NHTSA campaign 26V012000 · Ford campaign 25SA4
Ford Recall 26V-012: Engine Block Heater May Short Circuit and Cause Fire
NHTSA recall 26V012000 (Ford campaign 25SA4) was reported by Ford Motor Company on January 15, 2026, with 2,403 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Ford Focus and Ford Explorer for model years 2016–2019, 2024.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 26V012000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 26V012000 (also written 26V-012 or 26V012)
- Filed by
- Ford Motor Company
- Ford campaign number
- 25SA4
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 2,403 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Equipment — Electrical — Engine Block Heater
Completion not yet reported (dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 26V012000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Ford
Ford Explorer
Ford Focus
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 26V012000.
Defect description
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Safety consequence
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Manufacturer 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 blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026. This recall expands previous recall number 25V685.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 26V012000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.