2021-2024 Ford Escape PHEV High-Voltage Battery Recall (25V789)
Ford Motor Company · 20,558 vehicles · Reported November 14, 2025
Ford Motor Company is recalling 20,558 2021-2024 Ford Escape PHEV; 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair PHEV vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure. Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 25V789 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 25V789000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 25SC4 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | November 14, 2025 |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Vehicles | 2021-2024 Ford Escape PHEV; 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair PHEV |
| Units affected | 20,558 |
| Component | Electrical System > Propulsion System > Traction Battery |
| Safety risk | Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021-2024 Ford Escape PHEV in recall 25V789?
A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Is it safe to drive a 2021-2024 Escape PHEV with recall 25V789?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Escape PHEV shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the traction battery, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 25V789?
Recall 25V789 covers 20,558 vehicles: 2021-2024 Ford Escape PHEV; 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair PHEV.
NHTSA lists 20,558 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2024 | Ford | Escape PHEV |
| 2021-2024 | Lincoln | Corsair PHEV |
What is the fix for the Escape PHEV high-voltage battery recall?
Yes. Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM), free of charge.
Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM), free of charge. Owners are advised to only use "Auto EV" mode and will be instructed by mail to limit the maximum charge of the battery until the remedy has been completed. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC4. Vehicles in this recall were previously recalled under 24V954 and will need to have the new remedy performed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 18, 2025.
When was recall 25V789 announced?
Ford Motor Company reported recall 25V789 to NHTSA on November 14, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as September 4, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| November 14, 2025 | Ford Motor Company filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 25V789000. |
| September 4, 2026 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 10 months ago. If your Escape PHEV was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Escape PHEV is part of recall 25V789?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V789 is open on your Escape PHEV, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 25V789000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should Escape PHEV owners do about recall 25V789?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V789000 applies to your Escape PHEV.
- Call a Ford dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the traction battery happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Escape PHEV owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 162 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 69 of them about the ev and hybrid battery.
Since recall 25V789 was reported on November 14, 2025, owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the ev and hybrid battery on these vehicles. 0 of them (0%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the ev and hybrid battery and were received on or after November 14, 2025, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related ev and hybrid battery issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 162 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 69 of them involve the ev and hybrid battery. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2022 Ford Escape PHEV: 78 complaints in total, 24 about the ev and hybrid battery
- 2021 Ford Escape PHEV: 22 complaints in total, 9 about the ev and hybrid battery
- 2022 Lincoln Corsair PHEV: 22 complaints in total, 11 about the ev and hybrid battery
- 2023 Ford Escape PHEV: 11 complaints in total, 8 about the ev and hybrid battery
- 2021 Lincoln Corsair PHEV: 9 complaints in total, 6 about the ev and hybrid battery
- 2023 Lincoln Corsair PHEV: 9 complaints in total, 4 about the ev and hybrid battery
- 2024 Ford Escape PHEV: 7 complaints in total, 6 about the ev and hybrid battery
- 2024 Lincoln Corsair PHEV: 4 complaints in total, 1 about the ev and hybrid battery
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V954000 (Electrical System). The contact stated that while pulling out of the driveway, the message "Stop Safely Now" was displayed, and the vehicle inadvertently shifted into park(P) and failed to shift into the intended gear.
2021 Ford Escape PHEV owner, OR, NHTSA complaint 11645045, filed February 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V954000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
2021 Ford Escape PHEV owner, OR, NHTSA complaint 11645384, filed February 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V954000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available.
2021 Ford Escape PHEV owner, NC, NHTSA complaint 11653628, filed April 9, 2025
Can recall 25V789 make my Escape PHEV a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Owners often ask whether this traction battery recall means their Escape PHEV qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
High-voltage battery and drive system defects in EVs and hybrids can mean reduced range, charging faults, loss of drive power or a fire risk. These repairs often need parts on backorder, so days out of service add up quickly.
This is not the first recall for this problem. When a manufacturer has to recall the same traction battery again, that suggests the earlier fix did not work. If your 2021-2024 Ford Escape PHEV has had this repair more than once, keep every repair order.
Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 24V954000.
California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
Recall repairs depend on parts. Owners can wait days, weeks or months, usually about one to three months in our cases, and those days count toward California's 30-day out-of-service rule.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Escape PHEV been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Ford Escape PHEV recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 25V789
Did the recall 25V789 fix work?
Since recall 25V789 was reported on November 14, 2025, owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the ev and hybrid battery on these vehicles. 0 of them (0%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed September 4, 2026.
Is the 25V789000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Escape PHEV is part of recall 25V789000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Can a battery recall reduce my EV's range?
Some battery recalls limit the state of charge or range until a module or pack is replaced. Check your owner letter for any interim limits, and keep notes if range or charging changes after the repair.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 25V789000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Ford, Lincoln. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.