Ford Focus Recall Impacts 1.2M Cars That May Stall While Driving

Owners of more than 1.2 million Ford Focus vehicles are being urged to make sure the gas tanks are kept at least half full, as part of a new recall issued due to a risk that the vehicles may suddenly stall while in motion, creating an auto accident risk. 

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the Ford Focus recall on October 24, indicating the engines’ vacuums may run excessively and result in an engine stall, without the ability to restart.

The recall involves certain Ford Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0L GDI or 2.0L GTDI engines with a Canister Purge Valve (CPV) that may malfunction, causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system. In this event, the faulty software could fail to respond as needed when a malfunctioning valve sticks open, deforming the fuel tank.

Ford warns that customers may experience an illuminated dash light, an inaccurate gas gauge or loss of power. Ford recommends customers with affected vehicles keep their gas tanks at least half full until a recall repair is obtained, to avoid running out of gas.

The NHTSA notified Ford about the issue in May, after several consumer complained about a loss of motive power in certain Ford Focus model years. Ford launched an investigation into the potential defect and discovered the CPV could malfunction and create a loss of power risk. Due to the potential risks, Ford recalled all vehicles equipped with similar designs.

The recall affects certain 2012 through 2018 Ford Focus vehicles with 2.0L GDI or 2.0L GTDI engines. The recall affects pproximately 1,282,596 vehicles distributed throughout the United States.

According to Ford officials, the recall should begin on December 10, 2018. Customers will be notified on how to schedule a free inspection and repair at their local dealers, who will be instructed to reprogram the Powertrain Control Module, check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module will also be inspected and replaced as necessary.

Customers with additional questions regarding the recall are encouraged to contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332 and reference the recall campaign number 18S32.