These Ford SUVs could catch fire – even when turned off, safety officials say
The owners of certain Ford SUVs are asked to park their vehicles outside because the engines could catch fire, Ford Motor Company announced in an “urgent” recall.
Officials are working to determine what’s causing fires in some 2021 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators, “even with the ignition in the ‘Off’ position,” according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The nationwide recall impacts an estimated 39,000 vehicles.
The fires can occur while the vehicle is being driven or parked, according to the recall notice, so owners are advised to park outdoors and away from buildings until the issue can be fixed.
As of May 12 there have been 16 reports of under hood fires, according to court documents, including:
14 fires occurred in rental company cars
12 occurred when the car was parked with the engine off
1 occurred when parked with the engine running
3 occurred when the vehicles were being driven with customers reporting “a burning smell and smoke” coming from the front engine compartment on the passenger side.
The affected SUVs were built between Dec. 19, 2020 and April 20, 2021, documents show. Ford said it’s aware of one potential injury related to the fires.
The safety alert comes just weeks after the automaker recalled more than a quarter-million Ford Explorer SUVs due to a mechanical issue that could cause the cars to roll away when parked, McClatchy News reported.
In April, a windshield wiper issue prompted a recall of more than 650,000 vehicles including 2020-2021 Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators, according to NHTSA.
What’s next
Letters alerting customers to the engine fire risk will be mailed out May 23, and a second letter will go out once a solution is available, Ford said.
Owners can also contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 in regard to the recall. Ford’s number for the recall is 22836.
They can also contact the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 or www.nhtsa.gov
