Ford recalls 874,000 F-Series trucks for fire risk

DETROIT — Engine block heaters on Ford F-Series trucks could start a fire, prompting the automaker Friday to recall more than 874,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. and Canada.

Engine block heaters are used to help warm a motor in cold weather before it starts. Water and other contaminants can corrode the cable for the engine block heater on 2015-2019 F-150 and 2017-2019 Super Duty trucks, causing a fire or tripping a breaker if it is connected to a power cord and plugged in.

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Ford said it knows of three fires that started in Canada because of the issue. One incident included minor property damage. No one was injured in any of the incidents. No issues have been reported in the U.S., Ford said.

Owners only face a safety risk if the engine block heater is plugged in, Ford said.

Dealers will inspect and replace the cables on affected trucks if necessary.

F-Series trucks are the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. Ford sold about 2 million F-150s from 2015 to 2019, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group