In July 2025, Ford issued a recall of almost 700,000 vehicles due to potentially defective fuel injectors used in their engines. The recall covers the 2021-2024 model year Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape, with all affected vehicles powered by the 1.5-liter EcoBoost "Dragon" engine. In a safety report filed with the NHTSA, Ford said it had identified eight instances of engine fires that were potentially caused by defective fuel injectors, and estimated that 0.3% of the recalled vehicles are likely
to have the defect. No injuries were known to have been caused by the fires at the time the automaker submitted its report.
The fires were reportedly caused by the defective injectors cracking, which caused fuel or vapor to leak to other parts of the engine. Some of that leaked fuel would accumulate on hot engine components such as the turbo or exhaust system. This fuel would then ignite and cause an underhood fire. The report notes that the first sign of a fuel leak from the injector is often a smell of fuel both inside and outside the car, potentially followed by warnings on the instrument cluster.
Read more: 6 Of The Worst-Looking Fords Ever Made
What Should Owners Of Affected Ford Vehicles Do?
Ford plans to send letters to affected owners starting in August 2025, but owners can alternatively enter their VIN into the NHTSA's recall search tool to see if their car is affected. Owners of recalled vehicles should take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer for a free engine control software update. This update gives the software the ability to detect if the injector is leaking. Ford considers this an interim fix, with the report noting that "The final remedy is under development."
Unfortunately for owners, this is not the first time that Ford has issued a fire-related recall for the Escape and Bronco Sport. In fact, it's not even the first time that the 1.5-liter engine's fuel injectors have been subject to a recall. Ford previously recalled half a million vehicles over the same fire risk issue back in 2022, but that recall was eventually deemed not to have remedied the problem adequately. The automaker has also issued several other high-profile recalls in recent years, so even if your car isn't affected by the fuel injector issue, it's worth checking that there aren't any other outstanding recalls for your vehicle.
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