— Nearly 147,000 Ford Focus and Ford EcoSport vehicles are recalled because they may lose oil pressure and stall.
The recalled 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles are equipped with oil pump drive belts or drive belt tensioners which may fail and decrease the engine oil pressure.
"The engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure." — Ford
In addition to an engine stall, losing oil pressure can also cause engine damage or the engine to seize.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a defect investigation in September 2023 regarding engine and oil pump complaints in 2018-2021 Ford EcoSports. At that time, NHTSA had received 95 engine failure complaints about the EcoSport SUVs.
Specifically, Ford says the oil pump drive belt tensioner arm retention caulking joint is not strong enough to handle vibrations, eventually causing the tensioner arm to separate.
The arm can contact the engine balancer shaft and cause the tensioner arm to fracture. From there the oil pump drive belt may be damaged.
If there is a problem, a driver should see a low oil pressure warning message, see a check engine light and hear engine noise.
According to Ford, it received 2099 warranty claims between June 10, 2016, and October 6, 2023.
Ford also knows of one alleged crash and two injuries.
More than 7,000 of the vehicles are recalled in Canada.
Ford dealers do not have replacement parts at this time, so interim recall letters will be mailed February 13, 2024, informing Focus and EcoSport owners of the dangers.
Second Ford recall letters will be mailed when dealers have replacement oil pump tensioner assemblies and oil pump drive belts.
Ford EcoSport and Focus owners may contact Ford at 866-436-7332 and ask about recall number 23S64.
