Irish Ford Kuga owners issued with urgent fire defect warning
Ford is set to implement early warning software to over 2,500 Kuga models across Ireland, following a defect which could cause some plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models to short-circuit and catch fire while on the move.
The US carmaker issued a recall notice in March, affecting thousands of motorists. While no Irish incidents have been reported, the early warning software is expected to be available here in at least ten days - until then, Kuga drivers are instructed to refrain from charging their cars, and to drive only in 'Auto EV' mode to avoid further short-circuits.
If a short-circuit occurs while driving, owners will be shown a 'Stop Safely Now' message and a warning light in the instrument cluster. A loss of power might also be experienced, although other electronic controls will remain operational, as well as the steering and brakes.
'To all of our affected customers, we're really sorry that an issue has occurred with the Ford Kuga PHEV battery," said managing director of Ford UK and Ireland Lisa Brankin.
"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."
Brankin describes the software fix as giving the car's battery energy control module "enhanced capability to detect cell anomalies indicative of separator damage, providing advance 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."
Currently, Ford dealers in Ireland are offering complimentary "Kuga PHEV Check-Ups" until the software updates are rolled out. The check-up consists of a 29-point inspection including wheels, tyres, brakes and wheel bearings, steering and a Ford Video Check - a video report of the car's inspection sent to the owner's phone.
In addition, Ford has extended the warranty on all high-voltage Kuga parts to ten years or 240,000 kilometres for all affected PHEV models.
"Resolving this issue speedily and expertly is our priority, and while our engineering and software team fully focuses on that we will continue to monitor vehicles in operation," said Brankin.
"Only a very small number of vehicles on the road worldwide have reported an issue with battery thermal venting with zero reported issues in Ireland."
Only the latest third-generation Kuga is affected by these issues. The model suffered another unrelated recall shortly after going on sale in 2020, after seven models caught fire while charging. The fourth-generation Ford Focus is based on the same platform as the Kuga, but is thought to be unaffected.
Customers with further concerns are asked to contact Ford's Customer Relationship team on 1800 771 199, between the hours of 09:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday.
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