Ford is recalling some engine block heaters that could cause short circuits and fires, just in time for a major snowstorm – Jalopnik

Ford leads the way when it comes to a few things, pickup truck sales and recalls. Yes, the heavyweight champion of automotive recalls has already been back in the ring for a few weeks in 2026, defending his title. Ford has a recall earlier this month, nearly 120,000 of its cars were fitted with engine block heaters, which can crack and cause a coolant leak, causing a short circuit and possibly starting a fire. Ford says owners should not plug in their block heaters until the fault is resolved, although the recall comes just in time for a massive winter storm.

There are two separate recalls for this issue: the first may affect 116,672 2013 to 2018 Focuses, 2013 to 2019 Escapes, and 2015 to 2016 Lincoln MKCs equipped with a 2.0-liter engine. The second may affect 2,403 Focuses from 2016 to 2018, as well as 2019 and 2024 Explorers. Ford expects only 1% of the vehicles involved in the recall to have a coolant leak problem.

The conditions that create the potential fire hazard only occur when the engine block heater is plugged into a 110-volt outlet, so Ford is recommending that owners avoid plugging it in, which is very inconvenient for people in regions affected by the current winter storm.

The fault has been traced to the engine block heater’s solder joints, which can crack around the base of the element, allowing coolant to enter the cable interface. The evaporation of the coolant leaves behind conductive salt deposits. As these deposits build up over time, they can cause a salt bridge or corrode electrical connections, leading to a short circuit. Ford is not aware of any injuries or deaths resulting from this recall. The solution is to replace the defective engine block heater with a newly designed one as soon as it becomes available.

Ford

Dealers should already have been notified of the recall and VINs should already be searchable, but owners won’t be notified until next month. The newly designed engine block heater is not expected to be available until mid-April, after which the worst winter weather will probably already be a thing of the past.