Ford Recalls Nearly 273,000 Bronco Sports and Mavericks Due to Battery Issues

Ford has issued a recall for nearly 273,000 vehicles due to a potential defect in the 12-volt battery, which could result in a sudden loss of drive power. The affected vehicles include Ford Bronco Sports from model years 2021-2023 and Ford Maverick pickups from model years 2022 and 2023.

Details of the Recall

According to documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the manufacturing defect can cause the batteries to degrade unexpectedly while driving. This may lead to a loss of power to essential accessories such as hazard lights or result in the vehicle stalling when coming to a stop. Additionally, the defect could prevent the vehicle from restarting after the engine stops automatically, such as at a red light.

Repair and Resolution

As part of the recall, Ford will provide free repairs to affected vehicles. Owners can check if their vehicle is covered by visiting NHTSA.gov or using the agency’s “SaferCar” app.

Investigation and Findings

This recall follows a similar issue identified in a previous recall last year, which pointed to problems in onboard computers monitoring the 12-volt battery. A recalibration was initially implemented as a solution. However, after continued reports of battery-related issues from drivers, Ford conducted further investigations and discovered that 12-volt batteries from a specific supplier contained multiple manufacturing defects.

Ford estimates that around 1% of the batteries in the affected vehicles may have the defect. Rather than identifying and replacing only the faulty units, Ford has decided to replace all batteries of that type with higher-quality alternatives to ensure customer safety and vehicle reliability.