Ford Bronco Sport under US investigation over gas leak

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DETROIT – The U.S. government's auto safety agency has opened an investigation into a Ford recall related to gasoline leaking from cracked fuel injectors that could lead to engine fires, the agency said in documents.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents released Friday that the study will “assess the compliance and safety implications” of the remedy Ford has issued in the recall.

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The agency moved with unusual speed, posting documents detailing the “recall request” two days after the recall was announced.

The recall covers about 43,000 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs from the 2022 and 2023 model years and Escape SUVs from the 2022 model years. All have 1.5 liter engines.

NHTSA said fuel injectors can rupture, causing gasoline or vapors to leak at high speeds onto hot surfaces in the engine compartment.

According to the Associated Press on Wednesday, Ford's solution to the leak is to add a drain hose to divert gas from hot surfaces and update software to detect a drop in pressure in the fuel injection system. If this happens, the software shuts off the high-pressure fuel pump, reducing engine power and lowering engine compartment temperatures. Owners will also receive a “service search” message.

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But the U.S. said on Friday that Ford's fix would allow fuel to leak from a hole in the cylinder head into the ground beneath the vehicles. “The recall does not include replacing the cracked fuel injector,” the agency said.

Ford said Friday it was working with NHTSA on the investigation.

The company said in the filings there were reports of five fires under the hood and 14 warranty replacements of the fuel injectors, but no reports of crashes or injuries.

In an email Wednesday, Ford said it will not replace the fuel injectors because it believes the recall repairs will “prevent defects from occurring and protect the consumer.” The new software activates a warning light on the dashboard and allows customers to drive to a safe location, stop the vehicle and arrange for service, the company said. NHTSA documents provided by Ford state that this problem only occurs in about 1% of SUVs.

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The company also said it will extend the warranty period for cracked fuel injectors, so owners who experience the problem will receive a replacement. Repairs are already in place and details about the extended warranty will be available in June, Ford said.

According to Ford, the recall is an extension of a 2022 recall for the same issue. The fix has been tested on vehicles previously involved in the recall, and Ford says it's not aware of any problems.

The company also said it does not recommend that SUVs be parked outdoors only because there is no evidence that fires can occur when the vehicles are stationary and the engines are turned off.

NHTSA said in documents that the 2022 recall, which covers about 522,000 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles, contained the same equipment as Ford's last recall.

Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, called Ford's fuel leak prevention device a “Band-aid recall” and said the company is trying to avoid fuel injector repair costs.

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