US agency ends investigation into Ford engine failures after recall and warranty extension

U.S. car information regulators person ended an investigation into Ford motor failures aft nan institution replaced engines aliases extended nan warranty connected immoderate vehicles

DETROIT -- The U.S. government's car information regulator has ended a 2 1/2-year investigation into Ford motor failures aft nan institution replaced engines aliases extended nan warranty connected immoderate vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says successful documents posted Monday connected its website that its study traced nan problem to intake valves that tin fracture wrong immoderate 2.7-liter and 3-liter turbocharged engines.

Documents opportunity nan probe opened successful May of 2022 ended up covering much than 411,000 vehicles from nan 2021 and 2022 exemplary years including nan Ford F-150 Bronco, Edge and Explorer arsenic good arsenic nan Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus.

The agency was looking into catastrophic motor failures caused by intake valves fracturing, dropping into nan cylinder and hitting nan piston.

The documents opportunity a forensic study of fractured valves recovered that erstwhile nan they were made by a parts supplier, nan somesthesia sewage excessively high, making them brittle and apt to fracture during normal motor use.

An study of nonaccomplishment study information recovered that nan faulty valves were made from May done October of 2021, nan agency said. Ford contended that not each valves produced during this play were faulty and that a immense mostly of nan failures happened earlier nan vehicles were driven 20,000 miles.

An agency statistical study to foretell nan number of failures, and an study of nonaccomplishment reports “are mostly consistent” pinch Ford's determination that nan valves would neglect astatine debased mileage, and nan mostly of vehicles pinch nan faulty valves “have already knowledgeable a failure,” nan agency said.

Earlier this twelvemonth Ford recalled astir 91,000 vehicles pinch valves made during nan fishy period. They'll beryllium tested and get a caller motor if necessary. The institution besides extended nan warranty connected vehicles pinch valves made during nan play to 10 years aliases 150,000 miles, nan documents said.

During nan investigation, nan agency said it recovered 396 customer complaints, 825 warranty claims and 936 motor replacements. There were nary reported crashes aliases injuries.