Ford has recalled 130,000+ pickup trucks that have a faulty engine-block heater. The recall is the second one on these vehicles. Initial recalls led to components that could have been broken and will need to be repaired.
Ford recalled over 410,000 vehicles in December for risk of fire due to faulty engine-block heaters.
The new issues, involving the block heater cable connectors, can be as severe as causing a fire. Ford does note that the risk is only present when the vehicle is parked and the connector cable is plugged into an electrical outlet. Ford owners should not use the engine-block heater cable until repairs are made.
Pickups that had previously been inspected in the past recall may have had damage caused to the cable connectors.
Ford reminds owners that all recall work needs to be done no matter what happens.
Consumer Reports senior policy analyst William Wallace said “It’s unfortunate, and it’s inconvenient for consumers, but it’s the right thing to do for safety.”
Carfax claims that there are 52 million vehicles on the road that have an open recall. Over 50 million Takata airbags had been recalled, and experts believe that an additional 20,000 recalls will be issued through December 2019.
The number of vehicles with open recalls has declined from 57 million in 2018 to 52 million in 2019. This figure was 63 million in 2017.
Ford’s recall, which has an additional 196,269 vehicles in Canada at risk from the previous recall, will require the vehicle’s engine-block heater cable to be disabled. The plug end prongs will need to be cut off and the end cap will need to be sealed with silicone. Customers will be alerted when the new replacement cable is available.
Only one new fire has occurred in the United States and one in Canada related to the prior recall’s work.
The recall includes Ford F-150 vehicles, years 2015 – 2019, that were built between March 18, 2014 and November 17, 2018 at the company’s Dearborn Truck Plant. Vehicles manufactured between August 21, 2014 and November 17, 2018 in the Kansas City Assembly Plant are also recalled.
The company’s Ford F-Series Super Duty vehicles, years 2017 – 2019, built between February 5, 2016 and November 17, 2018 in the Ohio Assembly Plant have been recalled. Trucks built in the Kentucky Truck Plant between October 8, 2015 and November 17, 2018 are also on the recall list.
The NHTSA’s website will let you search for any recalls on your vehicle.