Ford Motor is recalling approximately 700,000 vehicles due to a fuel leak risk that could cause a fire inside the vehicle’s engine.
Fuel injectors inside certain Bronco and Escape models could crack and leak fuel into the engine compartment, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Tuesday.
Ford is working on a fix for the issue but in the meantime, dealers will provide an engine update to affected vehicles for free, the regulator said.
No injuries have been reported in connection with the recall, according to the NHTSA.
Ford has had numerous recalls this year — more than any other carmaker ever in a calendar year, the Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the paper, Ford states that a third of its recent recalls have been issued as a result of a continuing audit or to follow up on past recalls that used software fixes to quickly address an issue.
In other words, the high number of recalls is because Ford is actively working to identify and rectify problems in its vehicles, according to the company.
Ford has more than doubled its team of safety experts in an effort to improve its vehicles’ quality, according to the WSJ.
By the end of June, Ford had issued 88 safety recalls. Last week, the company announced another recall for 850,000 pickup trucks and SUVs due to a potential fuel-pump issue that could stall the engine.
The most recent recall affects approximately 694,000 vehicles, including Bronco Sport models from 2021 to 2024 and Escape models between 2020 and 2022.
“The recall includes an interim software update, which will help detect cracked injectors and mitigate fire risk,” the company said in a statement.
Ford estimated that its likely to take a $750 million hit in its second financial quarter due to the recall.
