Ford Bronco Sport Catches Fire While Awaiting Recall Repair

Ford has already announced three recalls covering nearly 700,000 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Ford Escape models equipped with the turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine. The issue centers on fuel injectors that can crack and leak gasoline into the engine compartment, creating a potential fire hazard. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into the defect before closing it after Ford expanded its repair plan from a software update to replacing defective fuel injectors.

The problem is that replacement injectors are still unavailable in sufficient numbers, leaving many owners waiting while continuing to drive vehicles affected by the recall. One of those cases involved a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport that caught fire shortly after being backed out of a driveway. The owner shared two screenshots from the incident, explaining that the vehicle first began smoking before flames quickly spread.

According to the owner, the Bronco Sport was purchased new and has accumulated roughly 50,000 miles while receiving regular maintenance. The SUV had already received the software update introduced under the original recall and was still waiting for replacement fuel injectors once they became available.

As previously reported, Ford's initial remedy focused on updating the engine control software. The revised calibration was designed to detect a pressure drop in the high-pressure fuel rail, warn the driver through the instrument cluster, disable the high-pressure fuel pump, reduce engine output, and lower temperatures around potential ignition sources inside the engine compartment.

Ford also added a drain tube to the cylinder head to redirect leaking fuel away from hot engine components and allow it to exit beneath the vehicle instead of collecting inside the engine bay.

Despite those measures, the owner says Ford has declined responsibility for the incident.

"I called Ford to file a claim and let them know what happened," the owner said. "They called back the next day and told me it wasn't their problem. They said it wasn't Ford's responsibility, even though there's an active recall involving a defect that can cause the vehicle to catch fire and potentially put people in serious danger."