Ford in Britain has reportedly suspended sales of its Kuga PHEV model due to concerns over vehicle fires related to overheating battery packs.
The Kuga SUV plug-in hybrid variant has just been launched in the UK and Ford has high hopes for the model as it ramps up its electrification strategy in the European market.
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According to Autocar magazine Ford released a statement saying that the sale of Kuga PHEVs built prior to 26 June 2020 has been suspended “temporarily”. Autocar also says the statement adds that “information from the field indicates that four vehicle fires are likely to have been caused by the overheating of the high-voltage batteries”.
The report also maintains that buyers of the model who have received their cars have also been contacted and told not to charge their high-voltage battery until further notice. They have been asked to keep the car in its ‘EV Auto’ drive mode.
The report adds that Ford has now issued a safety recall for all affected models, and is writing to customers to book vehicles in for remedial work from later this month.
