Ford has recalled 217 examples of its Maverick compact pickup from model year 2024 because of a fuel tank defect that could lead to a vehicle fire.
Ford tells federal safety regulators that the trucks may have an open pitch joint between the two halves of their fuel tanks.
“Customers may notice fuel leaking onto the ground or smell fuel. Additionally, the evaporative emissions monitor may illuminate the malfunction indicator light (MIL) in the cluster,” Ford says. The company advises owners to “safely park and shut off the engine as promptly as possible” if they notice the MIL light or smell gasoline in the truck.
The problem developed when a machine fell out of alignment after a power outage at a supplier. Based on supplier records, Ford discovered it at the factory and isolated it to 217 trucks. The company is not aware of any reported fuel leaks outside the factory.
Dealers will replace the tanks to fix the problem.
By law, dealers don’t charge for recall repairs.
Automakers recall many cars to fix safety defects, sometimes more than once. While automakers try to reach every owner to ask them to bring the vehicle in for repair, they rarely reach them all. Millions of cars on American roads need free recall repairs. Check the easy VIN tool at our recall center to determine if your car is one of them.
