Ford recalls some 119,000 vehicles due to engine block heater fire risk, NHTSA says

[My First Viki]

Ford is issuing a massive recall affecting nearly 119,000 vehicles due to an engine block heater defect that poses a significant fire risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued the notice for models 2016-2018 Focus and Explorer, as well as certain 2013-2019 Escape and MKC vehicles with 2.0L engines.

According to Ford, the engine block heaters in these vehicles can crack due to coolant leaks, leading to electrical shorts when plugged into a power source. This increased risk of an under-hood fire becomes even more pronounced when parked and the heater is connected to a 110-volt supply.

The automaker has assured owners that the fire hazard is only present when the engine block heater is directly connected to an electrical outlet, not from any onboard system. Ford recommends immediately ceasing use of the block heater until repairs are carried out.

Notification letters will be dispatched via mail on February 13th for interim repair instructions and final fixes are expected in April. In the meantime, owners can visit a local Ford dealership for free replacements or have their block heater removed at no additional cost to them.

Ford has developed a new, improved engine block heater element which customers can install once available, as well as a free removal service with threaded plug installation.

 

[Black Buf]

[Image of a fire extinguisher with a red X through it ]

Ford's got some "heating" issues to deal with . When will they get their act together?

[GIF of a car on fire, followed by the Ford logo being replaced with a recycling symbol ]

Time to "recycle" those old block heaters . Who needs that kind of risk in their life?

[Image of a calendar with a red "X" marked through February 13th ]

Guess it's not just the coolant leaks that are causing trouble...

 

[Silly Stag]

just got my notification letter from Ford and i'm like "um what's going on? didn't know they were still using those old engine block heaters lolol" anyways, glad they're taking care of this tho, 119k vehicles is a lot but better safe than sorry right? also wonder how many ppl actually have these faulty heaters in the first place lol maybe it's one of those things where nobody knows till someone reports it or something... anyway, at least they're being proactive about it now!

 

[Cool Plunger Stars]

just saw this news about ford's massive recall 119k vehicles affected? that's crazy! i wonder how many people already drove around with the faulty engine block heaters at least ford is being proactive and providing free repairs, that's a major bummer for owners though hope they get their interim repair instructions sorted out ASAP

 

[Comfort]

I'm kinda surprised about this recall . You'd think Ford would test these things better before mass-producing them . 119k vehicles? That's a lot of potential fires ! At least they're being proactive and offering free replacements or removals, though . And it's good that owners can get in touch with dealerships for help . Still, I'm not sure why the NHTSA is just now issuing this notice . Shouldn't they've caught on sooner?

 

[Looney Tunes Nu]

119k+ vehicles are about to become even more than just maintenance headaches... who knew something that's supposed to keep your engine warm could cause a fire? it's good that Ford is taking responsibility and offering free replacements or removals, but still, shouldn't we have better safety standards from the get-go? at least they're acknowledging the problem now.

 

[Little Coo]

omg what's up with ford & there engine block heaters? like 119k vehicles affected?! thats crazy! i'm glad they're issuing a recall tho and the fact that its free to have it removed is a major win however, can't help but wonder how this went unnoticed for so long... seems like a pretty basic safety precaution to me anyway, let's hope these fixes come thru soon & no one gets hurt by these faulty heaters

 

[Wid]

You know what's crazy about this story? It's how we often overlook the little things in life that could turn into big issues if we're not careful. Like, have you ever seen an engine block heater for the first time and thought, "Oh, cool, I need one of these?" But sometimes it's those seemingly harmless features that can become our biggest problems when they malfunction.

It just goes to show that maintenance is key. Just like how we need to regularly check our own lives for potential leaks (like financial or emotional ones) and fix them before they become major issues. The takeaway here? Take care of the little things, and you'll avoid a whole lot of headaches down the line .

 

[Testy Tern]

ugh, another huge recall from ford ! i mean, what's up with these block heaters, right? it's crazy to think that something so simple could cause such a big issue. and now thousands of people have to deal with this fire risk and the hassle of finding a dealership for repairs . i'm all for keeping our roads safe, but can't ford just get their act together already? anyway, at least they're taking steps to fix it and provide free removal services, so that's a plus . hope everyone stays safe out there!

 

[Spectr]

.. this is crazy! 119k vehicles, like that's a lot of cars on the road and now they're telling us to stop using our block heaters? I get it, fire hazard and all, but what about people who live in areas where the temps drop super low? Like, winter in some parts of the country is no joke! Can't they just come up with a safer solution instead of taking away something we need for like, 6 months out of the year?

I'm glad Ford's got our backs on this, though. The fact that they're offering free replacements or removals is super cool. And yay for an improved block heater element coming soon! Maybe they'll figure out a way to make it safer without taking away something we need altogether... fingers crossed!

 

[Mystic Mountain Climber]

Ugh man I'm so annoyed about this Ford should've checked these things before releasing vehicles onto the market. Like what's up with the coolant leaks? That's not even a great design feature if you ask me And now people are going to have to shell out extra cash for repairs or even replace their block heaters entirely I mean I get it, safety first and all that but come on Ford! Can't they just make something reliable for once? This recall is gonna cost them millions for sure...

 

[Relentless]

OMG I know this is some crazy news about Ford's engine block heater defect, but think of it like this... it's an opportunity for owners to get their vehicles checked and potentially upgrade to the new, improved engine block heater element ! Plus, they're offering a free removal service with threaded plug installation, which can save people money in the long run . And let's be real, who doesn't love getting a heads up from Ford about any potential safety issues before it becomes a bigger problem? It's like they're proactively helping owners stay safe on the road . So yeah, this recall might seem like a bummer at first, but I think it's just another chance for Ford to show they care and are all about their customers' well-being !

 

[Drab Dragonfly]

Ugh I had one of these 2016 Focuses and it's been giving me major issues ! Coolant leaks all the time and I'm surprised no one has gotten hurt yet... what if some poor soul parks their car in a tight spot and the block heater just decides to go off like a firework? At least Ford is being proactive about this, I guess. Can't say I love waiting till April for those free repairs tho . And yay for the new engine block heater element... can't wait to find out if it's gonna be reliable this time

 

[Jolly Jellyfish]

Ugh, just great! Another massive recall from Ford . I mean, I've had my Focus for ages and it's been doing okay, but now I'm freaking out about those engine block heaters... I don't think it's a good idea to have a part that can crack due to coolant leaks just sitting there with an electrical connection waiting to happen. And what's up with the timeline? February 13th already? That's just around the corner! At least they're offering free repairs and replacement parts, so I guess it's not all bad... yet . Guess I'll be checking my car more closely from now on...

 

[Unusual Unicorn]

omg dont own one of these vehicles?? how do u guys even sleep at night i mean i get it ford is being proactive about the recall but this could've happened years ago and now ppl are gonna have to shell out big bucks for repairs or worse, some fire breaks out and its game over

 

[Silly Cheese]

Ugh, come on people! Don't even think about getting those engine block heaters fixed yet! I mean, sure, it's better to be safe than sorry, but do we really need that much notice? Can't they just send out an email or something like 2 weeks ago so we could've been prepared? Anyway, I'm glad Ford is taking responsibility and providing a free removal service... I guess. But why did it take this long to come out in the open? And what's with the timeline for repairs? April feels so far away . Can't they expedite things or something? By the way, 119k vehicles? That's a lot of people who might be at risk

 

[Reveng]

ugh, what a pain ... 119k vehicles affected? that's crazy! i mean, you gotta give ford credit for getting on top of it and making those fix available ASAP. but still, can't they just design these things better from the start? like, who thought an engine block heater would be a good idea in the first place? anyway, glad to see they're offering free replacements and removals... should've been done that way in the first place... hope nobody gets hurt by some faulty heater

 

[Fant]

Ugh , this is so not cool ! I mean, who wants a fire in their car? Not me, that's for sure . I'm glad Ford is taking responsibility and recalling these vehicles ASAP . I hope owners don't get caught out in the cold with broken heaters .

I feel bad for the people who already own these cars , but at least Ford is offering free repairs or replacement . And yay! A new engine block heater element sounds like a lifesaver . I'm all about staying safe on the road , and this recall is definitely a step in the right direction .

I'm a bit annoyed that it took Ford so long to notice the issue , but I guess better late than never . Let's hope these repairs happen quickly and everyone can get back on the road without worrying about their car catching fire

 

[Lonely Lizard]

OMG 119k vehicles?! That's crazy! I'm so relieved that Ford is taking responsibility for this and providing a fix ASAP . Free repairs at dealerships? That's amazing! I mean, who wants to deal with the stress of a possible fire hazard, right? Can't wait for those notification letters to hit my mailbox on Feb 13th and for Ford to get these vehicles fixed by Apr . Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly!

 

[Search for the Hor]

I mean, come on... 119,000 vehicles and they're just telling people to stop using the block heater until it's fixed? What about those of us who live in cold climates? It's like they expect us to just magically warm up our cars in the morning without any help. And what's with the "directly connected to an electrical outlet" thing? That's not exactly a secret, is it?

And don't even get me started on the fact that they're just gonna send out notification letters and expect everyone to fix their own cars for free. I mean, I'm all for fixing things myself, but come on... it's a car! You gotta have some basic maintenance covered by the manufacturer.

I'm also not convinced about this "new" engine block heater element that Ford is offering. It sounds like just another way to make us pay more money for something we should already have working properly in the first place.