NHTSA Complaint #11534328 — 2017 FORD FUSION

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle was overheating. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the road, and after a visual inspection of the engine compartment, it was observed that the coolant overflow container was empty, yet upon removing the container cap, coolant suddenly flowed back into the container, filling it. The overheating warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. Later, the contact stated that, after starting the vehicle, she observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment and, upon visual inspection, noticed a small fire within the engine compartment that she was able to extinguish alone. No fire or police report was filed, and the vehicle suffered insignificant damage. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the CPV valve. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who replaced both the fuel injector and thermostat, but again, the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Ford's TSB 19-2346 (Engine and Engine Cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 115,000.