Fire risk leads to 'park outside' recall for several Lincoln MKC models

A "park outside" recall was recently announced for some Lincoln MKC vehicles.

A defect may be connected to 19 reports of fires under the hood, so owners are being told to immediately park these SUVs outside, away from houses, apartment buildings, parking decks or any other structure so that if they do catch fire. That way, there's a lower risk of the fire spreading and putting people's lives in danger.

The recalled MKCs are model years 2015 through 2019. The problem is a battery monitoring sensor that can short-circuit and cause a fire.

This can happen while parked or driving.

You can check to see if you're vehicle is under recall at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

If you can't park one of these recalled Lincoln MKCs outside, contact your dealer. They can safely disconnect the battery until the problem can be fixed and may be able to store the car for you.

Ask about a rental vehicle. Some people may be eligible for a free dealer rental depending on their circumstances.

Letters will go out to owners at the end of June with more instructions, but make sure you are checking your VIN against the NHTSA recall site because if you bought one of these SUVs used, you may not get a recall notice in the mail.