Goodbye to confidence in Ford – NHTSA announces a recall of more than 59,000 vehicles for leaking engine coolant – see if your model is affected

Ford is back in the news, and the NHTSA is sounding the alarm again. Ford is once again in the spotlight after issuing a safety alert for more than 59,000 vehicles from the American brand after detecting that they could catch fire.

The problem lies in the engine heating system, which may have coolant leaks and cause short circuits, even when the car is turned off!!! And although no injuries have been reported, we don't think anyone wants to take that risk.

Where does the failure come from?

From the engine block heater, a device designed to help start the car in very cold climates, but, as mentioned earlier, in some models this component cracks and allows fluid to leak into the electrical connector, and that's where the danger begins.

When the liquid evaporates, it leaves salt residue (which conducts electricity), and a short circuit can occur when the heater is plugged in. And no one wants their vehicle to catch fire when connecting it, but the fire could appear even when the car is parked, so no one is safe.

Since September (of this year), Ford has confirmed yet 46 incidents, most of them in Canada, fortunately, with no injuries, thanks God.

Affected models

The recall is identified as number 25V685 and includes Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with 2.0 and 2.3-liter engines that have the optional block heater system.

Ford

• Explorer (2016–2023)
• Ranger (2019–2024)
• Bronco (2021–2024)
• Bronco Sport (2021–2024)
• Maverick (2022–2024)
• Escape (2020–2022)
• Fusion (2019–2020)

Lincoln

• MKC (2016–2019)
• Corsair (2020–2022)

The recall code for this is 25SA4, and it affects vehicles in the United States and Canada (for this moment).

What should I do with my vehicle?

Ford has issued drivers to not plug in the engine heater until the issue is resolved, at least for now, because they cannot guarantee that the vehicle will not catch in fire. So please, be careful.

The company has already begun notifying owners as of October 20 and will offer a free repair once the replacement parts are ready (but those one are estimated for February 2026).

In the meantime, you can check if your car is affected by entering your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls or by calling Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

Don't ignore it

If you own one of the affected models, watch out for these warning signs:

• Coolant spots or puddles under the car or in the garage.
• Burning smell or smoke coming from the hood.
• Reduced cabin heating or rising engine temperature.
• Low coolant level messages on the dashboard.

If you notice any of these, turn off the car immediately, do not plug it in, and notify the authorities, be very careful!!

Not Ford's year

2025 can be summed up for Ford in one word: "recall". Just this year, Ford accounts for more than 60% of vehicle recalls in the country, over 5 million units recalled for similar problems…

And yes, it's because cars are becoming more complex to assemble, they're practically computers on wheels, and as you can imagine, the more features your vehicle has, the more things can go wrong…

Although this problem mainly affects cars in cold regions, no driver should ignore this alert, because a small crack can go unnoticed and end with a car in flames.

As mentioned, Ford will cover the repair costs, but until the fix arrives, it's important to be cautious and keep a close eye on your vehicle to prevent any incidents.

Will Ford survive 2025 with so many recalls?