Ford recalls 116,000 vehicles over dangerous heater fire risk after 12 incident reports

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Tuesday that Ford is recalling more than 116,000 vehicles due to a potential fire risk linked to the engine block heater.

The device, which helps warm the engine before starting in freezing temperatures, may crack and leak coolant if drivers use it by plugging it into an external power source, according to the recall report.

Federal regulators warned that the defect could lead to a short circuit, raising the risk of an underhood fire.