Ford’s first big 2026 recall targets older vehicles, not trucks

Here we go again! Ford Motor Company issued its first recall of 2026 on January 15, when announcing a recall tied to faulty engine block heaters.

The recall affects well over 100,000 older vehicles in the U.S. and could affect RVers who tow a Ford vehicle behind their motorhome. Is your vehicle on the list? Read on to find out.

What’s recalled and why

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified a defect in the engine block heater (used to warm the engine in cold weather), warning that it can crack and leak coolant through its electrical element.

Over time, this leakage can leave behind electrically conductive deposits and corroded connections. These may create a short circuit risk when the heater is plugged into household electricity. In the worst case, that short can ignite an under-hood fire even when the vehicle isn’t running.

The defect appears most often when the heater is plugged into a 110-volt outlet without a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). This circuit breaker, a recommended safety device, can help prevent shocks but doesn’t eliminate the underlying defect.

Affected vehicles

The recall is spread across multiple Ford and Lincoln models with 2.0-liter engines, including:

• 2013–2018 Ford Focus
• 2013–2019 Ford Escape
• 2015–2016 Lincoln MKC
• 2019 and 2024 Ford Explorer

In total, more than 116,000 vehicles in the U.S. are included in the action.

Signs of trouble

According to NHTSA documents, potential early warning signs of this issue include:

• Coolant spots under the vehicle

• Loss of cabin heat

• Overheating engine or low coolant warning

• Burning smells or smoke in extreme cases

It’s important to note that the risk exists mainly when the block heater is plugged in. The vehicle operation itself isn’t directly affected unless the heater is in use.

Frustration

Here’s the part that’s drawing significant owner frustration:

• Ford first became aware of this defect more than a year ago (January 16, 2025).

• Interim owner notifications (informing owners of the issue) are scheduled to be mailed in early February 2026.

• However, the actual repair (block heater replacement) is not expected to be available until mid-April 2026—leaving owners waiting months without a remedy.

• Until then, affected owners are advised not to plug in their block heaters at all to minimize risk. That’s a tall order considering the winter months and extreme weather we’ve experienced lately and will predictably continue.

Ford’s recalls

This latest recall comes amid an unusually high rate of safety campaigns for Ford. The automaker has issued numerous recalls in recent months, including prior fire-risk recalls and large-scale actions for unrelated issues (rearview camera software glitches and hybrid battery concerns).

What should owners do?

If you believe your vehicle might be affected:

• Check for open recalls by entering your VIN at the NHTSA recall lookup tool.

• Avoid plugging in the block heater until a repair is available.

• Watch for official recall mailings from Ford in February and April 2026.

• Contact Ford customer service or your local dealer with questions or concerns.

RELATED

• Ford issues major recall on EVs and hybrids; park mode may fail
• Ford recalls nearly 300,000 model year 2020-2022 trucks
• Read all recent RV and RV-related recalls here. 

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