Published Date: 2013-11-26
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident involving a software glitch in the cooling system of the 2013 Ford Escape occurred in November 2012 [Article 23002]. |
| System | The software failure incident mentioned in the article is related to Ford's 2013 Escape SUVs. The specific systems/components that failed in this incident are: 1. Engine cylinder head in 2013 Ford Escape SUVs equipped with 1.6-liter engines, causing cracks and oil leaks [Article 23002]. 2. Engine compartment fuel line in 2013 Ford Escape SUVs that may have been installed improperly, leading to leaks [Article 23002]. 3. Software glitch in the cooling system of 2013 Ford Escape SUVs that raised the risk of a fire [Article 23002]. |
| Responsible Organization | 1. The software failure incident in the Ford Escape SUVs was caused by a software glitch in the cooling system, leading to a risk of fire [Article 23002]. 2. Ford Motor Co was responsible for the software failure incidents in the 2013 Ford Escape SUVs due to various issues such as engine cylinder head overheating, fuel line installation problems, and software glitches [Article 23002]. |
| Impacted Organization | 1. Ford Motor Co [Article 23002] |
| Software Causes | 1. Software glitch in the cooling system [Article 23002] 2. Recalled to reprogram the power train control module for not conforming to U.S. requirements [Article 23002] |
| Non-software Causes | 1. Engine cylinder head overheating causing cracks and oil leaks in the 2013 Ford Escape SUVs equipped with 1.6-liter engines [23002]. 2. Improper installation of the engine compartment fuel line in some Escape SUVs leading to potential leaks [23002]. 3. Non-conformance to U.S. requirements for the brake to be depressed before shifting out of park in some Lincoln MKZ hybrid vehicles [23002]. |
| Impacts | 1. The software failure incident in the Ford Escape SUVs from the 2013 model year equipped with 1.6-liter engines caused the engine cylinder head to overheat and develop cracks, leading to oil leaks and potential fires. This resulted in 13 fires reported, although no injuries were reported [23002]. 2. Another impact of the software failure incident was the improper installation of the engine compartment fuel line under a prior recall, which could lead to leaks. This affected a total of 11,821 vehicles globally, with 9,469 in the U.S. market [23002]. 3. The software glitch in the cooling system of the 2013 Ford Escape models led to a recall of 73,300 vehicles due to the increased risk of fire [23002]. |
| Preventions | 1. Implementing thorough software testing procedures to detect and address any software glitches in the cooling system that could raise the risk of a fire [Article 23002]. 2. Conducting regular software quality assurance checks to identify and rectify any potential software defects that could lead to safety issues [Article 23002]. 3. Enhancing software development processes to ensure proper coding practices and prevent software anomalies that may result in safety concerns [Article 23002]. |
| Fixes | 1. Modifying the engine shielding, cooling, and control systems [Article 23002] 2. Inspecting the engine compartment fuel line and replacing it if necessary [Article 23002] | References | 1. U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) [Article 23002] 2. Ford Motor Co [Article 23002] |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | (a) In the provided article, there is no specific mention of a software failure incident related to Ford Motor Co's 2013 Escape. The recalls and issues mentioned primarily focus on safety concerns related to engine overheating, oil leaks, and fuel line installation problems. Therefore, there is no direct evidence of a software failure incident within the same organization. (b) The article does mention a software glitch in the cooling system of the 2013 Ford Escape that raised the risk of a fire. This incident occurred in November 2012, where Ford recalled 73,300 Escapes due to the software glitch [Article 23002]. This indicates that a similar software-related issue had happened before in the automotive industry, specifically with Ford vehicles. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design | (a) The article mentions a software glitch in the cooling system of the 2013 Ford Escape that raised the risk of a fire. This glitch was identified during the development phase of the vehicle and led to a recall of 73,300 Escapes [Article 23002]. (b) The article does not provide specific information about a software failure incident related to operation or misuse of the system. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system | (a) within_system: The software failure incidents related to the Ford Escape SUVs primarily stem from issues within the system itself. These include recalls for a software glitch in the cooling system [Article 23002], a potential fire risk due to an engine cylinder head overheating and causing cracks that could lead to oil leaks [Article 23002], and a recall to reprogram the power train control module in Lincoln MKZ hybrid vehicles [Article 23002]. (b) outside_system: There is no specific mention in the articles of software failure incidents related to the Ford Escape SUVs being caused by contributing factors originating from outside the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - In September 2012, Ford recalled about 73,300 Escapes due to a software glitch in the cooling system that raised the risk of a fire [Article 23002]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - In July 2012, Ford advised about 11,500 Escape owners not to drive their vehicles due to the risk of an engine fire, offering loaner vehicles for inspection and repair. This issue was related to a carpeting flaw that could reduce clearance for the brake pedal [Article 23002]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | hardware, software | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The article mentions recalls of the 2013 Ford Escape SUVs due to potential leaks that could cause a fire, specifically related to the engine cylinder head overheating and causing cracks that could allow oil to leak [Article 23002]. - Another hardware-related issue mentioned is the improper installation of the engine compartment fuel line under a prior recall, which could lead to a leak [Article 23002]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The article mentions a software glitch in the cooling system of the 2013 Ford Escape SUVs that raised the risk of a fire, leading to a recall of 73,300 Escapes [Article 23002]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | non-malicious | (a) The software failure incident related to the Ford Escape SUV recalls does not appear to be malicious. The recalls were primarily due to technical issues such as potential leaks that could cause fires, engine cylinder head overheating, improper installation of the engine compartment fuel line, and a software glitch in the cooling system [Article 23002]. These issues were not caused by intentional actions to harm the system but rather by design or manufacturing flaws. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | unknown | The articles do not mention any software failure incident related to poor decisions or accidental decisions. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | accidental | (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article. Therefore, it is unknown if the software failure incident was due to contributing factors introduced due to lack of professional competence by humans or the development organization. (b) The software failure incident related to an accidental factor is mentioned in the article. In September 2012, Ford recalled about 73,300 Escapes due to a software glitch in the cooling system that raised the risk of a fire [Article 23002]. This incident can be categorized as a software failure caused by contributing factors introduced accidentally. |
| Duration | unknown | The articles do not mention any software failure incident related to the Ford Escape recalls. |
| Behaviour | omission, value | (a) crash: In September 2012, Ford recalled about 73,300 Escapes due to a software glitch in the cooling system that raised the risk of a fire [Article 23002]. (b) omission: In July 2012, Ford advised about 11,500 Escape owners not to drive their vehicles due to the risk of an engine fire, offering loaner vehicles while their SUVs were inspected and repaired. This was due to an omission in the system's function that could lead to a fire risk [Article 23002]. (d) value: In the same July 2012 incident, Ford recalled 8,266 SUVs because of a carpeting flaw that could reduce clearance for the brake pedal, leading to incorrect functioning of the system [Article 23002]. (f) other: The article does not provide specific information about a byzantine behavior or timing-related failures. |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | None | None |
| Communication | None | None |
| Application | None | None |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | property, non-human, other | (a) death: There were no reports of deaths related to the software failure incident mentioned in the articles [23002]. (b) harm: There were no reports of physical harm to individuals due to the software failure incident [23002]. (c) basic: There were no reports of impacts on people's access to food or shelter due to the software failure incident [23002]. (d) property: The software failure incident led to recalls and repairs of Ford Escape SUVs due to potential safety hazards, such as engine cylinder head overheating, oil leaks, and fuel line installation issues, impacting the vehicles and potentially the property of the owners [23002]. (e) delay: The software failure incident did not directly cause any delays as reported in the articles [23002]. (f) non-human: The software failure incident impacted the Ford Escape SUVs and the Lincoln MKZ hybrid vehicles, which are non-human entities [23002]. (g) no_consequence: The software failure incident resulted in recalls, repairs, and modifications to address potential safety issues, indicating real consequences of the failure [23002]. (h) theoretical_consequence: The articles did not mention any potential consequences that were discussed but did not actually occur due to the software failure incident [23002]. (i) other: The software failure incident led to recalls, warranty reports of fuel odor or leaks, and potential safety risks, which could be considered as other consequences not explicitly described in the options [23002]. |
| Domain | transportation, manufacturing | The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the automotive industry, specifically affecting Ford Motor Co's 2013 Escape SUV model. The recalls issued by Ford were due to various issues such as potential leaks that could cause fires, engine cylinder head overheating leading to oil leaks, improper installation of the engine compartment fuel line, and a software glitch in the cooling system that raised the risk of a fire [Article 23002]. These incidents highlight the importance of software reliability and safety in the manufacturing and sales processes within the automotive industry. |
Article ID: 23002