Ford issues recall for over 40,000 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles due to fuel leakage

Ford has announced a recall of 42,652 2022-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022 Escape SUVs due to a fuel leak issue caused by cracked fuel injectors. Specifically, vehicles with 1.5-liter EcoBoost engines are affected.

The solution to this problem involves the installation of a drain tube to redirect any leaked fuel from the engine to the ground, as well as a software update to add fuel injector leak detection to the engine control unit. Interestingly, this is not the first time Ford has had to address this issue with these models. A previous recall in November 2022 also dealt with cracked fuel injectors, utilizing a similar fix involving a software update and a fuel drain tube.

So, what's the reason for this recurring problem? According to reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford's IPTSE team discovered leaks during testing on fuel injectors from two Bronco Sport vehicles that had experienced underhood fires post-recall. These fires occurred on vehicles produced after the original fix date, which indicates that the issue was not fully resolved. The newer HX7G-9F597-BC fuel injectors found in the affected vehicles were considered an improved design over the older HX7G-9F597-BB parts, leading Ford to initially exclude them from the original recall.

However, Ford has since identified five underhood fires in vehicles with these updated injectors but lacking the updated software and drain tube. Affected owners can expect to receive notification letters in April 2024, and repairs will be conducted at no cost. If you own one of the recalled vehicles, you can also reach out to Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 and reference recall number 24S16 for further assistance.