Ford recalls over 456,000 Bronco Sport and Maverick cars due to loss of drive power risk

By James On Apr 17, 2024

NEW YORK — Ford is recalling more than 456,000 Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles due to a battery sensing issue that could lead to loss of propulsion power, increasing the risk of crashes.

According to documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the body and powertrain control modules of these cars may fail to detect changes in battery charge. And if not noticed, a low battery charge can cause an unexpected loss of propulsion power, including sudden stalling or inability to restart, and the use of other electrical devices such as hazard lights.

The recall includes approximately 403,000 model year 2021-2024 Bronco Sports produced between February 2020 and March 2024, as well as more than 53,000 model year 2022-2023 Mavericks produced between February 2021 and October 2022, according to a recall report Friday.

To resolve this issue, dealers will recalibrate the body and powertrain control modules of affected vehicles at no charge. Notification letters for owners will be sent on May 13, according to a confirmation letter from the NHSTA recall on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear whether the drug would be available before mid-May. The Associated Press contacted Ford on Wednesday for more information, including the total number of incidents reported to date.

As of Feb. 8, Friday’s recall report said, Ford was not aware of any injuries related to the problem, but the Dearborn, Michigan-based company noted 917 related warranty reports, 11 field reports and 54 customer complaints. There were also two property damage claims and three unverified fire reports.

This isn’t the only recall impacting Bronco Sport owners.

The automaker announced a separate recall of nearly 43,000 select Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs a week ago because gasoline can leak from fuel injectors onto hot engine surfaces, increasing the risk of fire. But the recall did not include fixing the fuel leaks, prompting a federal investigation.