Ford nearly went three weeks without appearing on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recall list for 2026, but today the automaker announced three separate recalls at once. This move instantly made Ford the most recalled automaker in the U.S. so far this year, surpassing Rivian in the process.
All three recalls share the same underlying concern: a fire risk linked to engine block heaters that may short-circuit. One recall affects 2,633 engine block heater accessories sold for certain 2013-2019 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with 2.0-liter engines, while the other two recalls cover a combined total of 119,075 vehicles from 2013 to 2024.
The first recall targets the Ford Focus and Ford Escape, as well as the Lincoln MKC. The second recall adds the Ford Explorer to the list. The affected model years are as follows:
- 2013–2018 Ford Focus
- 2013–2019 Ford Escape
- 2015–2016 Lincoln MKC
- 2019 & 2024 Ford Explorer
According to the NHTSA, the engine block heaters in these vehicles may develop a coolant leak through their element pins. This can result in a resistive short circuit while the heater is plugged in, increasing the risk of an underhood fire.
The problem originates from solder joints that can crack around the element base, allowing coolant to seep into the block heater-to-cord interface. When the coolant evaporates, electrically conductive salt deposits remain. Over time, these deposits can form a salt bridge or corrode electrical connections, either of which can create a path to ground and ultimately trigger a resistive short circuit.
Fortunately, this issue often shows warning signs. The NHTSA notes that owners may observe coolant spots under the vehicle, a loss of cabin heat, engine overheating, or a low coolant warning.
In more severe cases, a burning smell or visible smoke may occur. Importantly, affected owners have not been advised to park their vehicles outside, they are simply instructed not to plug in their engine block heaters until a remedy is available.
Ford first became aware of the problem more than a year ago, on January 16, 2025, but a fix is still months away. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) for affected cars can be checked on nhtsa.gov. Interim owner notifications are scheduled to be sent between February 9–13, with official remedy notifications expected to begin on April 13.
While Ford has nearly doubled the number of recalls compared with 2025, the company continues to monitor issues closely and works to deliver solutions as promptly as possible, even if owners must wait a few months for the fix.
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