The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) is taking a closer look at a Ford Mustang Mach-E recall issued in June 2022. The recall, initially aimed at addressing an overheating issue with the electric SUV’s high-voltage contactors, is now under investigation after reports of continued power failures even after the physical repairs and software updates that were supposed to correct the issue were installed.
The recall, which affected nearly 49,000 Mustang Mach-E vehicles, was first initiated due to concerns over sudden power loss while driving. This scenario could potentially lead to accidents, making it a critical safety concern. In response Ford rolled out an over-the-air (OTA) software update to mitigate the problem, which was designed to manage contactor temperature and reduce battery power to prevent contactor damage.
The problem was significant enough that dealerships were instructed to withhold new Mach-E deliveries until the software was installed, and a service bulletin detailed the replacement of the High Voltage Battery Junction Box in affected vehicles.
However, recent consumer complaints have raised the issue once again. The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received a dozen reports claiming that the OTA software update did not effectively address the issue, with owners detailing power failures even after the vehicles had supposedly been fixed, prompting the NHTSA to open a Recall Query (RQ) to look into the matter further. (via Automotive News)
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has opened this Recall Query (RQ) after receiving 12 consumer complaints alleging a high voltage battery main contactor failure in MY 2021-2022 Ford Mach-E vehicles (subject vehicles) that were included in Recall 22V-412 and remedied prior to the reported incidents. The remedy in this recall was a Secondary On-Board Diagnostic Control Module (SOBDMC) software update to monitor contactor temperature and reduce battery power to prevent damage to the contactor, and a Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) software update to monitor contactor resistance to identify an overheated contactor and reduce vehicle power to prevent further damage.
While the original recall covered nearly 49,000 Mach-Es, this RQ now covers an estimated 64,727 examples of the electric SUV. You can read the full report below.
nhtsa-mach-e-recall-investigation
