Ford recalls hundreds of Irish cars due to fire hazard with crucial warning

Ford is recalling hundreds of cars for fear of fires with a crucial warning to avoid charging the high-voltage battery.

The manufacturer has begun a voluntary recall of certain Kuga PHEV vehicles.

A total of 336 cars in the Republic of Ireland manufactured between January 13 and September 24, 2020 are affected.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission shared the recall notice explaining that the failure is due to contamination of the battery cell.

The notice reads: “A safety issue was identified whereby the supplier’s battery cell manufacturing process resulted in particulate contamination in the battery cells that can cause an internal short circuit of the high voltage battery cells ( HV) resulting in Thermal overflow leading to cell venting A malfunction of the HV battery cell or a charging failure could cause the HV battery pack to release hot gas.

“If the hot gas comes into contact with other components, this could cause a fire in the vehicle. Also, failure of the high-voltage battery cover gasket, after prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures due to ventilation from the cell, results in gases directed at other components that can exceed their maximum design temperatures. “

A spokesperson for CCPC added: “It is very important that you do not connect your vehicle to charge the high voltage battery.

“Henry Ford & Son Limited will contact affected consumers in writing to request that they contact their local dealer / authorized repairer to complete any necessary rectification work.

“If you think your vehicle may be affected by this recall, please contact Henry Ford & Son Limited on 1800 771 199 (open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM) or use the Dealer Locator here to find your nearest Ford service point. “

While Lisa Brankin, Ford CEO Ireland, said: “We have identified contamination of cells in the transmission battery system as the cause of the problem experienced by a small number of Kuga PHEVs.

“Given the potentially serious consequences that could result from this, we have decided to install a new drive battery pack in all affected Kuga PHEV vehicles.

“Your vehicle will need to be in a workshop for at least a full day so that we can complete all necessary work, including software updates.”