Ford has been struggling with its latest manufacturing woes by recalling more than 85,000 police vehicles due to potential engine fires.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall in a memorandum this month, affecting 2020-2022 Ford Explorers equipped with the Police Interceptor Utility Package.
“In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapors may be released into the engine bay and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, potentially causing an engine bay fire,” the memo said.
According to the safety recall report, as of July 9, there had been 13 reports of “underhood fires in North America due to engine block fractures in Explorer PIU vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines manufactured before June 2, 2022.”
According to the safety report, Ford is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to the issue.
Representatives for Ford and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.
Ford has been plagued by quality issues affecting its vehicles this year. David Zarbowski
The recall is the latest misstep for Ford.
Ford posted a net profit of $1.8 billion in the second quarter, but acknowledged in its earnings report in July that higher warranty provisions had hurt its profits. According to the Associated Press, the company booked $2.3 billion in warranty and recall costs in the second quarter alone.
Ford began recalling vehicles earlier this year, recalling more than 2 million Explorer SUVs in January because of a faulty trim retaining clip.
In June, Ford recalled more than 500,000 2014 F-150 pickup trucks over sudden gear shifts, after which the company also issued a recall on the 2024 Ford Mustang over concerns that the steering wheel could turn unintentionally.
This month, Ford recalled about 5,000 2024 Mustangs due to the possibility of rear suspension knuckle failure. Ford then issued a “do not drive” warning for more than 374,000 vehicles “containing recalled and unrepaired Takata airbags.”
Ford Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra said in a February press release that the company has taken steps to improve quality and profits.
“We are seeing signs of quality improvement, including new product launches, with several significant new products planned for this year,” Galhotra said. “We have identified and will realize $2 billion in cost savings across our global industrial system in areas such as materials, transportation and manufacturing — and we’re just getting started.”
