Ford to recall Escapes again for oil, fuel leaks

Ford is recalling the Escape small SUV to fix oil and fuel leaks that can cause fires.

The hot-selling SUV has been recalled seven times since it was redesigned and went on sale in the spring of 2012.

The first of two recalls announced Tuesday affects more than 161,000 Escapes worldwide from the 2013 model year with 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines.

Ford says the cylinder heads can overheat and crack, causing oil leaks.

Of those SUVs, fuel lines on about 12,000 may have been installed wrong. They could become chafed and leak gas. Many were repaired under a previous recall.

Ford says the oil leaks caused 13 fires but no injuries.

Dealers will fix cooling and control systems or inspect and replace fuel lines for free. The recalls start in January.