Ford and Lincoln Block Heater Fire Risk critical
In certain Ford and Lincoln vehicles, the engine block heater can crack and develop a coolant leak. If the block heater is plugged in when this happens, it can short circuit.
5 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
In certain Ford and Lincoln vehicles, the engine block heater can crack and develop a coolant leak. If the block heater is plugged in when this happens, it can short circuit.
Ford is recalling certain Ford and Lincoln vehicles, including the Explorer, Escape, F-150, Expedition, Ranger, Mustang, Bronco Sport, Maverick, Transit and the Lincoln Aviator, Corsair, Navigator and Nautilus. A software problem can make the rearview camera show a blank picture when the vehicle is backing up. The picture can also stay on the screen after the driver has finished backing up. Dealers will update the rearview camera software at no cost. Letters were mailed to owners in September 2025.
On some Fusion Plug-in Hybrid vehicles, a component called the battery energy control module can become damaged if it experiences too much voltage or electrical current flowing through it. If the battery energy control module becomes damaged in this way, the vehicle may lose drive power, meaning it could stop being able to move under its own power, or the damage could lead to a fire starting in the vehicle.
The front brake hoses on these vehicles may rupture and leak brake fluid. When a hose ruptures, the brake pedal has to be pushed down farther before the brakes take hold, and the vehicle needs a longer distance to come to a complete stop than normal. Losing brake fluid this way makes the brakes less effective, so stopping the car quickly and within the usual distance becomes more difficult once fluid starts leaking from a hose.
Some Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles have a bolt that holds the steering wheel in place. This bolt may loosen over time, which can allow the steering wheel to come loose and detach from the steering column while the vehicle is being driven.
Recalls and NHTSA owner complaints for each model year, side by side. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and better-selling or older years naturally collect more — read this as a record, not a ranking.
| Model year | Recalls | High / critical | Do-not-drive / park-outside | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 438 | 9 | 1 | 6 |
| 2019 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 374 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| 2020 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 178 | 10 | 3 | 5 |
NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls covering the 2018–2020 Ford Fusion. 4 of them are rated high or critical on this site. The most recent is "Ford and Lincoln Block Heater Fire Risk" (NHTSA campaign 25V685000), reported Oct 10, 2025.
The 2019 Ford Fusion has the most, with 3 recalls. The 2018 model year has the fewest of the years we cover, with 2. Newer model years have had less time to collect recalls, so a low count on a recent year is not a guarantee.
No. None of the 5 Ford Fusion recalls on file carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory from NHTSA.
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall often applies to only some vehicles of a model year, and the VIN lookup shows the ones still unrepaired on your car. Recall repairs are free at any franchised Ford dealer, including for second owners.
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: