Ford, the illustrious American automotive giant, recently announced the recall of a whopping total of 456,000 Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles. The reason for this sweeping action stems from a concerning battery detection issue, an anomaly that may lead to the loss of drive power, thereby escalating the risk of vehicular accidents.
A series of documents issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration details the specific problem. The body and power train control modules in these cars seem to be faltering when it comes to spotting changes in battery charge levels. The repercussions can be distressing – undetected low battery charge may trigger an unexpected loss of drive power, abruptly bring vehicles to a halt or deny the ability to restart. Also at stake is the utilization of other auxiliary electric capabilities, such as hazard lights.
The recall mainly concerns a staggering 403,000 units of the 2021-2024 Bronco Sports models. These vehicles had rolled off the assembly line between February 2020 and March 2024. Alongside, over 53,000 units of the 2022-2023 Mavericks models, manufactured from February 2021 through to October 2022, also make the recall list as per a recall report submitted last Friday.
An encouraging note for the affected vehicle owners is that dealers will recalibrate the problematic body and power train control modules at absolutely no charge. Word of this is due to reach the vehicle owners by mail on May 13th, according to a Tuesday NHTSA recall acknowledgment letter.
In a recent exchange with The Associated Press, a Ford spokesperson confirmed that the software update to fix the issue is still under development. Yet, it’s expected to hit the shelves later in the second quarter. Stressing that “safety is a top priority,” the spokesperson conveyed Ford’s commitment to address this issue in a prompt and effective manner.
As at February 8, Ford reported no knowledge of injuries caused by this issue. However, the company, based in Dearborn, Michigan, did catalog 917 related warranty reports, 11 field reports, and 54 customer complaints. Two property damage claims and three yet-to-be-verified fire reports were also documented.
The cloud of recall does not part with just this; the Bronco Sport owners have another smoky wisp to contend with. Last week, the NHTSA announced it was investigating the solution Ford had proposed after the recall of nearly 43,000 select Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs. These vehicles allegedly had a ticking time bomb – gasoline seeping from the fuel injectors onto heated engine surfaces, heightening the hazard of fires. The NHTSA brought to light a crucial fact that Ford’s suggested remedy bypassed fixing the fuel leaks.
