Ford Recalls 49,000 Mustang Mach Es
In this week’s news, we’ve learned that Ford is recalling tens of thousands of electric Mustang Mach-E SUVs and instructing dealers to stop delivering the model until a potential safety defect is resolved, a company spokesperson confirmed to Insider.
CNBC first reported the news on Tuesday, citing a notice Ford sent to its dealers on Monday. The safety issue comes as Ford works furiously to ramp up production of electric vehicles and catch up to Tesla.
According to Ford, DC fast charging and repeated instances of intense acceleration can cause a component in the high-voltage battery system to overheat. Over time, this could cause a loss of power, which could elevate the risk of an accident, Ford said.
The potential defect impacts 48,924 Mustang Mach-E SUVs in the US.
Ford expects to send out an over-the-air software update to remedy the issue by July. In the meantime, it has told its dealers they can still sell Mach-Es but can’t hand over SUVs to customers until the update occurs, the spokesperson said.
The Detroit automaker and others are in the midst of a massive transition away from fossil fuels and toward clean, battery-powered vehicles. The shift hasn’t come without its stumbles.
Last year, General Motors recalled every Chevrolet Bolt EV after reports of battery fires and halted production of the model. Hyundai faced a similar issue, recalling electric models over fire risks. There is no evidence that fires are more likely in electric cars versus gas vehicles.
Ford expects to send out an over-the-air software update to remedy the issue by July. In the meantime, it has told its dealers they can still sell Mach-Es but can’t hand over SUVs to customers until the update occurs, the spokesperson said.
The Detroit automaker and others are in the midst of a massive transition away from fossil fuels and toward clean, battery-powered vehicles. The shift hasn’t come without its stumbles.
Last year, General Motors recalled every Chevrolet Bolt EV after reports of battery fires and halted production of the model. Hyundai faced a similar issue, recalling electric models over fire risks. There is no evidence that fires are more likely in electric cars versus gas vehicles.
In fact, According to Market Watch, Ford distinguishes itself as having the largest recall in the automotive industry. In 1981, the company had to recall 21 million vehicles because even after the gear was shifted into parking mode, it would not engage. Yet, the vehicle’s indicator showed that it had already been parked. By the time the recall was made, 98 people had lost their lives and 1,701 injured through the 6,000 accidents caused. The vehicles affected were those with the FMX, JATCO, C-3, C-4, and C-6 automatic transmissions. The NHTSA was first called to attention in July 1977, resulting in an investigation into the Ford 1966-1979 vehicles with the FMX or C-6 transmission. In July 1978, the Center for Auto Safety asked for a recall of the vehicle citing 12 deaths and 100 accidents due to transmission slippage. However, NTHSA denied the recall request in October 1978; instead, it issued a Consumer Advisory warning label. The petition for a recall dragged into the 1980s because the labels were not being applied.
Other Ford Recalls of Interest
In 1972, Ford set a record in the company’s history by recalling 4.37 million vehicles due to safety defects in the shoulder harnesses. At the time, that was the largest recall in the entire Ford history. According to The New York Times, the 1970 and 1971 Ford cars had a metal stud covered by a plastic sleeve that allowed the stud to lock into place. However, it was discovered that the plastic sleeves would break after repeated use, causing the harness not to lock. As always, Ford denied any injuries due to the safety issue stating that no accident had been reported despite receiving 80 reports of such shoulder harness failures. They recalled 4.04 million station wagons and automobiles within the United States, and 330,000 cars recalled were from Canada and overseas. Although the defect affected most of the brands manufactured between 1970 and 1971, it did not affect the Maverick and convertible models. Fortunately, it did not cost the company so much because the faulty sleeve cost few cents to make and was replaced with another made from neoprene.