Car recalls are a common occurrence. Manufacturers are constantly having to revisit design flaws and other more serious issues that may crop up. Those recalls that include a more serious fix are never taken lightly. The most recent recall from car giant Ford revolves around the risk of fires from a coolant leak in a number of their vehicles.
The issue is that many of their 1.6-liter turbocharged engines can overheat. During this process of overheating, coolant is used up and when low enough, can cause the cylinder head to crack, leak oil and then possibly create an engine fire.
Level Sensors
As a solution to the coolant issues, the company announced back in March 2017 that owners of affected models would be able to take their car to a dealer where a coolant level sensor “with supporting hardware and software” would be installed.
This recall highlights the importance of level sensors in the automotive industry as a solution to a number of possible fuel and engine problems.
Automotive Fuel Level Sensors
Recent research of the telematics and fuel monitoring industry predicts that the global automotive fuel level sensor market will grow at a CAGR of 1.66 percent from 2017-2021. This market increase is driven by the acceptance of level sensors and their ability to monitor fuel levels remotely while reducing the occurrence of fuel theft.
Level sensors are perfect when used to detect the level of liquids or other fluids such as fuel or coolant inside of a container or another vessel because they are able to measure the exact amount of the substance at any given time. With sensors in place, there can be ample time for preventive action before a larger issue occurs.
SMD Fluid Controls
SMD Fluid Controls’ continuous level sensing solutions can be used for fuel level measurement, oil level measurement, and coolant systems checks. Point level sensors can instead be used where temperature, pressure, and agitated conditions may occur.
The small size of the FS25 – Ultra Miniature Plastic Float Switch from SMD Fluid Controls makes it a great option in these applications. Tank intrusion is kept to a minimum and their small design makes for easy mounting.
Another great option for these applications is the FS01 – Economy Plastic Float Switches. Not only are they small and cost-effective, but they can also be custom designed or modified to meet exact application requirements.