Ford Motor Company: Equipment:Electrical:Engine Block Heater (2013 FORD ESCAPE, 2013 FORD FOCUS, 2014 FORD ESCAPE…)
Read the official notice at NHTSA →
The text below is copied from the official NHTSA record. If anything differs, the official notice is correct.
- Company / brand
- Ford Motor Company
- Product
- 2013 FORD ESCAPE; 2013 FORD FOCUS; 2014 FORD ESCAPE; 2014 FORD FOCUS; 2015 FORD ESCAPE; 2015 FORD FOCUS; 2015 LINCOLN MKC; 2016 FORD ESCAPE; 2016 FORD FOCUS; 2016 LINCOLN MKC; 2017 FORD ESCAPE; 2017 FORD FOCUS; 2018 FORD ESCAPE; 2018 FORD FOCUS; 2019 FORD ESCAPE
- Reason / hazard
- An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
- What to do (remedy)
- Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
- Distribution / sold at
- Potentially affected: 116672
- Defect
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
- Component
- EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
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