. Specifically, the AGS reduces emissions and improves aerodynamics. Is there really no other solution to this problem?!?! @Ford Motor Company

Wait...what? You're OK with letting fluids (gas and oil) leak out onto the roadway, but not OK with removing blinds from the grill because it increases emissions? Riiiiiiight.

Hard to take this point of view seriously.

 

[Hoagus]

I never saw this defect described by any owners here. All they’re doing is increasing air flow, which seems like a minor adjustment. I’d still have it done, but would probably wait until the next oil change to take it in. Unless they’re also going to fix the wiring harness sometime soon.

 

[Gullzway]

I have no notification of this when I check my FordPass app. I'll wait for the written letter. Doesn't seem to be a big deal. I have marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers if my truck does catch fire. Just keep looking at the bright side of things, y'all.

Put your VIN in here

Ford Recalls | Ford Owner Support

Unless they’re also going to fix the wiring harness sometime soon.

Probably what I'll wait for as well.

 

[RR - All the way]

Make sure that the guy drilling the holes in the shield is not the same guy who drilled the drain holes after the SIB was installed... Quite a fix: drill holes in what was a shield and remove parts from an item designed to function as it was built. Guess that is the best they can do or is it the quickest and cheapest????

 

[Castagnola11]

Put your VIN in here

Ford Recalls | Ford Owner Support


Probably what I'll wait for as well.

Muchas gracias, @Gullzway. I guess I should keep my s'mores supply close by. Real question; does recall work need to be done at the dealership you purchased it at or any dealership?

 

[Snax]

Wait...what? You're OK with letting fluids (gas and oil) leak out onto the roadway, but not OK with removing blinds from the grill because it reduces emissions? Riiiiiiight.

Hard to take this point of view seriously.

Maybe it's "hard to take this point of view seriously" because you didn't understand the actual point of view? I'll try to address some of your misconceptions:

No, I'm not OK with leaking fluids on the road. But that's what will happen if there's a leak that might cause a fire, regardless of whether there are holes in the engine shield. The purpose of the shield isn't to prevent leaks. Leaking engines should be repaired. But, until a repair can be undertaken, it's better that the fluids do not accumulate and cause a fire. So, yes, I'm OK with drilling holes in the shield to reduce the odds of a fire, should the engine spring a leak. Holes or not, a broken truck is going to leak on the road, so it's important to get it fixed ASAP.

As for the blinds, I would rather that Ford find a way to reduce volatile fumes (from a possible fuel leak?), without increasing emissions and reducing efficiency. Other manufactures seem to be able to accomplish this. Ford needs to find a more elegant solution to their design flaw than ripping out blinds.

Maybe take a moment to make sure that you aren't jumping to erroneous conclusions before hurling insults?

 

[Nosehtam]

Is this for those red hot catalytic converters?

The red hot converters was a programming issue, this is for if the motor or oil pan fails there's not enough drainage in the engine shield for the oil or gas to drain away before being exposed to heat and potential ignition. There are four plugs in the cover that the dealership is to remove to provide drainage.

 

[rclee]

I read this bulletin and it is basically saying the engine has to grenade the lower end (which would let all the fluids out) and catch fire.

Did I read this correctly?

I would think any car that did that would have a fire.

 

[Buyerfind]

You're calling for rod bearing failures on the EB engines? And what percentage of engines do you expect this to happen to?

I ask because Kia/Hyundai have recalled about 6 million vehicles for similar issues and the failure count was about 5,000.. so fractions of a percent.

**I was one of those fractions...Hyundai dealer last year replaced the entire 2017 Sante Fe engine when it died on I-95. So fractions, while small, are real HUGE if you are among the affected.

 

[Lone Star Proud]

Per AP, they're essentially going to try to drain/vent the fuel vapor and oil so hopefully it doesn't catch fire should your crankshaft be one of the "0.17 of 1,000" vehicles that leads to engine failure. Engine replacement would only come as a result of crankshaft-induced engine failure, not as part of the recall itself.



https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/fo...owners-park-outside-over-engine-fire-concerns

Wouldn't it be pretty obvious that you had catastrophic engine failure? It's not like it's going to fail in your garage in the middle of the night sitting by itself.

 

[Mite-o-Dan]

Gone are any regrets I had in choosing the ecoboost over the hybrid.

In a few months after everything is fixed or with the 2023 model and knowing the hundreds of dollars you missed out on saving in gas, you'll feel bad again.

 

[Hoagus]

You're calling for rod bearing failures on the EB engines? And what percentage of engines do you expect this to happen to?

About 0.17 per 1000 units.

 

[Snax]

About 0.17 per 1000 units.

Or, stated another way, 17 out of 100,000. Yeah, that sounds like more than .017 out of 100.

 

[MLowe05]

I don't like to push percentages. It all depends upon the percentage of owners who maintain their vehicle properly. We do about 5 ring jobs on these engines (I work for Volvo) a month, and they are usually done on poorly maintained engines. And just because the manufacturer suggests 10k miles between oil changes doesn't mean you should wait that long (or ignore checking oil levels between changes), or visit your local "value lube" shop to have it done. Don't go cheap, or it will cost you in the long run. A good intake cleaner (CRC intake cleaner is great) every other oil change makes a world of difference as well. There are plenty of youtube videos about how to care for these engines.

So you get the pleasure of working on those 2.0 Volvo I4s, eh? What was it, the 2016 or something XC90 the biggest culprit?

We owned a Volvo briefly - a 2021 XC40 T5 - and while the car itself was nice, the engine and transmission ruined the whole experience. I had just sold a Mercedes E-class and we had a Porsche Macan as well. The Volvo felt like a luxury car until you drove it, and then it felt like an economy car. We had it for 5 months.

FWIW, I ran 10-13,000 mile OCIs across 5 different Mercedes cars from 2008 through 2020 - from supercharged I4s to the M276 V6. I had the oil analyzed regularly and the reports, without exception, always said the oil was fine to keep going. I plan to do the same with the Maverick. If the analysis says the oil life monitor is right, then that's what I will use.

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