Government safety regulators announced on Monday that they have concluded their investigation into two prior recalls of the Ford Focus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed that Ford Motor Co. has addressed their concerns regarding the safety issues of the vehicle.
In 2018, Ford initiated a recall affecting approximately 1.5 million Ford Focus sedans manufactured between 2012 and 2018 due to potential power loss problems. The root of the issue was identified as a faulty canister purge valve and software that failed to detect when it was stuck in the open position. If the valve remained open, there was a risk of excessive vacuum accumulation in the fuel management system, leading to the deformation of the fuel tank.
Despite reports of five crashes and two injuries linked to the malfunction, fortunately, no fatalities were reported as a result. Ford took corrective action by rectifying the software flaw during the initial recall and subsequently issuing a software update in a separate recall conducted in 2019. However, in 2023, NHTSA launched an inquiry into these prior recalls following the reception of 98 consumer complaints asserting that their Ford Focus sedans were still experiencing power loss issues.
Responding to these ongoing concerns, Ford recently introduced a customer satisfaction program aimed at replacing the canister purge valve in the affected vehicles. The company acknowledged that the malfunctioning valve could lead to hesitations or stalling at low speeds, prompting the need for immediate intervention.
Consequently, NHTSA has confirmed that Ford’s latest initiative adequately addresses the identified safety risks, leading to the closure of their investigation into the previous recalls.
