Ford Motor Company has identified a remedy for customers affected by an under hood fire recall affecting some 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. The company has communicated repair procedures to dealers and is working quickly to make parts available as soon as possible.
Ford is still advising customers to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the dealer services their vehicle for this recall action. Vehicles may pose a risk of under hood fire, including while the vehicle is parked and off.
Dealers will first inspect the battery junction box for melting damage, and if so, will replace the entire component. They will then remove the engine fan ground wire from the battery junction box in affected vehicles with an 800-watt cooling fan system, which represents about one-third of the recalled vehicle population. This repair can be done immediately. For the remaining affected vehicles with a 700-watt cooling fan system, the repair is the same, except for the installation of an auxiliary box with a wire jumper. Parts for this repair are expected to be available starting in early September. Customers will be notified via FordPass today, with follow-up communication to customers of vehicles with 700-watt systems when parts are available.
Ford has received 21 reports of under hood fires – including five since the original recall filing in May – with 18 incidents impacting vehicles owned by rental companies. Ford is expanding the population to include a total of 66,221 Expedition and Navigator SUVs in the U.S. built between July 27, 2020 and Aug. 31, 2021 based on further analysis of the causes for the fires.
Ford believes the cause of these vehicle fires can be traced to a change in manufacturing location by a supplier during the COVID-19 pandemic. Printed circuit boards produced at this facility are uniquely susceptible to a high-current short and were supplied to Ford and installed in Expedition and Navigator SUVs produced during the recall window.
Ford has not issued instructions to stop driving vehicles under this recall and is not aware of any accidents related to this issue. The company is aware of one reported injury.
SOURCE: Ford
