Ford Escape, Bronco Sport Recall Issued Due to Fuel Injector Fire Risks

Manufacturer is recalling Ford Bronco and Escape vehicles, after a prior recall repair was performed incorrectly, resulting in additional engine fires.

A recall has been issued for 33,576 Ford Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles, due to defective fuel injectors that may leak fuel, allowing gasoline to come into contact with hot surfaces and potentially result in an engine fire.

Fuel injectors are computer-controlled devices crucial for delivering the precise amount of fuel into the engine at the optimal time to ensure efficient combustion.

However, the U.S. National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a Ford Bronco Sport and Escape recall on March 26, after receiving several reports of these injectors cracking and leaking fuel into the engine compartment.

While Ford has not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to this recall, there have been at least four reports of fires potentially caused by the issue.

In 2022, Ford initiated a recall for over 520,000 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles to address potential fire risks by updating the engine control software and installing drain tubes. This issue persisted, leading to another recall in 2024 involving nearly 43,000 vehicles for the same problem, applying the same preventative measures. 

Despite these efforts, Ford discovered that some vehicles might still possess fuel injectors susceptible to cracking due to incorrect repairs from the previous recalls.

According to a recall chronology report (PDF), Ford first became aware of this ongoing issue on November 26, 2024, after identifying problems with the prior recall solutions. In response, a team was formed in December 2024 to audit all software recall updates performed on the affected vehicles. They found some vehicles still had software mismatches. 

To address this, the team created a database in January 2025 to store all part numbers from previously launched recalls and to audit the current software levels for every vehicle identification number (VIN) that had undergone repairs.

Upon reviewing the data, Ford determined that only about 91% of the vehicles had the correct software installed. On March 7, 2025, the manufacturer approved a new repair solution for the remaining vehicles. 

Ford Fuel Injector Issues Result In Bronco, Escape Recall

The current recall now impacts certain 2021 through 2023 model year Ford Bronco Sport, and 2020 through 2022 model year Ford Escape vehicles that did not have a prior recall solution performed correctly.

According to the safety recall report, starting April 24, Ford will send notification letters to customers instructing them to bring their vehicles to an authorized dealer where the powertrain control module (PCM) software will be updated free of charge. 

Additionally, vehicle owners who have previously paid for this solution may be eligible for reimbursement as per the recall reimbursement plan on file with the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Ford’s number for this recall is 25S21. Customers may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, or the company’s contact for this recall, Dusty Gardner, via email at dusty.gardner@dot.gov.

Owners with any additional questions may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-888-275-9171), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.