While food recalls can be easy to miss or even disregard (not that it’s a good idea), ignoring a vehicle recall is extra risky, even life-threatening. One should never do it.
That’s especially true when the vehicle recall is due to a fire risk, as is the case with Ford’s latest recall.
Ford is recalling 116,672 Ford and Lincoln models due to a dangerous issue that could cause vehicles to short-circuit and catch fire.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued Recall No. 26V011 this week. The recall affects three models outfitted with engine block heaters.
“The engine block heater installed in [some Ford and Lincoln] vehicles with a 2.0L engine may experience overheating and develop a coolant leak through its element pins. This could cause a resistive short while the vehicle is parked and the block heater is plugged into an electrical supply,” NHTSA said.
This is not the first time Ford’s engine block heaters have posed a fire risk. A 2025 NHTSA recall in 2025 linked nearly identical heater wiring flaws and coolant leaks to multiple underhood fire reports, underscoring a recurring pattern, a CBS report found.
2015 Lincoln MKCs are among the most recent vehicles to be recalled.
Photo by Bloomberg on Getty Images
Models affected by the latest Ford recall
The current recall affects cars and SUVs that are at least five years old and in some cases more than 10 years old. The current recall includes:
- 2013-2018 Ford Focus Number of models in this recall: 49,080
- 2015-2016 Lincoln MKC Number of models in this recall: 1,909
- 2013-2019 Ford Escape Number of models in this recall: 65,683
This is just the latest in a long run of recalls for Ford Motor Company, which issued the most safety recalls among automakers in 2025, with more than 103 alerts, according to a report from Kelley Blue Book.
The number of recalls Ford has announced in the last couple of years came up repeatedly during the company’s Q2 2025 earnings calls. “We are not satisfied with the current level of recalls or the number of vehicles impacted,” Ford Chief Operating Officer Kumar Gahotra said at the time.
“As increasingly complex vehicles become increasingly normal, Ford has stumbled with regard to quality,” Autotrader Executive Editor Brian Moody told Fox Business about the company’s previous recalls. “While most modern recalls are voluntary, the sheer number from Ford is cause for concern.”
How to tell if your Ford or Lincoln is part of the latest recall
If you own one of the vehicles listed above, contact Ford right away to schedule a repair. Ford advises owners not to use the engine block heater until the repair is completed. Repairs are free of charge, and notifications are being mailed this month.
Some telltale signs that your vehicle is affected by the recall include “coolant spots on the driveway or garage floor, a loss of cabin heat, powertrain unit overheating, or a warning indicator for a low coolant level,” according to the NHTSA statement. “Additionally, the condition can cause heat damage to the block heater electrical wiring and connector and the customer may notice an odor or smoke.”
Related: Honda forced into another recall over potentially dangerous issue
Ford and Lincoln owners can still drive their vehicles, but Ford recommends “not using the block heater until repairs are made.” Ford said it’s developing a new block heater element and that once it becomes available, customers can visit a Ford dealer for a free replacement, Ford told CBS News.
Another option is to have the vehicle’s block heater removed and a threaded plug installed at a Ford dealer, the company said. Ford said dealers will provide that service free of charge.
Biggest U.S. car recalls of the last 5 years
- 2024-2025: Ford rearview camera failures. 1+ million vehicles recalled because the rearview camera image can freeze, delay, or fail, increasing crash risk, as reported by Reuters.
- 2025: Fordlow-pressure fuel pump defect. About 850,000 vehicles recalled due to fuel-pump failure that can cause engine stalling while driving, according to NHTSA.
- 2024-2025:Jeep/Stellantis plug-In hybrid battery fire risk. Approximately 375,000 Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe vehicles recalled over battery defects that may cause fires; owners advised to park outdoors, per Reuters.
- 2024-2025:General Motors 6.2L V8 engine failure risk. About 597,000 vehicles (Chevy Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban; GMC Sierra, Yukon; Cadillac Escalade) tied to engine failure concerns, according to Consumer Reports.
- 2021-2023: Hyundai & Kia’s fire risk for ABS/trailer hitch wiring. More than 3 million vehicles recalled across multiple campaigns due to electrical issues that could cause engine-compartment fires, NHTSA reported.
- 2023-2025: Toyota’s multimedia/backup camera display failures. Nearly 400,000 vehicles were recalled for screens going blank or freezing, affecting backup camera visibility, according to Autoweek.