Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 20,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles across two models after discovering a manufacturing defect that could cause battery failure and potentially start fires.
The safety issue affects approximately 16,543 Ford Escape models and 4,015 Lincoln Corsair vehicles from model years 2020 to 2024 and 2021 to 2024, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall, designated campaign number 25V789, stems from a defect in high-voltage battery cells that may develop an internal short circuit and lead to battery failure.
“Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash,” the NHTSA said in a Nov. 18 recall acknowledgement letter. “Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.”
Ford’s investigation traced the root cause to a manufacturing issue at the battery cell supplier level. “The high voltage battery pack cell’s separator layer between its cathode and anode may be susceptible to damage as a result of variability in the battery cell supplier’s production process,” according to a safety recall report from the agency. “Separator damage may result in a cell internal short circuit.”
Should an internal short circuit occur while driving, customers could experience a sudden shutdown of the vehicle’s propulsion system, accompanied by a red “Stop Safely Now” message displayed on the dashboard. Despite the loss of power, the safety report notes that steering, braking, and lighting functions would remain unaffected. In the worst-case scenario, an internal short circuit could trigger battery thermal venting that could result in a fire.
This recall marks the second safety action for these vehicles addressing the same battery cell issue. The vehicles were previously recalled in December 2024 under campaign 24V954, which attempted to address the risk through a software update to the Battery Energy Control Module that enhanced the system’s ability to detect cell anomalies.
However, “based on new information, the recall remedy for 24V954/24S79 may not detect these conditions in all cases.”
Ford found the limitations of the prior remedy after receiving field reports. “Beginning in July and August 2025, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group received three European field reports describing Kuga vehicles experiencing battery thermal venting after receiving the software remedy,” the safety report indicates.
Since Ford is not currently prepared to deploy a permanent fix, the automaker is implementing interim measures only. Owners will receive notification letters beginning Dec. 1, instructing them to limit the maximum charge of their batteries and use only “Auto EV” mode until a permanent solution becomes available.
Owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 for more information, or reach out to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Vehicle identification numbers involved in the recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on Nov. 18, 2025.
