NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Unknown Or Other complaints
26 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Sep 8, 2026
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceUnknown Or Other
Impacts: Electric system software & fools/locks/linegae. The EV vehicle has suffered a catastrophic, complete failure of its central software architecture, specifically impacting the APIM module and RDS system. Ford's internal In-Vehicle Technology (IVT) records confirm this failure originated in December 2025 while vehicle was …
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Impacts: Electric system software & fools/locks/linegae. The EV vehicle has suffered a catastrophic, complete failure of its central software architecture, specifically impacting the APIM module and RDS system. Ford's internal In-Vehicle Technology (IVT) records confirm this failure originated in December 2025 while vehicle was fully under its 3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. Because vehicle's underlying diagnostic and software infrastructure is completely frozen in an unresolved "updating" loop, the vehicle's onboard diagnostic tools are entirely incapable of reading or reporting critical hardware and structural component failures. Initial service was May 26. This software failure has caused severe, active safety hazards. In July 2026, the driver-side door latch completely failed to secure. Because software is bricked, no diagnostic code or dashboard warning was generated. As a 100% disabled driver, I was forced to drive 35 minutes home from an oncology medical appointment physically holding the driver’s door shut at speed on public roads to prevent it from swinging open. Furthermore, vehicle's network connectivity has completely shut down while driving on 3 separate occasions. During door latch failure, I was trapped in a rural area with zero cellular service. Because onboard telematics and modem systems are frozen and failing to receive critical safety patches, vehicle's SOS Post-Crash Alert System and tracking telemetry are severely compromised. If an accident or ejection had occurred due to the door latch failure, emergency services would have had no automated tracking link. Ford has failed to repair this after multiple extended dealer stays and has admitted through their IVT department that vehicle is unfixable due to massive never before seen software failure via standard service and requires manufacturer buyback. Dealer files att show no vehicle updates since Feb 2026 tho IVT confirmed May 28 not updates since Dec 2025 from Ford known software glitch.
NHTSA ODI #11762679
Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2026
Unknown Or Other
There was a message " Motor coolant over temperature '' popped up on 05/21/2026. Sent the car to Ford dealership for diagnosing it .Found out there was a big hole on the Motor casing . Told them, there was a crash on 04/14/2026. After diagnosing ,they did not know what caused the issue. We resubmitted the case to AAA insuran…
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There was a message " Motor coolant over temperature '' popped up on 05/21/2026. Sent the car to Ford dealership for diagnosing it .Found out there was a big hole on the Motor casing . Told them, there was a crash on 04/14/2026. After diagnosing ,they did not know what caused the issue. We resubmitted the case to AAA insurance company for the sub-claim, they told me that the issue was not related to the previous crash . On the ford side, Car warranty did not cover the replacement of motor case and the repair cost. But it is really the quality issue of the part ( the casing of the motor)made by the Ford company.
NHTSA ODI #11753491
Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2026
Service BrakesUnknown Or Other
In the event of a differential pinion shaft failure, the customer may experience a loss of motive power and/or unintended vehicle movement with Park requested if the parking brake is not applied. A loss of motive power or unintended vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash
NHTSA ODI #11753161
Mileage unknown · Sep 24, 2025
Fuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other
On 2 occassions in the past 2 week, our Mustang Mach E has accelerated on its own. In the first incident, it was a minor acceleration. It caught me by surprise as I was pulling up to a curb to drop off a passenger. It was easily stopped with brake pressure. In the 2nd incident, the acceleration was greater and more pronounced wh…
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On 2 occassions in the past 2 week, our Mustang Mach E has accelerated on its own. In the first incident, it was a minor acceleration. It caught me by surprise as I was pulling up to a curb to drop off a passenger. It was easily stopped with brake pressure. In the 2nd incident, the acceleration was greater and more pronounced while pulling into a parking spot, requiring the pressure of both feet to quickly stop it before it went up onto a sidewalk and into a store front. It's never done this before, but certainly could cause an accident and was unsettling. We have not taken it to the dealer because it is random and not replicate-able. There were no warning lamps or error messages at the time. The vehicle was functioning and acting normal otherwise.
NHTSA ODI #11689571
Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2025
Fuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or OtherCrash
The vehicle accelerated suddenly and unexpectedly into a brick building while parking.
NHTSA ODI #11677587
Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2025
Unknown Or OtherCrashInjury
The car was stopped at the road construction for a few minutes, on a mostly flat surface (gravel). All of a sudden it started moving forward, without driver doing anything. The driver pressed the brake pedal, but the car continued moving forward, hitting another stopped car in front and causing massive damage to both vehicles.
NHTSA ODI #11676693
Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2025
Electrical SystemSteeringUnknown Or Other
Ford Motor Company Dear Ford Customer Service Team, I am writing as a highly disappointed owner of a Ford (specify model, e.g., Mustang Mach‑E), having observed a dramatic unexplained jump of over 10,000 miles on my vehicle’s odometer in just three months. I firmly reject the insinuation that I drove that distance—I maintain a…
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Ford Motor Company Dear Ford Customer Service Team, I am writing as a highly disappointed owner of a Ford (specify model, e.g., Mustang Mach‑E), having observed a dramatic unexplained jump of over 10,000 miles on my vehicle’s odometer in just three months. I firmly reject the insinuation that I drove that distance—I maintain an accurate charging and usage log proving otherwise—and I demand a refund of my warranty payment plus a prompt and transparent investigation. Key Facts & Concerns 1. Sudden mileage spike (~10,000 miles in 3 months) • I did not charge or drive anywhere near that distance. My charging logs and event logs—comprehensively detailed—show a maximum of [X] miles total for that period. • The odometer reading is simply inconsistent with verifiable usage data. 2. Likelihood of system error or tampering • Similar issues have been documented in EVs: • Tesla vehicles are currently under multiple lawsuits alleging artificially inflated odometer mileage, sometimes by as much as 15–117%—accusations that have triggered a proposed class-action in California and garnered widespread reports and press coverage    . • Ford EV owners have also flagged odometer anomalies—both underreporting and overreporting, including a Ford Lightning report revealing odometer mismatch in a vehicle health report (). 3. Legal precedent and consumer protection • Odometer manipulation—even unintentional—is taken seriously under federal law (Federal Odometer Act), with strict penalties for tampering  . • Odometer discrepancies significantly affect warranty eligibility and residual vehicle value. What I Want Ford to Do 1. Full refund of the prorated warranty cost, as it has been voided unfairly by incorrect mileage totals. 2. Comprehensive odometer and software audit of my vehicle. I request a certified statement of findings. 3. Corrected mileage records and warranty reinstatement based on actual usage. 4. Clear, documented communication detailing how this issue
NHTSA ODI #11673820
Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2025
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other
I HAVE FORD MACH E 2023 E SELECT MODEL, I HAVE TAKEN MANY TIMES TO DEALERSHIP, THEY ARE MAKING EXCUSES AND SAYING ITS SOFTWARE ISSUE BUT ITS NOT ADN THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX THAT, IT HAS SCREEN PROBLEM THE SCREEN FREEZES FULL WAY,HALF WAY SOMETIME ALL BLACK OUT, CONNECTS DISCONNECTS ITSELF, ITS ANNOYING AND ITS SAFETY ISSUE YOU GE…
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I HAVE FORD MACH E 2023 E SELECT MODEL, I HAVE TAKEN MANY TIMES TO DEALERSHIP, THEY ARE MAKING EXCUSES AND SAYING ITS SOFTWARE ISSUE BUT ITS NOT ADN THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX THAT, IT HAS SCREEN PROBLEM THE SCREEN FREEZES FULL WAY,HALF WAY SOMETIME ALL BLACK OUT, CONNECTS DISCONNECTS ITSELF, ITS ANNOYING AND ITS SAFETY ISSUE YOU GET DISTRACTED BY IT, IF YOU HAVE NAVIGATION ON OR ON THE PHONE ALL OF SUDDEN CONNECTS DISCONNECTS FREEZES THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE OUT YOUR CELLPHONE AND KEEP TOUCHING AND PANICKING AND THEY ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING ITS DANGERIOUS FOR THE DRIVING AND FOR THE PUBLIC LETS SAY IF YOU WANNA GO SOMEWHERE AND NAVIGATION IS ON ADN ALL OF SUDDEN PROBLEM OCCURS MANUFACTURE IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT ALSO SAME PROBLEM OCCURS IN MY 2024 FORD EXPEDITION AND THEY NOT FIXING IT, AND AS PER LAW YOU ARE NOT ALLOW TO DRIVE AND USE YOUR CELL, I CONTACTED MANUFACTURE TOOK TO DEALER NO HELP NO FIXING BLAMING ON SOFTWARE UPDATE AND THEY HAVE SAME ISSUE IN MOST OF THERE CAR EVEN ONE DAY THEY GAVE ME LOANER AND SAME PROBLEM THERE TOO. THIS SHOULD BE PUT AS HIGH PRIORITY AND BE FIXED THIS.
NHTSA ODI #11640773
Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2025
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other
I was driving along the road at 35 mph when the vehicle lost power and refused to accelerate or keep speed. The cluster flashed a warning indicating "Stop Safely Now", so I pulled over and came to a stop, and I shifted to P. Thereafter, the vehicle shut off and would not start, continuing to indicate to "Service Vehicle Now", as…
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I was driving along the road at 35 mph when the vehicle lost power and refused to accelerate or keep speed. The cluster flashed a warning indicating "Stop Safely Now", so I pulled over and came to a stop, and I shifted to P. Thereafter, the vehicle shut off and would not start, continuing to indicate to "Service Vehicle Now", as well as additional new errors, including "Service Powertrain", "Full Accessory Power", "Collision Assist Unavailable", and at least 8 other errors that would not go away. Two red lights were indicated on the cluster - one of them looks like a car with a "!" through it, and the other is a wrench. The vehicle is charged every night to 95% using a Level 2 CCS charger directly to the vehicle's charging port, no adapters. The vehicle had 91% battery remaining when this occurred. About 20 minutes after the incident, while waiting for a tow truck, the vehicle went completely dead and all components were unresponsive. The ignition would not activate, the doors would not open, and the open doors would not properly shut (the electronic catch mechanisms were not catching the door to keep it shut). I could not activate the screen to put it into Emergency Tow mode. The vehicle has 17,999 miles and was purchased brand new in September 2023 with 0 miles.
NHTSA ODI #11637805
Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2025
Unknown Or Other
The car has a feature known as one pedal driving. While using in this mode it is possible for your foot to slip off the accelerator pedal. If this happens, the car immediately decelerates and acts like braking with no warning to following mitorists. A collision is very possible if someone is following too close. The pedal requir…
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The car has a feature known as one pedal driving. While using in this mode it is possible for your foot to slip off the accelerator pedal. If this happens, the car immediately decelerates and acts like braking with no warning to following mitorists. A collision is very possible if someone is following too close. The pedal requires you to have your foot at an angle in order to keep pressure on the pedal and I have had my foot slip numerous times, so I called FORD customer service & was told “just don’t use the feature “ & they’ve had no complaints, there is no service bulletin & dealer said same thing. The problem is the pedal is too small and. Until someone tells them to change it, all Ford Mustangs have the same size pedal. They need to come up with a fix or at least warn owners of the possible problem using the “one pedal” feature.
NHTSA ODI #11637096
Official recalls
6Sep 9, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Mustang Mache E vehicles that received a new Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) during a prior repair. The battery energy control module software may cause an incorrect state of charge to display in the vehicle, or lead to an increased risk of a high voltage battery fire after repeated DC Fast Charging cycles.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inaccurate state-of-charge reading can lead to an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of crash. Additionally, a high voltage battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the BECM software, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed October 26, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S68. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 9, 2026.
Jul 28, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Mustang Mach E vehicles. The rear side quarter window glass trim may be improperly secured, which can allow it to detach.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Detached trim pieces can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the quarter window glass assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 14, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S56. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 7, 2026.
Jun 30, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Mustang Mach E vehicles. The rear differential pinion shaft may fracture.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Differential pinion shaft fracture may result in a loss of drive power, or unintended vehicle movement if the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will repair or replace the rear differential assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in late December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S50.
Jun 13, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Mustang Mach E vehicles. In the event of a low battery charge, the electronic door latches may remain locked once the driver or front passenger exits and shuts the door, possibly trapping someone who is unable to use the inside door release handles, such as a child in the back seat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The inability to enter or exit the vehicle in an emergency increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Secondary On-Board Diagnostic Control Module C (SOBDMC) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to 2021-2025 Mustang Mach-E owners September 12, 2025. Additionally, Owner notification letters were mailed to 2024-2025 Mustang Mach-E owners July 10, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S65.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:body Control Module:software
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Mustang Mach E vehicles. In the event of a low battery charge, the electronic door latches may remain locked once the driver or front passenger exits and shuts the door, possibly trapping someone who is unable to use the inside door release handles, such as a child in the back seat.
Consequence: The inability to enter or exit the vehicle in an emergency increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Secondary On-Board Diagnostic Control Module C (SOBDMC) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to 2021-2025 Mustang Mach-E owners September 12, 2025. Additionally, Owner notification letters were mailed to 2024-2025 Mustang Mach-E owners July 10, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S65.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Mustang Mach E vehicles. In the event of a low battery charge, the electronic door latches may remain locked once the driver or front passenger exits and shuts the door, possibly trapping someone who is unable to use the inside door release handles, such as a child in the back seat.
Consequence: The inability to enter or exit the vehicle in an emergency increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Secondary On-Board Diagnostic Control Module C (SOBDMC) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to 2021-2025 Mustang Mach-E owners September 12, 2025. Additionally, Owner notification letters were mailed to 2024-2025 Mustang Mach-E owners July 10, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S65.
May 9, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.
Aug 9, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Maverick, Ford Bronco Sport, and Mustang Mach-E vehicles. The front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield wiper motor as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 6, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S51.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA25001 · Collisions Involving Ford Bluecruise
Opened Jan 17, 2025 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:adas
On April 25, 2024, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24012) to assess BlueCruise, a partial driving automation system available on certain vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company (Ford). NHTSA opened the investigation after the agency received notice of two fatal collisions involving BlueCruise-equipped Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles. Based on the incidents, NHTSA scoped the investigation to 2021-2024 Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with BlueCruise. In June 2024, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Ford requiring that it provide certain information pertaining to crashes, non-crash reports, and technical specifications that relate to BlueCruise, as well as other Ford partial driving automation systems that offer lane and speed maintenance. In its response to ODI’s IR, Ford stated that there are 2,539,962 Ford and Lincoln vehicles (including subject and peer vehicles) equipped with a partial driving automation system within the scope of the request. The majority of these vehicles are equipped with a system that Ford calls Lane Centering Assist (LCA), which is a hands-on partial driving automation system that combines longitudinal control authority governed by Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and lateral control authority governed by a steerable path. LCA is offered on a wide range of Ford and Lincoln models beginning in model year 2019. Vehicles that are equipped with BlueCruise, the focus of this investigation, have LCA capability and additionally offer hands-free partial driving automation when certain conditions are met. Hands-free BlueCruise operation is only offered on certain roadways and system availability is geofenced using vehicle GPS. BlueCruise-equipped vehicles employ a camera-based driver monitoring system to determine driver attentiveness to the roadway. BlueCruise was introduced in model year 2021 and is currently available in a select range of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. For BlueCruise- and LCA-equipped vehicles, both ACC and Pre-Collision Assist (PCA) features use a combination of camera and radar sensing technologies to detect and classify objects. ACC is specifically designed to detect vehicles (including cars, trucks, and motorcycles) and bicycles in front of the subject vehicle which are either stationary or moving in the same direction as the subject vehicle. Through this investigation, limitations in the detection of stationary vehicles in certain conditions have been identified. Specifically, due to the potential for false detection of stationary objects at long distances, Ford designed ACC to inhibit any response to reported stationary objects when the subject vehicle’s approach speed is at or above 62 mph. Additionally, system performance may be limited when there is poor visibility due to insufficient illumination. In addition to reviewing Ford’s response to ODI’s IR, the agency conducted a review of crash and non-crash reports identified collectively through Ford’s IR response, incident reporting through Standing General Order 2021-01 (SGO), and NHTSA vehicle owner questionnaires. In total, 32 crashes and 2,004 non-crash reports on subject and peer Ford vehicles were identified across manufacturer and ODI data sources. A detailed analysis of each crash was conducted including the review of any available police reports, photographs, data recovered from in-vehicle event data recorders, connected vehicle data, and/or other information. In both fatal collisions referenced in the PE24012 opening resume, the subject Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicle was traveling over 70 mph on a controlled-access highway during nighttime lighting conditions with hands-free BlueCruise engaged when it collided with a stationary vehicle. Analysis of data imaged from the vehicles’ event data recorders demonstrates that in each incident, the driver did not apply the brakes or take evasive steering action, and no deceleration was initiated by either the BlueCruise system or PCA prior to impact. Through the agency’s crash analysis, four additional frontal collisions were identified where the subject Ford impacted a stopped or slow-moving lead vehicle or another stationary object located in the travel lane. Two of these four incidents involved BlueCruise-equipped Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles (included in the failure report summary along with the fatal collisions discussed above), while the other two involved other Ford models equipped with the LCA system. Additionally, a trend was identified through analysis of the non-crash reports relating to allegations that ACC (the longitudinal component of both BlueCruise and LCA) failed to detect and/or respond to a stopped or slow-moving lead vehicle. In these reports, consumers often describe that the absence of deceleration initiated by ACC was unexpected and required harsh manual braking or intervention from the PCA to avoid a frontal collision with the lead vehicle. Based on NHTSA’s analysis, system limitations relating to the detection of stationary vehicles while traveling at highway speeds and in nighttime lighting conditions appear to be factors in collisions under investigation and several apparently similar near-miss, non-crash reports. This Engineering Analysis (EA) is being opened to further investigate these system limitations and to evaluate drivers’ ability to respond to scenarios that exceed system limitations. During the EA, the agency expects to, among other things, perform vehicle evaluations, review additional technical information, and perform additional analysis of related crashes and non-crash reports. The crashes included in the failure report summary can be found at NHTSA.gov under the following SGO report identification numbers: 502-7268, 502-7426, 502-6852, 502-8738.
PE24012 · Collisions Involving Ford Bluecruise
Opened Apr 25, 2024 · Closed Jan 17, 2025
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:adas
On April 25, 2024, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24012) to assess BlueCruise, a partial driving automation system available on certain vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company (Ford). NHTSA opened the investigation after the agency received notice of two fatal collisions involving BlueCruise-equipped Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles. Based on the incidents, NHTSA scoped the investigation to 2021-2024 Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with BlueCruise. In June 2024, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Ford requiring that it provide certain information pertaining to crashes, non-crash reports, and technical specifications that relate to BlueCruise, as well as other Ford partial driving automation systems that offer lane and speed maintenance. In its response to ODI’s IR, Ford stated that there are 2,539,962 Ford and Lincoln vehicles (including subject and peer vehicles) equipped with a partial driving automation system within the scope of the request. The majority of these vehicles are equipped with a system that Ford calls Lane Centering Assist (LCA), which is a hands-on partial driving automation system that combines longitudinal control authority governed by Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and lateral control authority governed by a steerable path. LCA is offered on a wide range of Ford and Lincoln models beginning in model year 2019. Vehicles that are equipped with BlueCruise, the focus of this investigation, have LCA capability and additionally offer hands-free partial driving automation when certain conditions are met. Hands-free BlueCruise operation is only offered on certain roadways and system availability is geofenced using vehicle GPS. BlueCruise-equipped vehicles employ a camera-based driver monitoring system to determine driver attentiveness to the roadway. BlueCruise was introduced in model year 2021 and is currently available in a select range of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. For BlueCruise- and LCA-equipped vehicles, both ACC and Pre-Collision Assist (PCA) features use a combination of camera and radar sensing technologies to detect and classify objects. ACC is specifically designed to detect vehicles (including cars, trucks, and motorcycles) and bicycles in front of the subject vehicle which are either stationary or moving in the same direction as the subject vehicle. Through this investigation, limitations in the detection of stationary vehicles in certain conditions have been identified. Specifically, due to the potential for false detection of stationary objects at long distances, Ford designed ACC to inhibit any response to reported stationary objects when the subject vehicle’s approach speed is at or above 62 mph. Additionally, system performance may be limited when there is poor visibility due to insufficient illumination. In addition to reviewing Ford’s response to ODI’s IR, the agency conducted a review of crash and non-crash reports identified collectively through Ford’s IR response, incident reporting through Standing General Order 2021-01 (SGO), and NHTSA vehicle owner questionnaires. In total, 32 crashes and 2,004 non-crash reports on subject and peer Ford vehicles were identified across manufacturer and ODI data sources. A detailed analysis of each crash was conducted including the review of any available police reports, photographs, data recovered from in-vehicle event data recorders, connected vehicle data, and/or other information. In both fatal collisions referenced in the PE24012 opening resume, the subject Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicle was traveling over 70 mph on a controlled-access highway during nighttime lighting conditions with hands-free BlueCruise engaged when it collided with a stationary vehicle. Analysis of data imaged from the vehicles’ event data recorders demonstrates that in each incident, the driver did not apply the brakes or take evasive steering action, and no deceleration was initiated by either the BlueCruise system or PCA prior to impact. Through the agency’s crash analysis, four additional frontal collisions were identified where the subject Ford impacted a stopped or slow-moving lead vehicle or another stationary object located in the travel lane. Two of these four incidents involved BlueCruise-equipped Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles (included in the failure report summary along with the fatal collisions discussed above), while the other two involved other Ford models equipped with the LCA system. Additionally, a trend was identified through analysis of the non-crash reports relating to allegations that ACC (the longitudinal component of both BlueCruise and LCA) failed to detect and/or respond to a stopped or slow-moving lead vehicle. In these reports, consumers often describe that the absence of deceleration initiated by ACC was unexpected and required harsh manual braking or intervention from the PCA to avoid a frontal collision with the lead vehicle. Based on NHTSA’s analysis, system limitations relating to the detection of stationary vehicles while traveling at highway speeds and in nighttime lighting conditions appear to be factors in collisions under investigation and several apparently similar near-miss, non-crash reports. This Preliminary Evaluation is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA25001) to further investigate these system limitations and to evaluate drivers’ ability to respond to scenarios that exceed system limitations. During the EA, the agency expects to, among other things, perform vehicle evaluations, review additional technical information, and perform additional analysis of related crashes and non-crash reports. The crashes included in the failure report summary can be found at NHTSA.gov under the following SGO report identification numbers: 502-7268, 502-7426, 502-6852, 502-8738.
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