The U.S. auto safety regulator said Friday it is launching a preliminary investigation into 210,960 Ford (NYSE: F) vehicles after complaints of diesel fuel leaks that could lead to fires. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its Office of Defect Investigation has received 27 complaints, including 12 reports of fires and four injuries, and that it will investigate the safety of 2015-2021 Ford F-250, 350, 450 and 550 Super Duty vehicles equipped with a 6.7-liter diesel engine. The agency said a failed secondary fuel filter in the vehicles could lead to a fire because the filter’s proximity to intense heat creates the potential for spontaneous combustion.
