Ford is top of the heap when it comes to a few things, pickup truck sales, and recalls. Yes, the heavyweight champ of automotive recalls is already back in the ring defending its title just a few weeks into 2026. Ford issued a recall earlier this month for nearly 120,000 of its cars fitted with engine block heaters, which may crack and develop a coolant leak causing them to short circuit and potentially cause a fire. Ford says owners should not plug their block heater in until the fault is remedied, though the recall comes just in time for a massive winter storm.
There are two separate recalls for this issue, the first one potentially affects 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 potentially affects 2,403 2016 to 2018 Focuses, as well as 2019 and 2024 Explorers. Ford expects only 1% of the vehicles involved in the recall have the coolant leak issue.
Look out for coolant spots under your car, loss of cabin heat, engine overheating, or a low coolant warning
The conditions that cause the potential fire hazard only occur when the engine block heater is plugged into a 110-volt outlet, so Ford recommends owners avoid plugging them in, which is mighty inconvenient for folks in regions affected by the current winter storm.
The fault is traced back to the engine block heater’s solder joints which can crack around the element base which allow coolant to get into the cord interface. Evaporation of the coolant leaves behind conductive salt deposits, and as those deposits accumulate over time, they can cause a salt bridge or corrode electrical connections which may result in a short circuit. Ford is unaware of any injuries or deaths related to this recall. The remedy involves replacement of the faulty engine block heater with a newly designed one, once it becomes available.
Ford
Dealers should already be notified of the recall and VINs should be searchable already, but owners won’t be notified until next month. The newly designed engine block heater isn’t expected to be available until mid-April when the worst winter weather will likely already be a thing of the past.
