Ford to recall 27,000 Kuga PHEVs in Europe for battery replacement

KUALA LUMPUR: Back in August, Ford Europe halted the sales of the plug-in hybrid version of its Kuga crossover due to fire risks. The company also asked existing owners of the old continent not to charge their vehicles until a solution is provided. 

Initial reports also stated that four vehicles caught fire due to the batteries overheating. Now, according to the latest news reported by Autocar UK, Ford plans to replace the old battery packs and associated electrical equipment of the PHEVs, manufactured before June 26, 2020.

In an official statement, Ford mentioned, "The root cause has been identified as a battery cell contamination issue in our supplier’s production process and we have determined that the best course of action for the safety of our existing customers is to replace the drive battery pack."

Ford will execute a permanent fix, it will recall around 27,000 Kuga PHEVs for battery replacement. The process will start in December this year and expected to be ended by March 2021, says the UK publication. It will be carried in the order they were sold, which means older vehicles to be fixed first. And the undelivered units manufactured before the said date will remain in the automaker’s custody until the repair is carried out.

The news came as a hard blow, given the Kuga’s sales numbers in Europe. In the second quarter, the automaker sold around 13,000 units. The PHEV variant accounted for 51% of the total Kuga sales since its introduction to the continent. With this issue, it is likely that buyers will be more cautious in opting for the plug-in hybrid. 

Known as Ford Escape in the US, the latest iteration of the crossover was earlier expected to hit the showrooms this year, but now the company is “moving full-scale production of the Escape PHEV to the 2021 model year.”

In the local market, the automaker does not have the Kuga PHEV version, however, the Ford Kuga with ICE under the bonnet has made its Malaysian debut last year. It is currently priced at RM 164,888.

Also read: Ford Escape PHEV claims 100 MPGe fuel economy rating and 37 miles drive per charge