Ford Motor Company has recalled some of its models due to an oil leak. The oil leak was caused by a manufacturing defect in the motor’s cylinder head, and thus, certain vehicle models have been recalled because this defect could result in either a fire or an engine failure. For this particular recall, not too many motors have been affected. About 404 motors have been recalled as per the NHTSA Campaign Number 25V372 and Ford Recall Number 25S61. The selected models affected are the 2023 to 2025 Escape and 2025 Bronco Sport SUVs. It is important to get all the information pertaining to the recall so the issue can be addressed accordingly.
Taking note of how the recall came to be
Ford has recently been in the limelight due to the many motor recalls of late. For this particular recall, the problem has to do with the cylinder head that was poorly manufactured, so much so that some cylinder heads had loose or absent ball plugs. There is a dire need for these plugs, which can seal oil channels within the engine.
The absence of or any incorrectly fitted ball plugs could allow oil to leak into the motor’s exhaust system or engine, and as such, result in a fire. Another possible misfortune that could occur is that the oil leak could result in a loss of engine power, causing a crash to occur.
According to Ford, this flaw could be attributed to the work done by their supplier, Nemak Monterrey. It is believed that at Nemak Monterrey, power outages interfered with the heat treatment process, producing cylinder heads of insufficient hardness. As such, ball plugs completely dislodged while the engine was operating.
How did Ford come to find out about this issue?
The issue was brought to Ford’s attention back in March due to a warranty claim from the 2025 Escape that detailed a seized engine. Upon investigation, Ford discovered the same flaw with many cars within this model range, and yet another case was seen in April with the brand-new Escape. This vehicle was leaking oil due to a missing ball plug. The flawed cylinder heads were sent to the lab for further testing, which proved improper heat treatment leading to the ball plug flaw.
Which Ford models are affected by this recall?
Similar to Ford’s more recent recall of the 2019 to 2020 Ford Transit Connect models, this latest recall over the fire issue involves:
- 2023 to 2025 Ford Escape
- 2025 Ford Bronco Sport
Aside from just the vehicles being recalled, the replacement parts for these vehicles are part and parcel of the recall too, such as the:
- Cylinder Heads manufactured between February 28, 2024, and November 4, 2024
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- Part Number: PV4Z-6049-A
- Long Blocks manufactured between June 10, 2024, and Sept 24, 2024
- Part Number: PV4Z-6006-A
To make matters all the more serious, Ford issued a “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside” advisory to indicate how necessary this recall was.
What are Ford owners encouraged to do?
Since Ford is keen about replacing the full cylinder head on all affected vehicles, motor owners of these affected vehicles will be notified via a mail notice that will go out from June 23, 2025. Second notifications are to follow thereafter.
All vehicle drivers must:
- View their vehicle’s recall status using the NHTSA’s VIN lookup tool.
- Get in touch with Ford’s customer service.
- Utilize the Ford recall number 25S61 when speaking to a dealer.
Ford has reassured owners of these affected vehicles that the newer parts will align with quality standards and thus fully eliminate the chance of ball plug failure. Despite the reassurance, the quality of vehicles and vehicle parts is of utmost importance to car enthusiasts. Ford, however, has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons of late. The number of Ford recalls this year alone makes Ford drivers worry. In early June, Ford’s historic recall entailed over 1,000,000 cars, and now, not too long thereafter, Ford is announcing this recall too.
Disclaimer: For more information about this recall, check the report 25V-372 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
