Parts shortage delaying fix to Kuga vehicles – owners
FORD Kuga owners, under threat from the self-combustion of their vehicles, have yet another problem to deal with – an apparent shortage and backlog in the parts necessary to stop their vehicles catching fire.
The backlog appears set to last until the middle of the month and possibly into February‚ according to several Kuga owners who have attempted to get their cars fixed, although Ford says full parts coverage will be achieved within days.
Ford believes that a faulty coolant system on 2013-14 Kuga models is responsible for the 43 Kugas which have caught fire on South Africa’s roads since December 2015, although other experts differ.
Several Kuga owners have told of their frustrations in trying to get their vehicles fixed.
Fiona Pelman‚ whose vehicle has been at the Ford Secunda dealership in Mpumalanga since last week‚ said she had been told that she could not be helped until next week.
“The dealer called me to say that they have no parts and that I must come back and collect my car and bring it back next week. I told them there was no way I was coming to collect it as I am scared to drive it.
“I have a six-year-old daughter and there is no way that I can risk driving it with her inside. What happens if it catches fire and I can’t get her out,” she said.
In a post on the Ford Vehicles Burning Facebook group‚ LeighAnne Macgregor said she had taken her Kuga in last week for the coolant system check, meant to take an hour, but she had been without a car for a week.
“We phoned them to find out what’s going on and apparently the parts are only expected to arrive in February sometime.”
John Gardiner‚ Ford’s news operations director‚ said the company’s investigations into the cause of the fire were ongoing .
They urged customers to take their cars in for a check on the coolant systems.
He said they would ensure dealers had the necessary stock of approved parts and expected full parts coverage at all dealers within days.
Customers would be provided with a courtesy car if required.