Dive Brief:

• Ford Motor Co. has issued a recall for 90,736 vehicles for engine intake valves that could fracture, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• The recalled models include model year 2021-2022 Bronco, F-150, Edge and Explorer, and Lincoln Nautilus and Aviator SUVs vehicles equipped with either 2.7L or 3.0L EcoBoost engines.
• The automaker’s global Critical Concern Review Group opened an investigation into the problem in January 2022, after an internal investigation found 22 instances of engine failure on model year 2021 Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus models in service just three months or less.

Dive Insight:

Following the January investigation, Ford’s North American CCRG opened an investigation in May for 2021 model year Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with the same two EcoBoost engines.

After a teardown of the failed engines from vehicles being serviced under warranty, Ford engineers discovered intake valve fractures on 251 of them. The fractured intakes valves fell into the combustion chamber, leading to catastrophic engine damage in each instance.

The NHTSA launched a defect petition a week later on May 27 in response to numerous complaints from 2021 Ford Bronco owners regarding severe engine damage. The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation identified 26 questionnaires related to the issue, according to the report.

In September 2023, the NHTSA opened a more thorough engineering analysis which expanded to other 2021 and 2022 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with the same 2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost engines.

According to the NHTSA report, Ford noted that there were a higher number of engine failures for vehicles produced between May 1, 2021 and Oct. 31, 2021. But the estimated number of Ford vehicles with the defect could be as high as 708,837.

To date, Ford is aware of 267 field reports of engine failures from Oct. 6, 2020 to Oct. 18, 2023, along with 223 customer reports dated between of March 31, 2021 to Aug. 29, 2023.

Ford’s CCRG determined that the supplier’s grinding processes for the intake valves were not within control specifications, resulting in insufficient hardness of the metal that makes them brittle and more susceptible to cracking.

However, the intake valve material was changed for vehicles produced after Oct. 31, 2021, which increased the valve’s hardness and durability, according to the NHTSA report. The intake valves were manufactured by Nebraska-based supplier Eaton Corp.

Recall notification letters are expected to be sent to Ford dealers on Sept. 30, while owner notifications are expected to be sent between Oct. 7-11.

As part of the recall, dealers will inspect the vehicles to determine its cumulative number of engine cycles. Engines that do not meet Ford’s cycle threshold test will be replaced at no cost. Owners that have already paid to have their engines repaired may be eligible for reimbursement.

Ford has now issued 46 separate recalls since January, the most out of any other automaker in 2024, according to the NHTSA. The recalls potentially extend to nearly 4 million vehicles as of Sept. 5.