Ford Attempted to Resolve the Issue Twice, Yet These SUVs Could Still Be Prone to Fires | Carscoops
A fractured injector in Escape and Bronco Sport SUVs could result in fuel leakage and ignition
7 hours ago
by Chris Chilton
Ford is recalling 694,000 Escape and Bronco Sport models that risk self-ignition.
A cracked injector on 2021-2024 SUVs equipped with 1.5-liter engines may cause fuel to leak.
Ford has previously attempted to address this issue twice and is continuing to seek a solution.
Ford's series of extensive recalls continues this week, with the announcement that nearly 700,000 vehicles are being brought back to dealerships to avert potential fires. Compounding the situation is the fact that this safety initiative pertains to a problem that the automaker has previously attempted to rectify through several earlier recalls.
This latest recall involves 339,044 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs from the 2021 to 2024 model years and 355,227 Escapes produced for 2020-2022. In total, 694,271 vehicles are affected, all sharing the common element of Ford's 1.5-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine.
Related: Ford Thought It Fixed the Fuel Leak in Bronco Sport and Escape, But 5 Fires Indicate the Issue Persists
Ford discovered that one of the engine’s injectors may crack, resulting in gasoline vapor leaking into the cylinder head at a high rate. From there, it can exit the engine through a drain hole and potentially come into contact with a hot surface such as the exhaust or turbo, posing a fire hazard.
Eight vehicles have already ignited due to this defect, which Ford has been attempting to rectify since the first related recall in November 2022. In that instance, and in a similar recall in March 2024, Ford dealers installed a tube to allow safe drainage of fuel and updated engine control software to detect a cracked injector and disable the high-pressure fuel pump if necessary.
Ongoing Fixes, Persistent Issues
Some vehicles missed the software update and were subjected to another recall in March 2025. Prior to that, the NHTSA had initiated its investigation into the fire risk and eventually concluded that Ford’s remedy was insufficient, urging the automaker to announce a recall to replace the defective injectors.
Ford has learned that corrosion significantly contributes to the cracking of the injectors, but has yet to specify whether it will replace the injectors on all 694,000 vehicles involved in the latest recall. It indicates it is still working on a solution and, as a temporary measure, is implementing the updated control software in SUVs that have not yet received it. However, it appears that Ford may soon need to procure several million new injectors to satisfy the NHTSA.
Other articles
NJ Town Aims to Construct 600 Homes on Land of Historic Race Track
Old Bridge Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ has a history spanning 60 years in drag racing. It is now included in a housing redevelopment project.
Speedhunters Was a Powerhouse of Car Culture. Here's How It Fell Apart.
After speaking with contributors who endured until the very end, it became evident that Speedhunters was never meant to be as large as it became.
You Could End Up Spending More for a U.S.-Made EV | Carscoops
Lucid has recently finalized an agreement with a US company to boost its local supply of graphite.
Volcano Vehicle: The Chevy Suburban from ‘Dante’s Peak’ is undergoing restoration after years of deterioration.
Pierce Brosnan's elevated 1987 Chevy Suburban was among the most iconic movie trucks of the '90s. It is now being rescued from rusting away in a barn.
Ford is developing a large electric Bronco—but not for the U.S. market.
You can cease your speculation about what an electric Bronco could look like, as Ford is constructing one for China—and it's quite large.
Who would be your perfect lineup of Cadillac F1 drivers?
As the head of Cadillac F1, who would be on your hiring list?
Ford Attempted to Resolve the Issue Twice, Yet These SUVs Could Still Be Prone to Fires | Carscoops
A damaged injector in Escape and Bronco Sport SUVs may cause fuel to leak and catch fire.