The High Voltage Battery May Catch Fire In These Popular Ford Hybrids
More than 20,000 examples of the Ford Escape PHEV and Lincoln Corsair PHEV are being recalled for a second time after federal regulators determined that the same high-voltage battery issue flagged last year still hasn’t been fixed.
The recall covers 16,543 Escape PHEVs built between July 10, 2019, and April 17, 2024, along with 4,015 Corsair PHEVs built from October 24, 2019, through April 16, 2024.
According to documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the affected vehicles may contain battery cells that can develop an internal short circuit. If that happens, the battery can overheat and potentially catch fire. A shutdown of the battery will also stall the propulsion system, though core functions like steering, braking, and lighting will continue to operate.
Ford first attempted to address the issue late last year with a software update for the Battery Energy Control Module. That patch was supposed to detect abnormal behavior inside the pack and warn the driver to pull over while also stopping the battery from charging. Ford now says the update doesn’t catch every defective cell in time, and the underlying manufacturing issue persists.
In Europe, where the mechanically similar Ford Kuga PHEV is sold, the company is aware of seven battery fires involving vehicles that had already received last year’s update.
The company hasn’t yet identified a definitive root cause, but internal documents point to possible damage in the separator layer dividing the cathode and anode. All suspect cells were produced by Samsung SDI at its facility in Hungary, and Ford says variability in the production process may be a factor.
Until engineers develop a permanent remedy, Ford is advising owners to limit charging and stick to “Auto EV” mode. Owners will receive instructions by mail on how to reduce the battery’s state of charge until a repair becomes available.
This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.
Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.
More by AutoGuide.com News Staff
Comments
Join the conversation
“A shutdown of the battery will also stall the propulsion system, though core functions like steering, braking, and lighting will continue to operate.” Hence, allowing a comprehensive demonstration of all the features, advantages and quietness to be found while enjoying a motionless test drive. ”The underlying manufacturing issue persists.....The company hasn’t yet identified a definitive root cause,” Despite what the Left wishes it could be, one would think that Ford would catch on that PHEV is a deeply flawed concept.