Ford Escape

2026: Fuel System Scrap Detection

At the end of January 2026 transport Germany , the Federal Automobile Administration (KBA) announced the recall of almost 858 thousand cars Ford due to the risk of fire. The problem affects Kuga, Bronco and Escape models equipped with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost Dragon gasoline engine.

In these vehicles, there is a possibility of gasoline leakage due to cracking of the fuel nozzles. In this case, fuel can accumulate in the upper part of the power unit. Due to the proximity to the hot exhaust system, the likelihood of fire increases. Owners of defective cars can smell fuel (both inside and outside the car), see smoke and flames from the engine compartment or under the bottom. In certain cases, an error warning appears on the dashboard.

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Фото: car-recalls.eu

Ford has previously recalled vehicles due to the risk of fire due to gasoline leaks from cracked fuel nozzles. Then a special update of the onboard engine control software was released, which made it possible to detect a cracked fuel nozzle. When the problem was identified, algorithms were initiated to change the operation of the high-pressure fuel pump and reduce engine power in order to reduce the risk of ignition. In addition, an additional tube was installed on problem machines, allowing fuel to drain away from hot surfaces.

However, this solution does not prevent cracking of the nozzles, so a new recall was required. It covers 857,794 cars that were released from November 19, 2018 to May 28, 2024. Ford is aware of at least eight cases of fire under the hood associated with the described defect.^[1]

2025: Detecting a defect that causes batteries to burn

At the end of November 2025, Ford announced the recall of more than 20,000 Escape and Lincoln Corsair crossovers equipped with a hybrid power plant with the ability to charge the battery pack from the electric network (PHEV). These vehicles are at risk of fire.

The problem is related to the possibility of an internal short circuit in a high-voltage battery. The defective power supplies were manufactured by Samsung SDI at a facility in Hungary. Ford previously released a special on-board software update that was supposed to fix the malfunction. However, this update, as it turned out, is not able to completely solve the problem.

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Фото: Ford

The defect affects a total of 20,558 vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notice said. Of these, 4015 are Lincoln Corsair crossovers released between October 24, 2019 and April 16, 2024. The remaining 16,543 cars are Ford Escape cars manufactured from July 10, 2019 to April 17, 2024. In Europe, a similar defect is observed in the Ford Kuga PHEV model: seven cases of battery fire on such cars are known, which previously fell under the recall.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that Ford specialists as of the end of November 2025 did not finally establish the cause of the defect. According to some reports, the batteries of recalled cars may contain elements with a damaged separator. Combined with other complex processes inside the batteries, this can cause the vehicle to ignite. Owners of defective machines are advised to avoid the maximum charge level, as well as operate crossovers exclusively in Auto EV mode.^[2]

2022: Ford recalls more than 100,000 defective hybrids that light up while driving

In early July 2022, Ford announced the recall of more than 100,000 2020-2022 Escape, Maverick and Corsair cars in the United States, which are equipped with a 2.5-liter hybrid/plug-in hybrid (HEV/PHEV) engine due to the risk of fire.

In the event of an engine failure, the company said that engine oil and fuel vapors could flood ignition sources, leading to a possible fire under the hood of the car. Ford plans to adjust the under-engine shield and active grille damper to provide better airflow and will begin notifying owners of the recall on August 8, 2022. According to CNBC, Ford received 23 reports of a problem with the engine on, although no injuries were recorded.

Ford recalls more than 100,000 defective hybrids that light up while driving

Beyond that recall, Ford is expanding on a previous recall of some 2021 Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition SUVs due to the risk of fire under the hood. At that time, the recall affected about 39 thousand cars, but the update from Ford expands this pool to 66,221 cars built between July 27, 2020 and August 31, 2021.

The automaker traced the problem to a change of manufacturer during the COVID-19 pandemic and said that circuit boards from this supplier are uniquely susceptible to high-current short circuits. Ford advises owners to park their cars on the street and away from structures, the company said that they can continue to drive until the necessary spare parts become available in September 2022.^[3]

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