In a recent development, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has commenced an investigation into the actions taken by Ford in relation to a recall initiated in June 2022, affecting nearly 49,000 units of the Mustang Mach-E EV.
Last year, the renowned automaker issued a safety recall impacting 48,924 electric crossovers within the United States. The recall was prompted by potential overheating of contactors on the high-voltage battery after DC fast charging and instances of “repeated wide open pedal events.” Such occurrences had the potential to result in power loss, thereby elevating the risk of accidents.
Following the recall announcement, which encompassed software updates aimed at monitoring contactor temperature and decreasing battery power, as well as assessing contactor resistance, Ford subsequently released a technical service bulletin mandating the replacement of high-voltage battery junction boxes in the concerned vehicles.
However, more than a year after the initial recall notification, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) within NHTSA has initiated an inquiry into 64,727 Mach-E EVs. The catalyst for this action was the reception of 12 consumer complaints from owners of vehicles that were part of the recall and had supposedly undergone rectification procedures.
As per information reported by Reuters, one vehicle owner recounted an incident to NHTSA in which, just two days after receiving the software update, the vehicle experienced a second critical failure of its high-voltage battery junction box. During a trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles, a “Service Vehicle Soon” warning emerged, accompanied by a 30 percent power limitation. Remarkably, the vehicle managed to continue its journey to a dealership despite the constraints.
Another Mach-E owner from Florida detailed an incident wherein, shortly after charging at a DC fast charger, the car’s interior screen exhibited a “safely stop now” message. This led to the EV coming to a complete halt within seconds while entering a highway on-ramp. The car resumed operation approximately three hours later, allowing the driver to cover a brief distance before encountering another stop.
Ford’s spokesperson, Maria Buczkowski, informed Automotive News that the company is actively collaborating with NHTSA to facilitate their ongoing investigation.
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