Ford says it is working on a fix for early versions of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder powering the Focus RS after discovering that it can consume coolant fluid.

The American carmaker believes that the issue affects certain 2016 and 2017 models and results in the vehicles producing white exhaust smoke as they burn through coolant when cold.

Speaking to Autocar, a Ford spokesman failed to say whether the firm will issue a recall to fix the engines, simply stating that it is “working on a repair for all customers.”

“In the meantime, if vehicles show these symptoms, customers should visit their dealer for an inspection and repair under warranty,” the spokesman said.

According to a number of Focus RS owners, the problem stems from a faulty head gasket that’s unable to effectively seal the engine block to the head. This issue is allegedly caused by block distortion as the shape of the engine block shifts during heat cycles, thus allowing coolant to leak into the cylinders when the engine is cold. Ford has yet to say what it thinks is causing the problem.

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