Days after Ford SA CEO Jeffery Nemeth was summoned to the vehicle manufacturer's headquarters in the US‚ the multinational has recalled 1 078 Ford Fiesta ST models in South Africa.

The safety recall affects models manufactured between September 2012 and December 2014.

"In the affected vehicles‚ a lack of coolant circulation could cause an engine to overheat‚ resulting in a crack in the cylinder head. A cracked cylinder head can result in a pressurised oil leak. Oil that comes into contact with a hot engine surface increases the risk of a fire in the engine compartment‚" Nemeth said in a statement last night.

"The safety of our customers is our top priority‚ and the expansion of the safety recall is being rolled out as a precautionary measure on the Fiesta ST."

The recall comes days after the Sunday Times reported that South African insurance giants Auto & General and Dialdirect were to take legal action against Ford in connection with fires which have destroyed several Ford EcoSport SUVs.

Ford has claimed that it is aware of only one fire incident involving an EcoSport.

Nemeth‚ in an interview with The Times on Tuesday‚ denied that his return to the US had anything to do with the Ford Kuga safety recall.

Ford drew severe criticism for its handling of the Kuga fiasco which prompted the National Consumer Commission to launch an official investigation into the fires and how the company dealt with the incidents.