Ford has initiated another recall campaign for pre-facelift Kuga PHEV crossovers. According to SPEEDME, the program affects vehicles from 2019 to 2024 equipped with Samsung high-voltage batteries. The manufacturer had previously updated software to detect defective cells, but this didn't fully resolve the issue.

The company reported four confirmed cases of thermal runaway—the release of hot gases following a short circuit inside the battery. All incidents occurred either at the end of charging or when a fully charged vehicle remained connected to a power source. Owners of affected cars received replacement battery packs.

As part of new measures, Ford recommends temporarily limiting charging to 80 percent. This feature is available in the vehicle's menu and should reduce stress on battery cells. The updated software, according to the company, will more accurately monitor the thermal and electrical behavior of cells and minimize overheating risk.

The new firmware release is scheduled for mid-2026, after which Kuga PHEV owners will receive invitations to service centers. This situation highlights that even as technology advances, the reliability of high-voltage batteries remains a crucial factor for trust in hybrid and electric models.