Ford Motor Company issued a recall in North America for select 2012 to 2018 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0-liter GDI and 2.0liter GTDI engines for a malfunctioning canister purge valve. These affected vehicles are equipped with a canister purge valve that may become stuck in an open position. If this occurs, an excessive vacuum in the fuel system could cause deformation of the vehicle’s plastic fuel tank. As a result, the customer could observe a malfunction indicator light or a fuel gauge with fluctuating or inaccurate fuel levels. This could lead to a stall while driving and/or an inability to restart the vehicle, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Due to at least 100 complaints from owners about the stalling or drivability issues with the models being recalled, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contacted the automaker about complaints regarding a suspected “loss of motor power” on Ford Focus vehicles. The vehicle would get up to 20 miles per hour and just stall in traffic. “This is becoming a major safety issue, especially having my 12-year-old in the vehicle with me,” a Virginia owner wrote the agency. This complaint, among others, prompted Ford to review the issue and initiate a field action to recall the defective vehicles.
Global fuel systems supplier TI Automotive is listed as the supplier of the defective components, specifically referencing its Ashley, Indiana, location. The recall includes approximately 1,463,389 vehicles in North America relating to this concern, with 1,282,596 in the United States and federalized territories, 136,272 in Canada and 44,521 in Mexico.
If you or someone you know has been injured by an automobile defect or some other product defect, contact an experienced attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.