On October 4th, 2018, Ford Motor Company (Ford) issued a safety recall (NHTSA Recall 18V-735) on 1,282,596 Model Year (MY) 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles with 2.0L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines built prior to April 13th, 2017 and with 2.0L Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDI) engines built prior to February 2nd, 2018. This recall addressed engines that were experiencing a malfunctioning Canister Purge Valve (CPV) and Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software that was not adequately detecting a stuck open CPV. A malfunctioning CPV can disrupt the engine's fuel to air ratio leading to loss of motive power. It can also cause a Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL), erratic fuel gauge readings, and excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system potentially deforming the fuel tank. The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has opened this Recall Query (RQ) after receiving 98 consumer complaints alleging CPV failure in MY 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles) that were either included in Recall 18V-735 and remedied prior to the reported incidents or were not included in Recall 18V-735 but experienced the same failure as the affected vehicles. The remedy in this recall was an inspection of the CPV and fuel tank with replacement if found defective at the time of the inspection. The remedy also included a software update to the PCM meant to enable a check of the CPV's position prior to initiating an evaporative leak monitor check to reduce the occurrences of deformed fuel tanks. Following Recall 18V-735, Ford issued another safety recall (NHTSA Recall 19V-515) that included updates to the PCM software. The affected population were vehicles included in Recall 18V-735 that had already had the recall remedy implemented. Affected vehicles did not have the PCM updated with new software meant to detect a malfunctioning CPV. This investigation has been opened to assess the scope and remedy of Recall 18V-735. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
