Ford Recalls: Some Escape, Mercury Mariner Hybrid Vehicles Could Overheat Electronics, Stall In Motion

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) is recalling nearly 74,000 of its hybrid crossover utility vehicles from the 2005 to 2008 model years to check a coolant pump that could fail, causing the car’s electronics system to overheat. No injuries have been reported.

“When the hybrid electronics system gets too hot it will shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash,” said a letter from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration dated Sept. 11, acknowledging Ford’s defect notice that was announced by the NHTSA on Monday.

The affected vehicles are some 2005 to 2008 Escape compact crossover hybrids and 2006 to 2008 Mercury Mariner luxury crossover hybrids. The vehicles were manufactured at the company’s Kansas City Assembly Plant. Most of the affected cars are Escapes purchased in the U.S. About 3,500 of them were purchased in Canada.

Owners can enter their Vehicle Information Number (VIN) at this Ford web page to see if their Escape or Mariner is included in the recall.

In August, Ford recalled nearly 160,000 Focus ST compacts and Escape crossovers from model years 2013 and 2014 to fix a wiring problem. The 2013 Escape has seen 11 recalls, according to Automotive News.

The Escape was the first utility car to come with a hybrid powertrain system, and the Mariner was the luxury version of the Escape carrying the same system. The Escape is Ford’s best-selling utility vehicle. So far this year Ford has sold over 208,000 Escapes in the U.S., a 1.3 percent increase from the previous year, including both hybrid and nonhybrid powertrains. The Escape, first released in the 2001 model year, entered its third generation in 2012.

The Mercury line, founded in 1938 as an entry-level luxury brand, was shuttered in 2010 in the wake of the 2009 auto industry crash in the wake of the Great Recession.

Check out this CNET review of the 2015 Ford Escape: