Recall issued: 2019-2020 Fusion Energi - BECM Fire Risk

[EnduroDad2k]

Hi all, I just received a notification about a new recall for the 2019-2020 Fusion Energi. Apparently there is an issue with the BECM which can be damaged by excess voltage.

 

I called my local Ford dealer and asked when they think a fix will be available, they said to check back in 3 weeks but they had no information yet.

 

Unfortunately Ford is asking us not to charge the vehicle until the BECM can be replaced. Which sucks. I'm going to park mine outside on the street and not in the garage, just to be extra safe.

 

Apparently there have been 5 fires of parked Fusions while at dealerships, and 2 while driving. No injuries or crashes reported. 7 out of 14,452 is 0.048% which is somewhat comforting.

 

Reporting on the issue:

https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-recalls-defects/dont-charge-ford-fusion-plug-in-hybrids-until-recall-repair-a7402731633/

 

DOT letter to Ford:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V440-8048.pdf

 

Ford response to DOT:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V440-2964.PDF

 

Edited June 28, 2023 at 08:36 PM by EnduroDad2k

[Philly Brian]

This is a good thing to know. I looked up my VIN and my car is affected by it. So my question is: WHY HAVEN'T I RECEIVED A NOTCE FROM FORD? 

[Stevepkam]

I just received the letter today, Jul 28.  I don’t know if it’s related, but my check engine light has come on about 4 times over the last 2 years. I tried to bring it in once but the light went out after I brought it in to get an appointment.  Engine has come on a few times with reason given that battery is too hot.  
I’ve been charging up til today. Now, I’m stopping.

 

[Kilowattsky]

Ford is developing a fix for this issue, and it will send owners a notice by first-class mail when they can bring their car in for a free recall repair. Hopefully, when this is fixed the FordPass app will have the trip and charging data restored after it was removed with this notice. ☹️

 

Federal law requires all safety recall repairs to be provided free of charge on cars that are up to 15 years old. That’s counted from the time the car was sold to the first owner, rather than based on model year or the date of manufacture.

[NYIndependent]

The CEL in my 2019 FFE went on (because of this recall) a few weeks ago and then went off after a few days. Because it's in the stored memory, my car won't pass NYS inspection (I tried a few shops including the dealer). I have received 2 tickets from police already (my inspection tag expired) and I have to bring the recall notice with a report, etc to the courthouse so they can waive the ticket...I hope...(they are $125 each). Ford knows and told me to pound sand. No loaner car, no buyback offer and my dealer was told not to expect a repair until December 2023. If cars are going on fire while driving, I'm shocked that Ford isn't getting us out of these cars at least temporarily. My thinking is that because there are only 15,000 cars affected, they really don't care about us. 

[Kilowattsky]

It helps to relieve disappointment and irritation to post your problems here. But where you should be spending your energy is contacting a class action attorney.

[NYIndependent]

Lemon law attorney said the car is too old for a good LL case. Class action attorney? They are the only ones that make out well in these C/A law suits. The affected consumers see little. I have made a formal complaint to NHTSA. 

[Kilowattsky]

I made out pretty good with LG's class action.

https://www.lgfridgesettlement.com/

They paid for repair, perishable reimbursement, and inconvenience for not having use based on time to repair.

 

I believe a similar argument could be made for the inconvenience of not being able to drive in electric mode until repair; costing the consumer more ICE wear and increased cost for oil, fuel, service, and related components.

 

But then, I'm not a practicing attorney and my beliefs are meaningless.?

[NYIndependent]

I spoke with a lemon law attorney. He agrees that a case can be made as you indicated and that we should all reach out to Ford for consideration. While they will likely tell us to pound sand, as a group we need to stay on them and have a presence on social media. We should also reach out (politely) to our Ford dealers for assistance (have them call territory managers, etc). He thinks we are very much on the back burner with Ford as only 15,000 cars are affected.

[Jeff]

When is this going to get fixed? I bought so could save on gas but now it's eating more gas with a heavy battery in the trunk that can't be used...

[Kilowattsky]

If this is a design fault in the larger 9kWh HVB battery cells, then the fix may be more elaborate than expected.

[tkyoshi]

On 9/10/2023 at 3:47 AM, Kilowattsky said:

If this is a design fault in the larger 9kWh HVB battery cells, then the fix may be more elaborate than expected.

 

Based on the updated language of the recall on Ford's side it seems like they are almost confirming it's a design defect in the 9kWh HV Battery. The recall now says that the proposed final remedy is to replace everyone's HV Battery packs. The 2nd part seems to indicate they will buffer the top of the pack more but I wonder if this means the replacement packs will be neutered a bit in terms of available EV range. I wonder if the issue is high heat situations (since we know the cooling method in these cars suck) where a large rise in temps cause the pack to become "overcharged" @ high SOC and the CID blows disabling the HV Pack but in this case the CID is also faulty in it's disconnect which then fries the BECM.

 

However the real question is how long this will take... it might drag it on for awhile if they have to manufacture 15,000 new HV Batteries - in the interim they want to install an inline fuse to protect the BECM if the CID blows and also re-flash the existing BMS to inhibit the ability to charge at all (from the wall - basically make our cars a Fusion Hybrid).

 

Quote

Remedy

When parts are available, owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the high voltage battery replaced and becm software reflashed to lower the maximum state of charge. There will be no charge for this service. As an interim remedy, when parts are available, owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have a becm fuse block installed and have the becm software reflashed to disable charging. There will be no charge for this service.

 

Edited September 10, 2023 at 07:03 PM by tkyoshi

[NYIndependent]

My selling dealer said it will likely take many months to replace 15,000 batteries, not to mention train the service departments on how to remove and replace this huge battery safely and correctly.  This dealership has never done one. If we can't use the EV only portion of this car, Ford should offer compensation. I too am using a lot more gas now.

 

[Kilowattsky]

I OWN TWO ENERGI VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS RECALL AND WILL NOT HAVE THE "FIX" PERFORMED ON THEM IF THE ELECTRIC RANGE IS REDUCED OR THE CAR IS TURNED INTO A NON CHARGEABLE HYBRID. I WOULD RATHER CONTACT AN ATTORNEY. OHIO PLUG-IN HYBRIDS PAY AN ADDITIONAL $200 EVERY YEAR AT REGISTRATION. WHO IS GOING TO REIMBURSE MY$400 FOR DRIVING TWO PLUG-IN HYBRIDS THAT DON'T PLUG-IN?

 

Remedy

WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE, OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY MAIL AND INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A FORD OR LINCOLN DEALER TO HAVE THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY REPLACED AND BECM SOFTWARE REFLASHED TO LOWER THE MAXIMUM STATE OF CHARGE. THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE. AS AN INTERIM REMEDY, WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE, OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY MAIL AND INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A FORD OR LINCOLN DEALER TO HAVE A BECM FUSE BLOCK INSTALLED AND HAVE THE BECM SOFTWARE REFLASHED TO DISABLE CHARGING. THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?gclid=Cj0KCQjw9fqnBhDSARIsAHlcQYQezvK1V_NDn7T3DZf_qkhOVq1m62piDOfhk8TdVU21ML25ut2ifsgaAh1HEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

AUTO DEFECT ATTORNEYS

https://www.classlawgroup.com/consumer-protection/auto/defects

 

 

Edited September 11, 2023 at 11:02 PM by Kilowattsky

[tkyoshi]

On 9/10/2023 at 12:08 PM, NYIndependent said:

My selling dealer said it will likely take many months to replace 15,000 batteries, not to mention train the service departments on how to remove and replace this huge battery safely and correctly.  This dealership has never done one. If we can't use the EV only portion of this car, Ford should offer compensation. I too am using a lot more gas now.

 

 

Totally - only thing is I feel "many months" would be quite optimistic in this case considering the "low numbers" and also the vehicle is discontinued. It sucks but I agree that if they're gonna drag it out they should be offering some kind of compensation that was in the original FAQ.

 

It alluded to something along those lines but there was not a peep about it in the recall letter I received

 

Quote

Since customers won’t have access to the charging capabilities of their vehicle, what will you do to make up for that?

 

We will soon be sending more information to customers concerning the compensation about providing for lost fuel savings. These vehicles normally receive around 26 miles per charge.

 

https://www.ford.com/support/how-tos/recall/recalls-and-faqs/23s33-fusion-2019-2020-battery-and-power-loss-recall/

 

 

[Kilowattsky]

For what it's worth, I did write to Ford's executive department on 9/11 at fordoec@ford.com with my contact information to express the financial concern this protracted fix will impose on owners.

 

These are some of the losses should I follow Ford's planned remedy.

 

1.) Ohio charges owners of plug-in hybrids $200 per year at registration. I will pay $400 for two plug-in hybrids that don't plug-in.

 

2.) The cost of installing a level 2 charging station I can't use.

 

3.) The cost of enrolling in charging network apps that I can't use.

 

4.) The cost of fuel and extra maintenance of operating an ICE.

 

5.) Lowered resale value due to this fix being in limbo.

 

Ford executive department contacted me by phone last night at 6:42 pm we spoke for 8 minutes.

 

 

[bkosh84]

On 9/15/2023 at 7:57 AM, Kilowattsky said:

For what it's worth, I did write to Ford's executive department on 9/11 at fordoec@ford.com with my contact information to express the financial concern this protracted fix will impose on owners.

 

These are some of the losses should I follow Ford's planned remedy.

 

1.) Ohio charges owners of plug-in hybrids $200 per year at registration. I will pay $400 for two plug-in hybrids that don't plug-in.

 

2.) The cost of installing a level 2 charging station I can't use.

 

3.) The cost of enrolling in charging network apps that I can't use.

 

4.) The cost of fuel and extra maintenance of operating an ICE.

 

5.) Lowered resale value due to this fix being in limbo.

 

Ford executive department contacted me by phone last night at 6:42 pm we spoke for 8 minutes.

 

 

What did they say to your concerns? 

[Kilowattsky]

The executive customer service representative said they had only received one other complaint. I told her that I represent close to 15,000 owners with the same concerns and that their legal department needs to address them.

 

The recall wording in the FordPass app says: "When parts are available, owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the high voltage battery replaced and becm software reflashed to lower the maximum state of charge."

 

The recall does not indicate that the electric range will be reduced to levels BELOW the advertised EPA-estimated 26-mile EV range.

 

For Ford to honor the advertised electric range of the 2019 and 2020 Energi means that the replacement battery will be LARGER than a 9 kWh lithium-ion battery if the BECM will be reflashed to LOWER the maximum state of charge?

 

 

[Kilowattsky]

I just received a $250 compensation offer per vehicle from Ford customer service division for the inconvenience and extra fuel costs. Thanks ?

Edited September 25, 2023 at 07:29 PM by Kilowattsky
added notice

[j8048188]

Just got a letter today about compensation:

"To help make things right, we'd like to offer you $250.00 to help with additional fuel costs while you are not charging the vehicle."

The letter has a website to visit to claim the compensation.

The $250 is eligible to be claimed on or before November 30th, 2023.

[GreySkies]

Good info! This bites, I was planning on selling this car in 4-6 months when I go out of country.  I will be calling them as well. Washington State also charges more for my registration.  And our gas is $5 a gallon so 250 only covers 50 gallons or about 2100 miles at 42 per gallon.  Except when I travel out of town about once a month I usually use no gas.  That’s 80 full battery discharges at 26 miles a charge.   

[MelR]

For what it's worth, I had my car to the dealer to replace the APIM and my service writer looked into the recall. From what he could see on his end, Ford expects to have replacement parts available in 6-8 weeks to begin processing these recalls. 

 

But I'll believe that when I see it ...

[marjimbo]

On 9/25/2023 at 2:43 PM, Kilowattsky said:

I just received a $250 compensation offer per vehicle from Ford customer service division for the inconvenience and extra fuel costs. Thanks ?

Hi Kilowattsky

I'm an owner of an affected car in Canada. Can you please tell me how you contacted Ford to get the compensation.

Thanks

marjimbo

[Kilowattsky]

On 10/13/2023 at 9:59 AM, marjimbo said:

Hi Kilowattsky

I'm an owner of an affected car in Canada. Can you please tell me how you contacted Ford to get the compensation.

Thanks

marjimbo

I emailed fordoec@ford.com with my VIN number, name, address, and phone number, with a short statement about how this recall impacted myself. I believe Ford is offering this compensation to all owners of record that are affected by this recall.

[Ryan]

On 10/13/2023 at 10:59 AM, marjimbo said:

Hi Kilowattsky

I'm an owner of an affected car in Canada. Can you please tell me how you contacted Ford to get the compensation.

Thanks

marjimbo

 

@marjimbo, I also reside in Canada with an affected car. I haven't seen a cheque either. Perhaps they're only doing it in the US. I bought the car new and I haven't changed addresses since buying it.