KEY POINTS

  • The vehicles' engines may "fail prematurely" and pose a fire risk
  • The remedy for the problem is still under development
  • Ford recalled another set of vehicles last week

Ford has recalled more than 125,000 vehicles over a potential fire risk. The decision affects Ford Escape, Maverick and Lincoln Corsair models.

The vehicles' 2.5-liter HEV/PHEV (hybrid) engines might "fail prematurely," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Tuesday. If this happens, engine oil or fuel vapors may leak and accumulate close to ignition sources, thus posing a fire risk.

"Ford advises customers to safely park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, lose power, or see or smell smoke," the agency said.

The recall affects a total of 125,322 vehicles, including 86,656 units of Ford Escape (model years 2020-2023), 35,501 units of Maverick (2022-2023) and 3,165 Lincoln Corsairs (2021-2023).

Lincoln is the luxury vehicle division of Ford Motor Company.

The company will start notifying owners of affected vehicles from June 12. The remedy for the problem is still "under development" and may be available later in the year.

Owners can check if their vehicles are affected by entering the unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the NHTSA website. They can also contact NHTSA's hotline at 888-327-4236 or Ford at 1-833-807-3673.

"Our top priority is keeping you and everyone traveling with you safe," the company noted.

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This recall comes on the heels of another, unrelated Lincoln recall last week.

The previous recall affected 142,734 units of Lincoln MKC (model years 2015 to 2019) due to a fire risk. Unlike the latest recall, the issue was with the battery monitor sensor, which may short-circuit and overheat. This could cause a fire in the engine compartment.

"The risk of fire exists even when the vehicle is parked and turned off," NHTSA said at the time. "This month, the company will notify affected owners of the fire risk, advising them to park outside until they can have their vehicles fixed."

So far, there have been 19 reports of under-hood fires – 11 from the U.S., seven from China and one from Canada.

A logo is seen on the grill of an E-transit concept vehicle during a press event at the Ford Halewood transmissions plant in Liverpool
Reuters