Ford is pulling more than 119,000 cars and SUVs off American roads for repairs after regulators flagged a defect that can spark engine fires when the vehicles are parked and plugged in. The recall centers on engine block heaters that can overheat, melt and ignite, turning a winter convenience feature into a potential life‑threatening hazard in driveways and garages. It is part of a broader safety sweep that touches over 300,000 vehicles Across North America and raises fresh questions about how quickly automakers can diagnose and fix fire risks before they reach customers.
At its core, the campaign is about a simple but serious failure: electrical components that cannot reliably handle the loads they were designed for. When that failure happens next to fuel lines, plastic housings or a home’s siding, the consequences can escalate from a minor repair bill to a deadly blaze in a matter of minutes. I see this recall as a test of how well Ford communicates with owners, how fast it can deliver repairs and how much trust drivers still place in a brand that has already spent years wrestling with fire hazards in popular models.
What exactly Ford is recalling
Ford has told regulators it is recalling more than 119,000 U.S. vehicles equipped with engine heaters that can fail when connected to household power. Federal filings describe the campaign as covering over 119,000 units in the United States, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, classifying the issue as a fire risk tied to the engine block heater circuit. In total, Ford has acknowledged that Across North America it is addressing problems on more than 300,000 vehicles when related campaigns are included.
Regulators say the affected population includes certain Focus and Escape models that were sold with factory block heaters, as well as other cars and SUVs built over a span that stretches from 2013 to 2024. One filing notes that Ford is recalling 119,075 vehicles in the U.S. alone, a level of precision that underscores how tightly the company and NHTSA have tried to define the risk. Separate coverage of Car Recalls notes that Ford is pulling more than 100k vehicles and lists specific model lines that are part of the recall, inviting owners to See whether their VIN is included.
How a winter convenience feature became a fire hazard
Engine block heaters are meant to be a cold‑weather ally, warming coolant and engine oil so vehicles start more easily and pollute less in freezing temperatures. In this case, Ford and NHTSA say the problem arises when the heater is plugged into a 110-volt household outlet and moisture or corrosion allows current to arc inside the connector. Safety filings describe how this can lead to short circuits, localized overheating and, in the worst case, open flames in the engine bay while the vehicle is stationary and unattended. Ford has told regulators that the fire risk is tied specifically to the heater being connected to a power source, not to normal driving.
Technical summaries shared with investors add that the company is dealing with a defect in the engine heater system that can damage wiring and connectors when the heater is connected to a power source for extended periods. One consumer advisory notes that Additionally, the condition can cause heat damage to the block heater’s electrical wiring and connector, and that owners may notice smoke or a burning smell before a fire starts, a warning echoed in a detailed breakdown of the defect.
The scale of Ford’s fire‑risk problem
While this campaign focuses on roughly 119,000 U.S. vehicles, it is only one piece of a larger pattern of fire‑related recalls that has dogged the company. Analysts tracking Ford’s safety record point out that this is the First Fire Risk Recall of 2026 and that it affects a wide range of vehicles from 2013 to 2024, including the long‑running Ford Focus and Ford Escape, as detailed in a consumer‑facing First Fire Risk explainer. Another technical summary notes that Ford almost went three weeks into the new year before announcing three separate fire‑risk campaigns tied to engine block heaters on vehicles from 2013 to 2024, underscoring how persistent the issue has become.
Regulatory filings also show that this is not the only fire hazard Ford is managing in its lineup. In a separate case, the company has issued a campaign covering nearly 700,000 SUVs over a fuel leak that can spray gasoline onto hot surfaces, a problem that According to one safety bulletin could lead to fires if Drivers ignore early warning signs like fuel odors or visible drips, as outlined in a detailed fuel leak notice. When viewed together, these campaigns paint a picture of an automaker still wrestling with basic durability and sealing issues in critical systems that should be robust for the life of the vehicle.
What owners are being told to do now
For drivers, the most urgent instruction is simple: stop using the engine block heater until the defect is fixed. NHTSA’s recall database and local advisories stress that the fire risk is present only when the heater is plugged into a 110‑volt supply, and that owners should unplug the cord and avoid reconnecting it, guidance echoed in a consumer alert that explains how the potential fire risk is only present when the heater is plugged into a 110-volt electrical supply. One regional bulletin from News Staff warns that owners should park outside and away from structures if they suspect damage, and that they should not resume normal use of the heater until the Recall repair is complete, as laid out in a detailed News Staff advisory.
Ford has told regulators it will notify owners by mail and that dealers will replace affected block heaters or related wiring free of charge, although some coverage notes that customers may be waiting months for a Fix because parts are not yet widely available, a delay highlighted in a consumer‑focused piece that says the campaign Leaves Owners Waiting Months for a Fix. In the meantime, owners are being urged to watch for signs of trouble such as tripped breakers, scorch marks on the plug, or dashboard warnings about low coolant levels, an issue flagged in coverage that notes Ford will also update the indicator for low coolant levels in some vehicles as part of the remedy, as described in a detailed Taylor Herzlich report.
Why this recall matters beyond Ford
Although this campaign is specific to Ford, the underlying story is about how modern vehicles rely on complex electrical systems that can fail in subtle but dangerous ways. NHTSA’s involvement, highlighted in multiple filings that describe how NHTSA pressed Ford Motor to act, shows how regulators are increasingly focused on fire risks that emerge only in specific use cases, such as vehicles parked and plugged in overnight. For owners of any brand, the lesson is that optional accessories and cold‑weather features deserve the same scrutiny as engines and airbags, particularly when they tie into household electrical systems.
There is also a transparency test here for Ford itself. One investor‑oriented summary framed the situation under Key Takeaways and noted that Ford (F, Financial) has announced a significant recall affecting over 119,000 units because of a potential fire when the heater is connected to a power source, a reminder that safety problems now move markets as well as families. Another consumer piece organized under Key Points noted that Ford announced three recalls in one day for fire risk from faulty engine block heaters, affecting Over 119,000 vehicles and 2 million SUVs and trucks from 2013 to 2024, a scale captured in a concise Key Points summary.
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