Ford is on pace to hit 150 recalls in 2025. That doesn't just smash records for a single year, but the automaker could end up with three times more than the number two brand this year. What are the latest? How about tailgate hinge covers on Escapes that could fly off, detaching door trim and failed rear lights on Lincolns, and the old classic of engines that could leak oil and catch fire?
Smallest Is Most Serious
The potential for engine fires is the smallest recall, but it's the most serious, so that's where we'll begin. Ford is recalling just six vehicles for this: a single 2026 Lincoln Corsair, one 2025 Ford Maverick, two 2026 Ford Mustangs, and two 2026 Ford Explorers.
Ford found an Explorer with an oil leak in its Chicago Assembly plant, no CAP. The leak was because of a missing ball plug on the intake side of the cylinder head. Ford found out the part had been rejected at the engine plant, but somehow made it into the vehicle. It found five other cylinder heads with the potential for a problem, and all six vehicles will get a new cylinder head. Ford's recall ID is 25V828.
A faulty rear light bar problem affects the side-to-side rear bar on 1,195 Lincoln Navigator SUVs for the 2025 model year. Per recall 25V831, Ford found there could be cracks in the outer lens or weld track. Water can get in through the cracks, and then your backup lamps could flicker or fail completely.
Ford blamed shipping damage for the problem, stating that it had requested a new batch of the bars from the supplier. The supplier, which was under bankruptcy protection, used cardboard instead of the usual reusable hard-sided boxes.
Working back up through the list, Ford recall 25V827 covers 11,825 Lincoln MKTs from 2016-2019. Ford used hand rollers to apply the B-Pillar trim applique, and it meant not all of them were properly stuck down. Ford has already recalled Explorers that could have the same issue, but now the Lincolns are on the list. The fix is removing the applique and re-applying it with the right adhesive.
Hinge Covers Could Go Airborne
Last but not least is the big one. There are 108,762 Ford Escape crossovers, model years 2020-2022 and 2025, with bits that could come off. Specifically, the tailgate hinge covers on some 2020-2022 models were not fully installed on some vehicles. They weren't clipped all the way in, which means they could come detached a fly off the vehicle.
On 2025 models, the problem is that there can be a "loss of adhesion" between the Dual Lock attachment feature and the roof frame. Ford blamed a supplier quality issue and a hinge cover installation issue as combining to cause the recall. For these (and the 2022-2025 Escapes), the only affected models are ones with a panoramic roof.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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