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It has been revealed that Ford South Africa is currently working tirelessly on the safety recall of the Kuga 1.6 litre engine following the concerns raised by its customers and the general public over the embarrassing fire incidents reported on some of the Kuga model in the country.
The company has also affirmed that there have been no incidents reported since the launch of the safety recall on January 16 even as it reassures that Kuga is safe to drive.
AUTO REPORT AFRICA learned that as part of its efforts to reassure its customers on its actions so far, officials of the company met with the National Consumer Commission (NCC) last week to update it on the progress made so far on the safety recall.
“We know that the incidents of engine compartment fires in Ford Kuga 1.6-litre vehicles in South Africa have created concerns for Kuga owners and for the general public. We understand and appreciate the feelings of our customers and other stakeholders, and we want to assure you that your safety is our priority. Whenever an incident raises concerns about one of our vehicles we treat it with the utmost seriousness,” an apparently worried President and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, Jeff Nemeth, said even as he disclosed that the first stage of the safety recall had been completed.
“We recognise that, during the initial process, customers and the public were not well enough informed about the situation, and for that Ford sincerely apologises. We care about the safety and well-being of our customers. It’s at the heart of everything we do, and we understand that our customers have questions and concerns. Our current focus is on working with our dealers and our customers to resolve these issues as quickly as possible, through open and direct communication.”
A total of 4,556 model year 2013 and 2014 Ford 1.6 Kugas, built between December, 2012 and February, 2014, are affected by the safety recall in South Africa.
Ford has maintained that Ford Kuga is safe to drive, provided that the integrity of the cooling system is maintained, and the safety recall has been actioned. It restated that the safety recall comprises two stages. The first stage, according to the company, involves replacing affected components on the cooling system, verifying and updating the software, and conducting an oil leak check on the cylinder head.
Ford South Africa also disclosed it has taken the following steps to minimise any inconvenience its customers may have experienced because of the exercise:
“We have increased the capacity of its call centre, adding a dedicated Kuga support team, with longer hours and weekend support.“We are talking directly to its customers, saying since the launch of the maintenance check, the company has contacted over 3,800 customers via e-mail and posted letters. We have also put a request in to get the outstanding customers detail from eNatis.
“We are flying in parts to alleviate the shortage. All outstanding parts will arrive in South Africa by mid-February.
“Courtesy vehicles are being provided to keep our customers mobile while their cars are being repaired. To date, Ford has supplied over 4,080 courtesy cars to affected 1.6 Kuga customers. This number excludes the number of dealer loaner and Ford South Africa’s company vehicles that were given to customers while their vehicles underwent the safety recall action.
“We expanded our current partnership with the AA for extended Ford Roadside Assistance for all Kuga 1.6 vehicles, including those out of the standard 3-year cover period, to ensure customer reassurance and peace-of-mind.
“We have introduced support programmes to assist our dealers in discussions with their customers.
“Dealers will also provide each Kuga 1.6 customer with a letter confirming that the necessary repair has been made on their vehicle, for additional peace of mind,”the company said.
“While Ford manufactures cars with the safety of their customers top-of-mind, all vehicles are occasionally susceptible to issues in the design and manufacturing process that can lead to performance and quality issues under certain conditions. In such instances, Ford must determine what steps to take, including initiating a recall. This is driven by a case-by-case analysis.”
According to Nemeth, “The underlying cause of these fires was difficult to diagnose and took careful examination. Importantly, the cracked cylinder heads and fires that have been caused by this issue, while damaging the vehicles, have not led to any fatalities or any injuries.”
He therefore advised Ford customers to raise any questions or concerns directly through Ford Customer Service at 0860 011 022 or e-mail CRC3@ford.com, so that they may be addressed as quickly as possible.
According to Nemeth, the next stage of the safety recall will improve the cooling system, making it even more robust, and is likely to involve further changes to parts and warning systems. Maintaining that Ford was ensuring that the changes to be made are complete and thoroughly tested, he said the company will communicate with customers as soon as this stage begins.
“I want to stress that with the first stage of the safety recall completed, and with proper maintenance of the coolant system, the 1.6 Kuga is safe to drive.
“We are committed to keeping our customers mobile. We are working closely with the authorities and our dealers to ensure full compliance with all requirements, while everyone at the organisation is dedicated to resolving each and every one of our customers’ concerns. We will continue to update our customers on progress with regular communications,” Nemeth added.
