Autodocta looks at the Ford Kuga
This month Auto Data’s Autodocta looks at the Ford Kuga – engine overheating and engine malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) flashes while driving.

PROBLEM
A customer’s 2014 1.6 petrol Ford Kuga is suffering with engine overheating, intermittent lack of power, and the engine malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) flashes while driving. We have experienced the symptoms on road test but cannot source the cause of the fault in the workshop. Can you help?

SOLUTION
Yes, the symptoms you have described match a recent vehicle that we know has been fixed. The faults affect Kuga models with 1.6 turbocharged petrol engines up to 05/16. The cause is damage to the engine coolant expansion tank due to unsatisfactory location of the breather hose connector.
Drain the cooling system. Remove and discard the coolant expansion tank breather hose Fig.1.1. Remove and discard coolant hose Fig.1.3. Fit new engine coolant expansion tank and expansion tank cap. Ensure the blanking plug, available from Ford parts department, is fitted to the engine coolant expansion tank breather hose connector Fig.1.2. Fit modified engine coolant expansion tank hose complete with breather hose Fig.1.3. Fill cooling system and bleed. Carry out road test to confirm faults are fixed.