USA Today reported on Oct. 25, 2018 that Ford Motor Company will recall 1.46 million 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles that can stall in traffic, increasing crash risk.
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The affected vehicles contain 2 liter GDI and 2 liter GTDI engines. A defective canister purge valve can become stuck in an open position, deforming the fuel tank. The manufacturer stated the valve sends liquid fuel into the vehicle’s evaporative emission control system, collapsing the tank with excess vacuum pressure.
This can make the vehicle stall and then not restart, or have difficulty restarting. Consumers may notice an indicator light or fuel gauge displaying inaccurate fuel levels.
Car and Driver reported nearly every Focus model built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant from the 2012-2018 model years is under recall, totaling 1,282,956 cars. Ford stated 180,793 recalled vehicles are in Canada and Mexico.
Ford stated the recall will begin in December 2018, and dealers will reprogram the vehicles’ powertrain electronic control units to prevent the valve from sticking open. Dealers will replace any faulty purge valves along with the associated carbon filter, fuel pump and if needed, entire fuel tank. Ford stated consumers should keep their vehicles’ fuel tanks at least half full until the recall begins.
The Ford Focus is no stranger to recall problems. Ford corrected this same issue for naturally aspirated 2 liter engines on the production line in April 2017 and for turbocharged 2 liter engines in February 2018. Ford recalled the 2014 Ford Focus for fuel pump problems causing stalling in 2014 and 2015. Ford recalled 1.5 million 2012-2016 Ford Focus vehicles in 2017 after customers reported shaking, shuddering or otherwise malfunctioning transmissions.
The manufacturer of your vehicle is legally required to fix any recalled problems for free. If the dealership refuses to fix the part or tries to charge you for the repair, contact the manufacturer immediately. The Highway Safety Act of 1970, which created the NHTSA, requires car manufacturers to pay for the recall and replacement of a defective part.
If the manufacturer fails to repair, replace, repurchase, or provide the loss value of your recalled vehicle, they are violating the warranty and a lawyer may be able to help you. Lemon law attorneys help their clients by dealing directly with the manufacturer on the clients’ behalf, working to promptly resolve the issue and get their clients back on the road. Thanks to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, attorneys can seek their fees directly from the manufacturer, meaning a client can obtain legal counsel without having to pay attorneys’ fees directly out of pocket.