Ford Motor Company
The recall includes Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs with 3-cylinder, 1.5-liter engines from model years 2020 to 2023. Roughly 520,000 vehicles will be covered in the U.S., and another 114,000 vehicles will be recalled in other countries.
Many of the vehicles covered by this order were also covered in another recall earlier this year. In April, Ford recalled certain 1.5-liter engine Escapes and Bronco Sports due to a software error and a separate issue that could cause engine fires. Owners who responded to the April recall will still need to bring their vehicles in for repairs under the new order.
According to Ford, the recall was issued because an oil separator housing in the affected vehicles is susceptible to cracking, which could cause flammable fluid or vapors to accumulate on the hot engine.
Ford says that it's received 54 reports of 1.5-liter engine fires: 13 of those incidents were probably caused by leaking fuel, and another four incidents were associated with cracked fuel lines. There have been no deaths attributed to the fuel line issue, but the Associated Press reports that Ford is facing four injury claims and 43 total legal claims related to these incidents.
Ford is not asking drivers to stop using their vehicles, and it says that fuel injectors actually cracking is rare. Repairs aren't available yet, but vehicle owners can request a loaner vehicle to use for free until adjustments can be made.
Due to the low likelihood of failure, rather than replacing all of the injectors outright, Ford plans to have its dealers install a draining system to prevent fuel from accumulating on the engine, a sensor to detect excessive fuel odor, and a software update to alert drivers when a fuel injector is cracked.
"If a pressure drop in the fuel rail is detected, engine power will automatically be reduced to minimize any risk, while also allowing customers to drive to a safe location and stop the vehicle and arrange for service," Ford said.
