Ford says it is 10-15 days away from releasing a software update that will act as an early warning for the 2,850 Irish motorists affected by a potential battery defect that poses a fire risk to Kuga plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cars.
The car giant issued an urgent recall in early March, warning drivers not to charge the battery because of a risk it might short-circuit while on the road. The problem could cause a loss of power or a fire, according to the recall notice.
Owners have been told not to plug in the PHEV battery and just rely on the car’s petrol engine. Some owners have started legal actions over the issue.
Lisa Brankin, chair and managing director of Ford of Britain and Ireland, said: “To all of our affected customers, we’re really sorry that an issue has occurred with the Ford Kuga PHEV battery.”
She said a software update will be available within a fortnight that “will give the Battery Energy Control Module enhanced capability to detect cell anomalies indicative of separator damage, providing advance warning to owners of a high-voltage battery issue before thermal venting occurs. In the event of anomaly detection, dealers will replace the vehicle’s high-voltage battery pack.”
The new software is designed to detect an anomaly with the battery and prevent any fire risk. If the car is plugged in and charging at the time, the charge will be halted, according to Ford.
If driving, the software will revert to taking power from the regular engine only and show a “stop safely now” message.
The vehicle will then be recovered to a Ford dealership, and if the problem is linked to the current recall issue, the battery will be exchanged.
Brankin said customers with concerns about their Kuga PHEV can contact their local dealership and book a complimentary “Kuga PHEV Check-Up” to ensure the vehicle is safe and roadworthy.
“We are also extending the warranty for high voltage components to 10-year/240,000km (whichever comes first), covering the high voltage battery, for all affected Kuga PHEVs in Europe.”
Ford said sales of unsold new Kuga PHEVs built before November 2023 were halted in January and said it has no control over the sale of used vehicles. It said no issues of Kuga PHEV batteries short-circuiting have been reported in Ireland.
A spokeswoman added that owners can contact Ford’s customer relationship team on 1800 771 199 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday to speak to an adviser.
