Twelve fires occurred while the car was parked and extinguished, one while the car was parked and running, and three while the car was in motion, according to the company.
Ford said in an announcement that the exact cause of the fires, which are believed to have started in the aft side of the engine compartment, is still being investigated.
“We are working around the clock to identify the root cause of this problem and address it further so that customers can continue to enjoy using their vehicles,” said Jeffrey Martinek, Ford Passenger Vehicles general manager.
Owners are not advised to stop driving their SUV, just to keep them away from structures while parked.
The automaker said in a statement that Ford will begin communicating with owners by mail and through their Ford and Lincoln smartphone apps once it establishes a list of owners of those specific SUVs. Owners who believe their vehicles may be involved can also call Ford’s toll-free number at 1-866-436-7332, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which oversees vehicle recalls.
The automaker said Ford will reach out to customers once a remedy for the potential problem is found.
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