Have a Ford electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle? Ford has just issued a recall that may apply to it. The recall concerns some 50,000 vehicles in North America that are equipped with the original manufacturer-supplied 120-volt charging cable.
Using this cable on a conventional outlet not part of a circuit designed for vehicle charging, or one that is aging and corroded, can increase the temperature of the outlet to increase, resulting in a risk of fire.
Ford is aware of some instances in which that has happened.
The affected models are:
• 2012-15 Ford Focus Electric vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant, Sept. 15, 2011 through March 14, 2015
• 2013-15 Ford Fusion Energi vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Sept. 4, 2012 through March 5, 2015
• 2013-15 Ford C-MAX Energi vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant, April 13, 2012 through March 14, 2015
In total, the voluntary recall affects 50,524 vehicles in North America – 49,197 in the United States, and 1,327 in Canada.
Owners of the vehicles in question will be contacted by email and informed of the specifications for the proper wall outlets to be used. They will also be reminded that under no circumstances should extension cords be used when charging their vehicles.
Owners will be invited to visit their Ford dealership to have the cable replaced, free of charge, by a new version, which includes a thermistor designed to identify situations when temperatures rise dangerously at the plug/outlet interface and discontinue charging until the temperature decreases to an appropriate level.