Ford to repay customers 'engine down' EcoBoost



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Legend of the mediaFord has agreed to pay back hundreds of drivers after experiencing engine problems

Following a BBC investigation, Ford has offered to pay back thousands of pounds to its customers whose engines are down.

Hundreds of customers said their cars with Ford EcoBoost engines overheated, causing engine failure.

Others have reported that their cars equipped with 1.6-liter EcoBoost engines ignited behind the wheel.

Many 1.0-liter motorists were told they had to pay for the repairs, but Ford announced that it would cover the costs and reimburse customers who have already paid.

The auto giant said in a statement that safety was its number one priority.

"Ford has already made substantial contributions to the cost of 1.0-liter repairs, but ongoing discussions with customers show that Ford needs to go further to ensure that reasonable repair costs are covered," he says. the press release.

"In all future cases, subject to an assessment and related to a possible overheating of the 1.0-liter engine, we will contribute 100% to the cost of repairs at a Ford dealership.

"In addition, we will review previous cases to ensure that this policy of 100% contribution to repair costs is applied consistently."

Ford said it has reworked 96% of the cars involved.

Fiesta ST in flames "within six minutes"

Author's right of the image
George Roberts

George Roberts, of Brandon, Suffolk, drove his 1.6-liter Fiesta ST on a two-lane road late at night when he realized his car was on fire.

He noticed an orange glow on the side of the vehicle, parked on the side of the road and saw the flames.

"From the whole engine on fire to the whole car, it took about six minutes," he said.

Author's right of the image
George Roberts

Legend

George Roberts was driving his Fiesta ST when the engine caught fire

Mr. Roberts stated that he had been offered an insurance premium on his car, which he accepted despite the fact that the replacement of his car by a similar model would have been lower than this. that it would have cost.

He said: "I've lost a lot of money with Ford, that does not seem to bother them tremendously."

Regarding problems with 1.6-liter engines, Ford announced that it had launched a voluntary safety recall via the DVSA in January on certain vehicles, including Focus, Kuga, C -MAX, Fiesta ST and Transit Connect. models built between 2010 and 2015.

He said that he was communicating with customers affected by the overheating problem to arrange the installation of a coolant sensor.

This failure can lead to cracking of the engine cylinder head, which in extreme circumstances can cause a fire.

Ford is aware of the 1.6-liter EcoBoost problem since 2012 after several engine fires in the United States. A recall was published in the United States in 2014.

Check if your car has had a safety reminder (Source: UK Government)

"I could see that there had been a big failure"

Gill Cronshaw of Altrincham, Greater Manchester, was driving on a busy highway when his 1.0-liter Ford Focus EcoBoost engine suffered a complete engine failure.

"There was no warning light, nothing indicated, the power was right, since my foot was on the throttle, I could just feel that there was nothing left nothing, "she said.

"It was the scariest experience of my life because you feel completely helpless."

The incident occurred in March, just three weeks after his vehicle was serviced and the car.

When the trouble came, the engine overheated.

Legend

Ford has issued a recall on some engines and a safety notice on others

"The hose had a very clear separation, there were coolant stains inside the hood, so I could see that there had been a big failure, it was not wear.

"Car dealership Evans Halshaw has confirmed that he needs a new £ 5,500 engine, which obviously horrifies me."

Ms Cronshaw stated that Ford had offered her a contribution corresponding to 55% of the cost of a new engine, but that she had eventually traded it at a loss.

Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine was introduced in 2010 and has been described by the company as a "game changer".

He won 10 international awards and Ford said he set the benchmark for small, fuel-efficient engines.

Louise O & # 39; Riordan, from North London, created a Facebook group after the failure of her 1.0-liter EcoBoost, which now has more than 3,000 members.

"I needed to support other people who are going through the same problems as us," she said.

"It has 3,000 members and we have over 1,200 engine failures, of which 1,000 occurred this year.

"We have more than 100 [new members] a month right now. "

"It's not just a car, it's a lifesaver for us"

Sam Backhouse, from Grange Moor, Huddersfield, cares for her husband, Mally, who has terminal cancer.

She is currently without a car after her 1.0-liter EcoBoost suffered a total loss of power.

"It was a nice walk," she says. Then she received a letter saying that she needed a spare cooling hose.

Before she could do the job, Ms. Backhouse said that her car engine had been shut down.

"I saw a light turn on and it was said" service now ", and then the current started running in the car.It was very slow," she said. .

While repairs were being made, the replacement coolant hose was also installed and Ms. Backhouse had been informed that her fuse problem had been resolved.

She said that just after leaving the garage, the fault again occurred.

She was without a car for over a month while trying to negotiate with her dealer and finance company.

"People say it's just a car, but it's not just a car, it's a lifesaver for us."

Ms. Backhouse's finance company finally agreed to resell it, although she lost the lease-purchase payments she had made in the previous 18 months.

As a Ford customer forever, she feels left behind.

"They [Ford] in my case, I have not based anything on what is happening with us. There is no human element, "she said.

Ford stated that the customers concerned should

You can see the full story on BBC Inside Out in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire at 7:30 pm GMT on BBC One on Monday, October 1st or via iPlayer thereafter.

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