Why Ford is recalling 1.3 million Focus sedans in the U.S.

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The recall relates to certain 2012-18 Focus vehicles with 2.0-liter GDI and 2.0-liter GTDI engines.

Ford Motor Co. reminds nearly 1.3 million Ford Focus vehicles in the US of a problem with the breather valve of the bus that can cause engine stalls, the automaker said Thursday.

Ford has warned in a statement that the defective valve could lead to inaccurate fuel levels and possible engine failures or an "inability to restart the car", increasing the risk of an accident.

"Concerning cars are equipped with a vent valve of the bus that can get stuck in an open position", the statement says. "If this happens, excessive vacuum in the fuel system can cause deformation of the vehicle's plastic fuel tank, causing the customer to detect a malfunction indicator light or fuel gauge with fluctuating or inaccurate fuel levels."

The recall relates to certain 2012-18 Focus vehicles with 2.0-liter GDI and 2.0-liter GTDI engines. Apart from that, the recall covers 136,272 vehicles in Canada and 44,521 in Mexico, according to Ford.

According to the chronology report, NHTSA contacted the car manufacturer about complaints about an alleged "loss of motive force" on Focus 2012 vehicles from 2012-14.

"The ongoing discussions with the Agency took place on August 28 and September 19, including an overview of the operation of the Focus fuel system and reviews of Ford data," the report said.

Last week, the Field Review Committee of the automaker looked at the problem and gave a field action green light, according to the report. The global supplier of fuel systems, TI Automotive, is listed as the supplier of the defective components, referring in particular to his Ashley, Ind., Location.

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The car manufacturer is not aware of any incidents related to the defect, but urges customers to keep "at least half a tank" of gas until the recall is completed, according to the statement.

To solve this problem, Ford and Lincoln dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module and check for fault codes and replace the valve if necessary, according to Ford. If the valve is replaced, dealers will also inspect and replace the carbon bottle, fuel tank and fuel supply module if necessary.