Ford has issued a recall for the Maverick and Bronco Sport models once more, concerning a battery problem that may cause the vehicles to stop unexpectedly while driving or prevent them from starting, as revealed by the NHTSA this week.
The control modules in these vehicles are unable to recognize a change in the status of the 12-volt battery while in operation. An issue with the battery could be triggered when the automatic stop-start feature turns off the engine at stops to save fuel, or if the alternator fails to meet the electrical demands from other vehicle systems, as identified by Ford in an internal investigation. A faulty battery could disable certain electronic features like the hazard lights.
A vehicle suddenly stalling or being unable to restart increases the likelihood of an accident, according to the NHSTA. The recall affects a total of 456,565 vehicles: 402,978 Ford Bronco Sport compact crossovers from the model years 2021-2024, and 53,587 Ford Maverick small pickup trucks from the years 2022-2023. The Ford Escape is not part of this recall.
Ford has acknowledged 917 warranty claims linked to the power loss problem, without any known incidents of injuries or accidents.
A simple battery replacement will not resolve the issue. Recalibration of the body and powertrain control modules is necessary. Ford will notify owners via mail by May 13 to bring their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln service center for recalibration to improve the detection of the 12-volt battery charge during driving cycles. The recalibration will deactivate the stop-start feature in case of a low charge, and the driver will receive a warning about battery deterioration.
There will be no charge for owners to have this issue fixed. Automotive News has mentioned that customers can utilize mobile pick-up and delivery services to safely deliver their vehicles for repairs.
This recall marks the eighth for the Bronco Sport, which was recently involved in an expanded recall due to a heightened fire risk related to a cracked fuel injector in models equipped with the turbo-3 engine. The Ford Maverick, available with hybrid or turbo-4 powertrains, has been subject to 10 recalls over a span of three years.
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