Arizonans with a Ford Focus may want to check if their vehicle is one of 1.5 million under a recall for a fuel system problem that can cause the engine to stall without warning.

Ford released a statement Oct. 22 announcing the recall of 2012 through 2018 Ford Focus vehicles with 2-liter four-cylinder engines.

The Michigan-based company says a valve in the fuel system can stick in the open position, causing too much vacuum, and an engine control computer may not detect the problem. Excessive vacuum can cause the gas tank to deform, as well as other problems.

Owners will be notified via the mail to take their vehicle to the nearest Ford of Lincoln dealership for repairs.

Visit https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/maintenance/recalls.html and enter your VIN number to check if your vehicle is under recall.

Dealers will reprogram the computer with new software that will detect a stuck valve, which Ford says will take care of the problem in most cases. They’ll also inspect the valve, a carbon canister and gas tank and replace them if needed.

Ford says owners should keep the gas tank at least half full until repairs are made.

“We are recommending keeping at least a half tank to prevent the vehicle from running out of gas as a deformed tank can create fluctuating or inaccurate readings of fuel levels,” Elizabeth Weigandt, safety communications manager at Ford, told the Daily News-Sun. “This means your indicator could show you have more fuel than you really do.

“Hence, keeping at least a half tank is one way to mitigate the risk of running out of gas while on the road. Other than a deformed fuel tank, running out of gas does not carry any adverse effects to the vehicle.”

The recall came after the U.S. government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration presented owner complaints to Ford. About 1.3 million of the recalled vehicles are in the U.S.

The company is not aware of any crashes, injuries or fires caused by the problem.

The Arizona Department of Transportation does not keep statistics on the number of registered vehicles for a certain manufacturer and/or model.

However, Ford states there are about 1.46 million vehicles in North America relating to this concern, with 1.28 million in the U.S. and federalized territories, over 136,000 in Canada and over 44,000 in Mexico.

Focus drivers don’t need to get to their nearest Ford dealership now. The recall is expected to begin on Dec. 10.

“We expect to have parts in December and are working with our suppliers to expedite parts as quickly as possible,” Ms. Weigandt stated. “We will send you (affected drivers) a letter in December when parts are available.”

Repair services will be free of charge when the recall begins.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.