Ford Motor has advised thousands of customers to take their Kuga sports utility vehicles (SUVs) to dealers without delay for repairs that will prevent their vehicles bursting into flames. Following reports of nearly 50 engine fires, Ford Southern Africa said yesterday it had identified the problem. It said engine coolant was not circulating properly, and cylinder heads were cracking and leaking oil. When the oil hits hot engine surfaces, the fire starts. Jeff Nemeth, head of Ford in sub-Saharan Africa, said the recall affected 4,556 Kugas sold in SA. The vehicles, which are imported, were built between December 2012 and February 2014. Only 1.6-litre models are affected. Ford officials say the 1.5-litre and 2-litre versions, which are also sold in SA, have different components. Nemeth said dealers would replace cooling-system components, check cylinder heads and update onboard computer software which is supposed to warn of overheating problems.He announced the recall in Pretoria, at ...
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