Proton has announced that it will be recalling some 94,577 vehicles in Malaysia over a faulty CFE oil cooler hose. The car maker said that once the hose has degraded to a certain point, usually around the 40,000 km mark, it has been known to burst in affected vehicles.
The models affected include CFE-powered variants of the Proton Exora (59,663 units), Preve (28,642 units) and the Suprima S (6,290 units). Proton has admitted that a mistake was made when selecting the right material for the oil cooler hose.
The issue is said to occur when the lubricant in the rubber hose turns acidic (corrosive) and the hose itself is subjected to high-temperatures. Proton is considering to replace the faulty rubber hose with a metal unit instead, and claimed that a permanent fix is expected to be ready by the end of the month.
Customers will be informed either via SMS or through mail. For owners of affected vehicles still covered by their warranty, Proton says that the fix will come at no cost to them. For owners of affected vehicles that are no longer covered by the warranty, Proton says that it will only perform the fix for free should your recommended service intervals be adhered to.
Recalls are set to begin by the end of the month, with the national car maker focusing first on vehicles nearest to the 40,000 km mark – being the ones most likely to have their hoses blown out.
