Ford is recalling approximately 85,000 Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles because the engines may fail prematurely and possibly result in a fire.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday that the recall is for vehicles with model years 2020 to 2022 and have 3.3L hybrid or gas engines.
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The NHTSA said that if an engine failure occurs, significant quantities of engine oil or fuel vapor may be released into the under hood area and may migrate to and accumulate near ignition sources, resulting in a potential under-hood fire, localized melting of components, or smoke.
The agency said that as of July 9, there are 13 reports of under hood fires in North America resulting from engine block breaches on Explorer PIU vehicles built with 3.3L engines made before June 2, 2022. There are no reports of fire resulting from engine block breaches on non-police vehicles.
Ford isn’t aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition, the report said. The automaker will be mailing a letter to vehicle owners advising them that the investigation is ongoing and that they will be contacted when further information is available.
Ford will also advise customers in the letter to safely park and shut off the engine as soon as possible when they hear unexpected engine noises, or after experiencing an unexpected torque reduction, or see smoke from the engine compartment.
A service remedy is currently being developed. Parts and software are expected to be available in the second quarter of next year.