Ford warns owners to stop driving their Escape, recall for leaky fuel line 2nd recall this week

Owners of certain 2013 Ford Escapes should stop driving their vehicle and contact a local dealer to arrange for repair of a defective fuel line that could result in a fire.

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2013 Escape vehicles equipped with a 1.6L engine because a fuel jumper line between the body mounted fuel line and the rear of the engine may have been damaged during its manufacturing process. Damage of this fuel line could cause a significant fuel leak and result in a fire if ignited.

TI Group Automotive Systems, of Ashley, IN, manufactured the defective fuel lines.

“Ford is advising affected owners not to drive their vehicles and to contact their dealers immediately for the needed repair,” the company said in a release.

The recall involves about 11,500 Escape vehicles manufactured at the Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky between October 8, 2011 and July 11, 2012. Escapes equipped with the 2.0-liter and the 2.5-liter engines are unaffected.

In a letter to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford said it was aware of one customer vehicle fire in Canada potentially related to the defect. Two other Escapes driven between the Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant and its Kentucky Truck Plant by employees also caught fire. No injuries were reported.

Ford advised its dealers in a letter that affected vehicles should not be driven. Neither should they sell any affected vehicles currently on their lots until the repair completed. The dealers will arrange towing of customers’ Escape vehicles to the dealership and hold them until repaired free of charge, also providing rental transportation to Escape owners during the repair period.

The company expects to have parts available to make the repair the week of July 23, 2012.

While Ford said it would begin sending letters to Escape owners on July 20, the company encouraged dealers to be proactive in contacting owners to arrange for towing and temporary rental transportation.

Concerned Escape owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

"We have identified an issue and are taking quick actions in the best interest of our customers,” said Ray Nevi, assistant director, Ford Automotive Safety Office. “Our intensive investigation and testing has identified the area of concern and we are moving as quickly as possible to repair vehicles for our customers. In the meantime, it is extremely important that affected customers not ignore this recall and immediately contact their dealer."

Earlier in the week, Ford recalled 2013 Escapes built at the Louisville Assembly Plant between March 8, 2012 and June 7, 2012 because misassembled carpet padding could interfere with braking and increase risk of a crash.