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Ford is recalling two of its most popular family vehicles—again. This time, it’s not infotainment bugs or loose trim. It’s a defect that could eject engine components, leak oil, and trigger engine fires. Fortunately, only 404 vehicles are affected. Unfortunately, the problem involves one of Ford’s most common engines. Let’s hope this Ford crossover recall doesn’t grow.

Ford crossover recall caused by bad cylinder heads

This recall targets 362 Ford Escape crossovers and 42 Bronco Sport SUVs. All use the 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine.

According to the recall notice, “engine cylinder head ball plugs can be ejected from the cylinder heads due to insufficient ball plug retention force.” Translation: the engine can spring a big old oil leak. “If an oil leak occurs near an ignition source… the risk of a fire increases,” the notice continues.

And that’s not all. Ford admits that “oil loss can subsequently cause an engine seizure, resulting in the loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.”

The affected engines were built at the Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico. The bad engines rolled out between April 14, 2023, and May 5, 2025. But they are part of a batch that’s likely much bigger than 404 power plants. Let’s hope this is still an isolated incident. Otherwise, this Ford crossover recall could go from a blip to a headline.

Ford will replace the entire cylinder head assembly on any affected 1.5s. Owners will start hearing from the company after June 23, 2025. The recall number is 25S61.

Curious if your vehicle has any open recalls? You can call your dealership with your VIN handy, or you can plug your VIN in at NHTSA.gov.