Ford Recalls 2013 Escapes Because of Fire Hazard

Ford Motor Co. has issued an immediate recall of 2013 Ford Escapes because of a risk of fire.

The auto manufacturer is telling owners of Escapes with 1.6-liter engines built through July 11 to park them until they can be repaired, the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said.

Owners of affected vehicles should immediately contact their Ford dealers, which will deliver a loaner vehicle to their customers and then transport the vehicle to the dealership for repair.

The problem is a fuel line in the engine compartment which could split and leak fuel, potentially causing a fire under the hood. Repairs are expected to take less than an hour to complete, pending availability of parts.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the defect, which does not affect other Escape models with larger engines.

For further information customers can visit www.fordowner.com or the company’s customer relation center at 1-866-436-7332.

Ford estimates that approximately 11,500 of these vehicles were sold in North America. The number of the vehicles in Hawai`i was not immediately available.