An aging Ford can hide a failure that turns a routine drive into a sudden loss of power. Federal safety regulators now say the problem may pose an unreasonable risk, and they are taking a closer look at the engine system behind it.
Yesterday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration upgraded its investigation into certain older Ford Fiesta, Focus and EcoSport vehicles to an engineering analysis, according to The Detroit News. That phase allows the agency to conduct deeper component and vehicle testing and could eventually lead to a recall covering roughly 135,000 vehicles.
The suspected failure involves a belt that can shed material as it degrades. NHTSA's earlier investigation summary said that debris may clog the oil-pump pickup screen, causing oil starvation, engine seizure and a loss of motive power; the agency's preliminary review focused on certain 1.0-liter manual-transmission Fiesta and Focus models and logged 44 complaints.
Reports reviewed by regulators mostly included a low engine-oil-pressure warning before the vehicle lost all or some power, but NHTSA also found that some drivers could experience the failure without sufficient warning despite following routine oil-change schedules. The reported failures occurred around 70,000 miles, and 98% happened before Ford's suggested 150,000-mile timing-belt replacement interval, The Detroit News reported.
The Concern Extends Beyond One Ford Recall
The latest investigation follows an existing Ford safety recall involving certain Fiesta, Focus and EcoSport vehicles with 1.0-liter EcoBoost engines and automatic transmissions. In its dealer bulletin, Ford said a damaged oil-pump drive belt or tensioner could reduce oil pressure, damage or seize the engine, cause a loss of motive power and reduce power-braking assistance, increasing crash risk.
Ford has also offered customer-satisfaction assistance and reimbursement for some owners who previously paid for repairs tied to the belt-related problem. Eligibility is generally tied to a vehicle identification number, model, mileage and repair history, so an owner should not assume that a similar-looking Ford is automatically covered; Ford explains that owners can check customer-satisfaction programs and reimbursement eligibility through its support system.
No New Recall Has Been Ordered Yet
An engineering analysis is an escalation, not a recall announcement. It gives NHTSA time to test the parts, examine failure patterns and determine whether Ford must take broader action, while Ford says it is working with the agency as the review continues, according to The Detroit News.
Owners of potentially affected vehicles can enter their VIN into the federal NHTSA recall database and contact a Ford dealer about open recalls or customer programs. If a low-oil-pressure warning, unusual engine noise or a sudden power reduction appears, Ford advises treating it as a potential engine problem rather than simply driving on and hoping the dashboard light gets bored.
