Ford recalls more than 694,000 Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs
The compact SUVs are being recalled because a fuel injector may crack and leak and potentially cause a fire, according to the recall notice.
The recall involves Bronco Sports made from 2021 to 2024 and Escapes made from 2020 to 2022 with 1.5-liter engines.
The company does not yet have a permanent fix for the issue, the recall notice added. Letters to notify owners of affected Bronco Sport and Escape will be sent on August 18. In the interim, Ford dealers 'will update the engine control software, free of charge.'
'A cracked fuel injector allows for fuel to leak at a high rate' onto other hot engine components, increasing the risk of fire according to the recall notice.
Ford has already tried to fix the issue a few times, starting in November 2022, the recall notice says. The earlier fixes included new software that would detect a fuel leak and disable the high-pressure fuel pump and lower the engine power, accordingly.
But in July 2024, the company bought back a vehicle that caught fire, and noticed it had a cracked fuel injector even though it had received one of the earlier remedies. Fire damage prevented Ford from drawing any definitive conclusions about the start of the fire.
Subsequent investigations and discussions with NHTSA led the company to issue a recall.
A second letter will be sent once the final remedy is available. Vehicle owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 and reference recall number 25S76.
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