NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE22-007: Loss of motive power due to valve intake failure on Ford Bronco vehicles.
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22-007 on July 22, 2022 and closed it on October 2, 2023. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2021 Ford Bronco for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE22-007 (also written PE22007)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed October 2, 2023
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Component
- Engine
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2021 Ford Bronco
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE22-007.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition dated March 16, 2022, requesting an investigation regarding allegations of defective intake valves in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with the 2.7L Eco-boost (“Nano”) engines. The petitioner alleged these vehicles are experiencing loss of motive power at any highway speeds with no-restart as a result of catastrophic engine failures. To date ODI is aware of 42 submitted Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ’s) alleging a loss of motive power. On July 22, 2022, ODI opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22-007) to investigate allegations of stalling/loss of motive power on the subject vehicles. Upon receiving Ford’s Information Request (IR) response, ODI learned Ford was aware of 110 consumer complaints (including field reports), 125 warranty claims and 136 engine exchanges related to the 2021 Ford Bronco. Ford’s response indicated these failures are across the “Nano” engine family, which includes both the 2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost engine variants with a total estimated population of 708,837 vehicles. Additionally, ODI became aware that the subject engines contained intake valves that were manufactured out of a specific alloy known as “Silchrome Lite”, which can become excessively hard and brittle if an over-temperature condition occurs during machining of the component. The overly brittle intake valve can fracture at the keeper grove causing the intake valve to freely contact the piston, resulting in catastrophic engine failure. A design modification was implemented in October 2021, which changed the intake valve material to a different alloy known as “Silchrome 1”, that is less susceptible to over-temperature during machine grinding. ODI is upgrading this PE to an Engineering Analysis (EA23-002) to better understand the failure mechanism identified by Ford and to ascertain the complete scope. To review the reports cited in the attached Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE22-007. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Ford
Ford Bronco
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE22-007
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.