- 4,632 more 2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs are recalled.
- Faulty battery junction box circuit boards can short and start a fire.
- Owners are urged to park vehicles outside until recall repairs are complete.
It might be time to park that full-size Ford SUV outside. The Blue Oval just widened a recall after discovering that some 2020 model year vehicles might catch fire. That’s evidently true even if they’re parked and turned off.
The automaker announced that an additional 4,632 examples of the 2020 Ford Expedition and 2020 Lincoln Navigator built between November 17 and December 1, 2020 are now part of a recall. This follows Ford’s initial action covering 2021 models.
Faulty Circuit Boards
According to documents submitted to the NHTSA, an electrical short can develop inside the battery junction box’s circuit board. That’s possible because the boards evidently have improper solder mask coverage and limited conformal coating, which can expose internal circuits to moisture over time. If water and contaminants build up enough, they can short the board and create a fire. As before, until repairs are complete, Ford is urging owners to park their vehicles outside.
The company says it knows of two instances where vehicles in this expanded recall class had under-hood fires. Thankfully, it says there were no accidents or injuries related to the issue. Some owners reported a burning smell or smoke from the front passenger side of the engine bay as an early warning sign of the problem.
Repair Process
Dealers will inspect the recalled vehicles and replace the battery junction box if they find damage. SUVs equipped with an 800-watt cooling fan will have the box ground wire removed, and those with a 700-watt fan will get an auxiliary box and a wire jumper to reduce the risk of overheating. Interestingly, this situation seems to stem from issues related to the pandemic.
More: Ford’s 97th Recall Is For A Recall Fix That Didn’t Fix Anything
The defective circuit boards came from a manufacturer that shifted production from one facility to another during the early stages of 2020. Ford thinks that’s part of the issue with the improper coating process. Owners will get notifications via the mail or their FordPass app. They can also call their local dealer or search their VIN number at NHTSA.gov.
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