Ford Cautions SUV Owners About Potential Engine Leaks and Fire Hazards | Carscoops

      Ford has recalled 404 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles in the United States due to engine oil leaks.

      In total, the company has recalled 407 vehicles for issues related to oil leaks and absent brake caliper bolts in two separate actions. Most of the affected vehicles will receive complete cylinder head replacements to avert engine failure. Additionally, three SUVs have been identified with loose or missing caliper bolts, which will be either tightened or replaced.

      This year, Ford has initiated numerous recalls, making it challenging to keep track of them all. The frequency of these notices might give the impression that the company is striving for a record. Some recalls affect only a few vehicles, highlighting the precision of modern production monitoring, while others involve hundreds of cars.

      Today's announcement features both scenarios: one recall pertains to just three vehicles, while the other involves a more significant number of 404 units – coincidentally, the same figure as the notorious internet error.

      The larger recall concerns the 404 Escape and Bronco Sport vehicles due to an oil leak that poses a potential fire hazard. Back in mid-March, a 2025 Model Year Escape was repaired for a missing cylinder head ball plug. These plugs are meant to seal holes created during the casting process. If they become dislodged, they can cause oil leaks, which is what occurred in March.

      The leak was not minor; it was severe enough to ruin the engine. On April 1, Ford began an investigation into the situation. A fortnight later, another Escape—this one with zero miles on the odometer—was discovered to have an oil leak also caused by a missing ball plug. A lab analysis of the cylinder head revealed that the metal quality was insufficient, allowing the plug to dislodge. Ford engaged the supplier and identified the source of the problem: a significant power outage during the heat treatment of the affected cylinder heads on the day in question.

      They also discovered another instance from over a year ago where the same issue had occurred. Consequently, every cylinder head manufactured on those two days will be replaced as part of this recall, identified as recall number 25V372, which includes Escapes from the 2023 to 2025 model years and Bronco Sports from the 2025 model year.

      The second recall is much smaller, involving only three 2025 Explorer SUVs. As stated in Ford's filing for recall 25V371, the problem concerns loose or missing caliper bracket bolts. All three vehicles had previously undergone unrelated repairs prior to delivery, and Ford suspects that the technicians may not have correctly torqued the bolts.

      The issue came to light when an Explorer owner reported a clunking noise to their dealer. Upon inspection, it was confirmed that the front driver's side caliper was missing two bolts that secure it to the knuckle.

      Although issuing a recall is never ideal, these incidents underscore the extensive tracking that takes place during production and how such oversight enhances safety over time.