The Ford Motor Company has announced a safety recall that affects more than 59,000 vehicles in the US.
The company says the affected vehicles are at risk of catching fire. An issue with the engine block heaters could result in coolant leaks. This could endanger owners if they use an outlet without proper circuit protection.
Coolant Leaks That Could Cause Short Circuits
Ford says the solder joints in the engine block heaters might crack around the element base. This would allow coolant to seep into the heater-to-cord interface. When the coolant evaporates, salt deposits form, creating an electrically conductive path. This could lead to a resistive short circuit.
It’s also dangerous if the heaters become connected to an outlet. The risk of a fire increases if the vehicle doesn’t have a ground fault circuit interrupter. The defective block heaters were from Phillips and Temro Industries.
Ford has already received 30 legal claims and 21 reports from Transport Canada. There are also six customer complaints about engine block heater fires. Most of the incidents happened in Canada.
Affected Vehicles and Next Steps for Owners
This latest recall covers various models of Ford and Lincoln vehicles, including:
- 2016 Ford Explorer and Lincoln MKC
- 2024 Ford Bronco Sport, Maverick, Bronco, and Ranger
- Certain Escape, Fusion, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles
Ford has since updated the design of the engine block heaters in vehicle production.
The company is also advising owners not to plug in the original block heaters. They’re asking consumers to wait until they’ve completed the remedy. The company will replace the faulty heater with a new, redesigned component.
Ford has already sent out notification letters on October 24, 2025. The company is set to send out remedy letters in February 2026.