But they’re stopping short of a recall.
If you ever find yourself behind the wheel of a performance Ford, you’ll know quite quickly what a joy they are to drive. The degree of driver involvement, the breadth of ability, and the sheer robust-ness of it all beggars belief, and that extends all the way to its top-flight banzai-mad RS cars.
However, reports are emerging that perhaps that robust build quality might not be robust after all, as Ford is admitting that there was (is?) an issue with the 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine in early Ford Focus RS hatchbacks, that could result in them producing white smoke out of the exhaust. That’s hardly the sort of smoke you want to be making from a Focus RS, unless it’s from the tyres.
Speaking to Autocar, Ford has said that they are “working on a repair for all customers,” suggesting that the eventual fix may be applied to hitherto unaffected cars going forwards, preemptively. Since the problem was discovered, the company has already replaced several engines, built to the latest-spec and under-warranty, and the company’s willingness to do so is a good sign.
The smoke issue is not a design fault, though it is attributed to the EcoBoost mill consuming coolant in cold conditions. While Ford hasn’t clearly stated what’s to blame for the smoke issue, it’s being suggested that it’s down to distortion of the engine block over time. It seems that after cycling through uses, the block changes shape, which then causes the gaskets to break their seal.
For readers who may be concerned about the Mustang EcoBoost, fret not. The mill used for the Mustang utilises a different alloy in its construction, and is of a harder wearing variety with greater tolerances. The engine in the Focus RS utilises an “upgraded alloy” with a unique head-gasket design, crucial to achieving the RS’ high power output.
We’re wondering if they can still call it an “upgraded alloy.”
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