NHTSA Campaign 26V011000

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

Issued by Ford Motor Company · Reported Jan 15, 2026 · 116,672 vehicles affected

What's wrong

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.

Consequence

An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

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.

Vehicles affected by this recall

Make Model Year Units
FORD ESCAPE 2013 116,672
FORD ESCAPE 2014 116,672
FORD ESCAPE 2015 116,672
FORD ESCAPE 2016 116,672
FORD ESCAPE 2017 116,672
FORD ESCAPE 2018 116,672
FORD ESCAPE 2019 116,672
FORD FOCUS 2013 116,672
FORD FOCUS 2014 116,672
FORD FOCUS 2015 116,672
FORD FOCUS 2016 116,672
FORD FOCUS 2017 116,672
FORD FOCUS 2018 116,672
LINCOLN MKC 2015 116,672
LINCOLN MKC 2016 116,672

Source: NHTSA Campaign 26V011000 on nhtsa.gov. To check the current repair status for a specific vehicle, use our free VIN decoder.