Ford recalls over 125,000 SUVs, trucks over fire risk - NHTSA

Ford Motor Co is recalling more than 125,000 sport utility vehicles and trucks in the United States due to the risk of an engine compartment fire, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website showed on Tuesday.

The recall, which expands on a similar recall from a year earlier, covers some Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs and its Maverick compact pickup trucks manufactured between 2020 and 2023 equipped with 2.5L Hybrid/Plug-In Hybrid motors.

"In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire," the NHTSA said.

The agency advised owners to park and shut off the engine if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke.

The U.S. automaker last week said it was recalling 142,000 Lincoln MKC SUVs in the country while it investigates the cause of under-hood fires in the model.