Ford Recall for Focus, Escape, and MKC Vehicles Due to Engine Block Heater Issue
Areazine synthesizes this NHTSA vehicle recall directly from NHTSA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2013-2019 vehicles because the engine block heater may crack and cause a fire risk, affecting over 116,000 units.
What this NHTSA vehicle recall tells you, and what most readers miss
This notice was issued by NHTSA on April 7, 2026 and geographically references United States. Its severity classification of "high" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken - "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to - Vehicle Recalls - determines the consumer-protection framework behind it, which shapes what remedies (refunds, replacements, repairs, or the recall itself) are available to affected consumers and which agency holds statutory responsibility for enforcement.
Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to verify its scope, source, and timestamp, then compare related notices without assuming that one record proves a broader trend.
Areazine pairs this record with the original agency URL so you can check the primary source before acting. Its related labels are recall, product-safety, cpsc, vehicles.
What Happened
Ford Motor Company 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 plugged in, which increases the risk of a fire.
Which Products Are Affected
The recall affects approximately 116,672 vehicles, including the following models with a 2.0L engine:
- 2013-2018 Ford Focus
- 2013-2019 Ford Escape
- 2015-2016 Lincoln MKC The NHTSA campaign number is 26V011000, and Ford's recall number is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved are searchable on NHTSA.gov as of January 16, 2026.
What You Should Do
Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater free of charge, or owners may choose to replace the engine block heater element with a threaded plug and remove the electrical cord. Contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 for more information. Interim letters were mailed on March 6, 2026, and additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available.
Why This Matters
This recall involves a potential fire hazard that could impact over 116,000 vehicles, posing significant risks to vehicle owners and others.
Source
For more information, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=26V011000.
Original source: NHTSA Official Notice ↗
Related Vehicle Recalls
All Vehicle Recalls →Nationwide notices with similar length or severity timing 8
Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this NHTSA vehicle recall: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.
Similar body length
Nearest notices by article body length (1,452 characters here).
Similar severity timing
Same severity (high) notices issued closest in time to April 7, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this NHTSA vehicle recall.