Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Justin Hilliard
Head of Editorial
31 Mar 2017
2 min read

Ford Australia has recalled 4850 examples of its Kuga and Fiesta ST models in relation to a safety issue that could lead to a fire in the engine compartment.

The 4450 Kugas involved were built between December 16, 2012 and July 2, 2014, while the 400 defective Fiesta STs were manufactured from March 26, 2013 to November 11, 2014.

All of the affected vehicles are fitted with the same 1.6-litre EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, but offer different states of tune.

Localised overheating of the engine cylinder head could cause it to crack and result in an oil leak, which happens due to a lack of coolant circulation.

A worst case scenario would involve the leaked oil being ignited, which may cause the front-end of the car to become engulfed in flames.

There were only seven recorded incidents locally.

Although the parts required to fix this issue are not immediately available, the Blue Oval has said it is working with suppliers to increase inventory as quickly as possible.

In the interim, the company recommends that Kuga and Fiesta ST owners maintain the correct engine coolant level in their vehicles, as doing so will considerably reduce the risk of fire.

If symptoms of overheating or a coolant leak are noticed by a driver, they should then contact their preferred Ford dealership and arrange a service appointment for triage and repair.

There were only seven recorded incidents locally – all involving Kugas – but no injuries, according to Ford Australia PR boss Martin Gunsberg.

Meanwhile, this same issue has led to a recall from the brand in North America this week, where 230,756 cars – which also included Fusion and Transit Connect models – were identified as being at risk. 

Overall, there were 29 total reports of fires across the United States and Canada, with zero injuries coming as a result.

Representatives from Ford Australia will contact those impacted locally via mail when part stock levels are replenished.

Affected car owners can also phone the manufacturer's customer relationship centre on 1800 503 672 for further information or alternatively, customers can search the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Product Safety website to view the safety recall notice.

Has your vehicle been impacted by this latest recall? Tell us in the comments below.

Justin Hilliard
Head of Editorial
Justin’s dad chose to miss his birth because he wanted to watch Peter Brock hopefully win Bathurst, so it figures Justin grew up to have a car obsession, too – and don’t worry, his dad did turn up in time after some stern words from his mum. That said, despite loving cars and writing, Justin chose to pursue career paths that didn’t lend themselves to automotive journalism, before eventually ending up working as a computer technician. But that car itch just couldn’t be scratched by his chipped Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7), so he finally decided to give into the inevitable and study a Master of Journalism at the same time. And even with the long odds, Justin was lucky enough to land a full-time job as a motoring journalist soon after graduating and the rest, as they say, is history. These days, Justin happily finds himself working at CarsGuide during the biggest period of change yet for the automotive industry, which is perhaps the most exciting part of all. In case you’re wondering, Justin begrudgingly sold the Golf R (sans chip) and still has plans to buy his dream car, an E46 BMW M3 coupe (manual, of course), but he is in desperate need of a second car space – or maybe a third.
About Author

Comments