Ford Canada stands by its line of trucks—but that means when something goes wrong, they’re big enough to own it. With that said, they’ve issued a recall notice on Ford F-150’s and for F-Super Duty trucks outfitted with block heaters, due to an issue with the wire assembly.
Before we get into the specific problem and the fix, here’s a quick rundown of the affected vehicles:
- 2015-2019 F-150 assembled at Dearborn Truck between March 18, 2014 and November 17, 2018
- 2015-2019 F-150 assembled in Kansas City between August 21, 2014 and November 17,2018
- 2017-2018 F-Super Duty 6.7L Diesel Engine assembled at Kentucky Truck between October 8, 2015 and October 24, 2017
- 2017-2019 F-Super Duty 6.2L & 6.8L Gas Engine assembled at Kentucky Truck between October 9, 2015 and November 17, 2018
- 2017-2019 F-Super Duty assembled in Ohio between February 5, 2016 and November 17, 2018
There are 463,760 known affected vehicles in Canada. It’s possible the recall may also affect any vehicle fitted with an over-the-counter genuine Ford engine block heater kit, with a Ford part number on the label.
What Went Wrong
In a nutshell, the wire assembly for the engine block heater may be susceptible to excess water intrusion or corrosion of the in-line connector. If the block heater does have corrosion or water intrusion, it can cause a short while plugged in. This can trip a breaker in your house, or even increase the risk of overheated wiring, melted wiring, or fire in the most extreme cases.
While we’re obviously sorry for the inconvenience, the good news is we’ve caught the problem, and we aim to fix it!
What Do I Do?
Well, first off, we will be advising you if you own an affected vehicle ASAP. You can expect to get a letter in the mail advising you of the recall before the end of January. If you get the letter, be sure to schedule your truck for service as soon as you’re able.
If you know you have an affected vehicle, you don’t need to wait for the letter—bring your vehicle in as soon as possible. We’ll handle the rest, taking care of the repair and replacement of the affected parts.
If you have other concerns regarding the recall, you can contact our service centre here at Team Ford, and we’ll answer any of your questions.