Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the safety of Ford EcoBoost engines.

The Ford EcoBoost engine is a series of engines introduced around 14 years ago that covers a range of engine sizes and Ford vehicle models.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) investigates potential safety defects within the terms of the United Kingdom’s Code of Practice on Vehicle Safety Defects (the Code), which has the support of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (as amended). This has specific requirements as to what can and cannot be considered a safety defect and is clear on its requirement of evidence to support any conclusions made.

As the appointed regulating body, the DVSA’s Market Surveillance Unit acts solely on the evidence available and will demand safety recall action by a manufacturer whenever the requirement to do so presents itself.

The DVSA regularly audits manufacturers to ensure that their policies and procedures fully meet with the expectations of the Code. This is demonstrated by recall action generally taken voluntarily by manufacturers and prior to DVSA formally mandating action.

The DVSA continues to review all reported cases and investigates whether they present a road safety concern. Should remedial action be required, the DVSA will work with the manufacturer to ensure swift action is taken and that the manufacturer informs vehicle keepers directly.

In the past, safety recalls have been conducted for parts of the Ecoboost range, and investigations continue into potential defects today relating to 'belt failures' and whether this could constitute a safety defect, although there are no immediate concerns.

Consumers experiencing issues with Ford Ecoboost engines should contact Ford or the retailer directly to resolve the issue. Consumers can also contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 for advice.