Ford issues warning to Kuga PHEV owners to avoid charging battery following technical fault
Ford said only a small number of vehicles worldwide have reported an issue with battery thermal venting, with no reported issues in Ireland.
Lisa Brankin, Chair and Managing Director of Ford of Britain and Ireland said: 'To all of our affected customers, we're really sorry that an issue has occurred with the Ford Kuga PHEV battery.
"Our engineers are working closely with the supplier of the affected part, and are putting all of their resources into perfecting a software update to remedy the issue.'
Ms Brankin said the software update will be available within 10-15 days and will give the Battery Energy Control Module enhanced capability to detect cell anomalies indicative of separator damage.
It will also provide advanced warning to owners of a high-voltage battery issue before thermal venting occurs.
In the event of anomaly detection, dealers will replace the vehicle's high voltage battery pack, the company said.
Ford is asking all Kuga PHEV drivers to use their cars in 'Auto EV' mode and avoid charging until the software update is installed by their Ford dealer and completed.
It said resolving this issue speedily and expertly is its priority, and it will continue to monitor vehicles in operation while engineers and software teams work on the issue.
If customers have any concerns about their Kuga PHEV, they can contact their local dealership for reassurance, and to book in for a complimentary 'Kuga PHEV Check-Up'* to reassure them that the vehicle is safe and road-worthy when in Auto EV mode.
Ford said it also extending the warranty for high voltage components to 10 year/240,000km, covering the high voltage battery, for all affected Kuga PHEVs in Europe.
If customers require further assistance or would like to discuss how they are being affected by this recall notification, they can contact Ford's customer relationship team on 1800 771 199 between 9am and 5pm.
'Ford is committed to bringing a great lineup of hybrid and electric vehicles to market in Ireland helping to serve our customers' needs, reduce emissions and being there for our dealers and communities long into the future,' the automobile company said.
"We are committed to resolving this issue as quickly as possible for our customers and thank you for your patience and trust in us.'
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