NHTSA investigating 708,000 Ford SUVs, pickups for 'catastrophic engine failures'

According to documents posted by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), some Ford engines can completely shut down and fail catastrophically "under normal driving conditions" and "without warning." The failure point has allegedly at fault is a faulty valve within 2.7-liter and 3.0-liter EcoBoost engines. Following complaints made to NHTSA, the agency is investigating more than 708,000 trucks and SUVs built by Ford and Lincoln. It's worth noting that his is an expansion of a previous investigation.

NHTSA estimates that 708,837 vehicles are included in its engineering analysis. The full list is below.

• 2021-2022 Ford Bronco
• 2021-2022 Ford Edge
• 2021-2022 Ford Explorer
• 2021-2022 Ford F-150
• 2021-2022 Lincoln Nautilus
• 2021-2022 Lincoln Aviator

NHTSA officials opened the initial investigation into approximately 25,000 units of the Bronco in June 2022, and it launched an engineering analysis that includes five other models in September 2023. Working with Ford, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) discovered 328 customer complaints about a sudden engine failure, (including field reports), 487 warranty claims, and 809 engine replacements related to an issue with the valvetrain.

Broken intake valves to blame

The agency blames the problem on "multiple factors" that can cause the intake valves to break. According to NHTSA's documents, "Ford acknowledged that a fractured intake valve can result in catastrophic engine failure and a loss of motive power." The automaker further "noted that following a valve fracture, a vehicle typically requires a full engine replacement."

Ford clarified that the defective valves were made with a type of alloy called Silchrome Lite, which "can become excessively hard and brittle if an over-temperature condition occurs during machining of the component." Ford notes that the problem commonly manifests itself early in a vehicle's life. It believes that the majority of failures have already happened. Valves manufactured after October 2021 are made with a different alloy called Silchrome 1.

The ODI's engineering analysis aims to evaluate the scope and the frequency of allegations of engine failures in the aforementioned vehicles, work with the NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Testing Center to evaluate the broken parts provided by Ford, and gather more details about when the problem is likely to manifest itself. It will also evaluate the updated parts that Ford put into production in 2021. At the end of the investigation, officials will decide whether the vehicles fitted with engines that are allegedly prone to failure need to be recalled.