Ford SA expands safety recall to include Fiesta ST

Ford South Africa on Wednesday announced that it had expanded the safety recall of the 1.6-litre GTDi Ecoboost engine to include the Ford Fiesta ST.

This after Ford recalled 4 556 Kuga 1.6l Ecoboost models, produced between December 2012 and February 2014, in January following several reports of the utility vehicles bursting into flames.

In a statement, Ford South Africa said the affected vehicles lacked a coolant circulation which could cause the engine to overheat, resulting in a crack in the cylinder head.

The expanded safety recall now includes approximately 1 078 Fiesta ST models produced between September 2012 and December 2014.

The Fiesta ST models would receive hardware and software upgrades, which include the fitment of a coolant level sensor with supporting hardware and software changes at no charge to the customer, Ford said.

The necessary parts were expected to be available by the fourth quarter, and customers would be informed when they should book their vehicle in for the repair.

Ford South Africa said customers could continue to drive their vehicles, but should visit their Ford dealer if their vehicle exhibited a coolant leak, overheating, or frequently needed coolant added

"Customers should continue to check their vehicles coolant levels and can refer to their owner’s manual for instructions on how to check their coolant level and what to do if it is low,"  Ford South Africa said.