NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
28 reportsClear category filter9,500 miles · Jul 31, 2025
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V404000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked with the engine turned off, the front driver’s side …
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V404000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked with the engine turned off, the front driver’s side door failed to open as intended. After several attempts with the key fob and the door latch, the doors failed to open. A family member opened the door. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the door needed to fail three times to be repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired after the most recent failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 9,500.
NHTSA ODI #11677639
Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2025
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V404000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact was concerned for her safety and the safety of her baby becau…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V404000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact was concerned for her safety and the safety of her baby because there was no mechanism that could temporarily override the failure in the event the failure occurred in significantly hot weather. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA ODI #11672403
Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 2025
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach E. The contact stated that upon investigation, the contact became aware that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V404000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The …
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach E. The contact stated that upon investigation, the contact became aware that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V404000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact investigated and found out that the dealer had been notified about the recall. The contact stated that the Salesperson opened the door for the contact and informed that contact that the vehicle needed to be sold for tax reasons. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA ODI #11672286
Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 2025
Electrical System
[XXX] @ [XXX] The door locks are not opening from the outside. The battery will not charge. I cannot get my items out. I have a [XXX] work & personal electronics, along with personal items for myself & my family, inside that I cannot access. It's early Sunday morning, I am over 3 hours away from home, in Corpus Christi, with my…
Read full complaint
[XXX] @ [XXX] The door locks are not opening from the outside. The battery will not charge. I cannot get my items out. I have a [XXX] work & personal electronics, along with personal items for myself & my family, inside that I cannot access. It's early Sunday morning, I am over 3 hours away from home, in Corpus Christi, with my brother & [XXX] nephew, along with both of my Dogs. The ford dealerships in this city will not be open until Monday. The plan was to stay for a night & drive back home, as both myself & brother have to work on Monday. I am a therapist (Psychotherapist) with critical clients, & this is problematic. This is NOT the 1st or 2ND time I had an issue like this. This is actually the 3RD time, but the last time I dealt with this, the dealership had no recollection or documentation of a bad battery or battery issues; however, that IS what I was told the first time, but when I picked it up, I was told they just FIXED something, with the battery. The 2nd time, the doors locked up, the battery would not charge & I had it towed to the same dealership, that it was purchased from, from my home of Giddings, TX to College Station, TX, & I was told, I needed a whole new Battery replacement. The car was purchased brand new with approximately 11 miles in October/November of 2024, & it currently has between 7000-8000 (I do not remember the total amount, but it has over 7,000, but less than 8,000). Fast forward to roadside giving me a hard time for having to bring a device to charge the battery to open it, leaving, & cutting my wrist, while grabbing things out of the vehicle, between the seat & center console, as my hand got stuck, & I forgot the seat could not move without any electric charge (there is a JAGGED edge in between that it's dangerous for ANYONE, & it's hidden by a cloth flap). I also had to pay for a rental vehicle despite having this service, when the dealership opened, for 2 days). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11671324
Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2025
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact stated that upon parking and turning off the vehicle, the contact attempted to exit the vehicle, but the front driver's side door failed to open as intended. The contact called AAA, who assisted in unlocking the door and jumpstarted the vehicle. The contact was able to exi…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact stated that upon parking and turning off the vehicle, the contact attempted to exit the vehicle, but the front driver's side door failed to open as intended. The contact called AAA, who assisted in unlocking the door and jumpstarted the vehicle. The contact was able to exit the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and sent a mobile mechanic to the residence to diagnose the vehicle; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V404000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages), which the contact related to the failure; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA ODI #11669683
12,000 miles · Jun 26, 2025
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side doors failed to open while passengers were attempting to exit the vehicle, requiring the contact to open the door from the outside. The contact stated that the child lock system was not the cause of the failure. There was no warning l…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side doors failed to open while passengers were attempting to exit the vehicle, requiring the contact to open the door from the outside. The contact stated that the child lock system was not the cause of the failure. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V404000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
NHTSA ODI #11669392
Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 2025
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other
I am the owner of a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E affected by Recall 25S65 involving a 12V battery discharge issue that creates a serious entrapment hazard. If the 12V battery fails, the front doors can remain locked—even if someone exits using the mechanical release. This puts me and my family at risk of being locked inside or outsi…
Read full complaint
I am the owner of a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E affected by Recall 25S65 involving a 12V battery discharge issue that creates a serious entrapment hazard. If the 12V battery fails, the front doors can remain locked—even if someone exits using the mechanical release. This puts me and my family at risk of being locked inside or outside the vehicle in dangerous situations. I live in Texas, and I have two young daughters—both in car seats. The idea that this vehicle could trap us inside during a power failure, especially in Texas heat, is terrifying. I bought this vehicle to transport my family safely, and I no longer trust it to do that. Ford has admitted the risk exists but has said that a remedy won’t be available until Q3 2025. I contacted the dealership and confirmed that no parts or software are available. That leaves me and my family vulnerable for an unknown number of months. This is not a minor inconvenience—it’s a safety failure with real consequences. I am respectfully demanding a full vehicle buyback. I will not wait until the worst happens. The vehicle poses an immediate and unacceptable risk, and Ford’s delayed timeline makes continued ownership unreasonable. I need help ensuring my family is protected.
NHTSA ODI #11667484
Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 2025
Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes
Vehicle has a bearing noise in the front. Now vehicle has door fault, transmission not in park, auto hold fault and hill assist not available when driving the car. The car will engage parking brake randomly and when the brakes are wet the brakes will not engage for up to 50 feet. The car has become extremely unsafe and unpredict…
Read full complaint
Vehicle has a bearing noise in the front. Now vehicle has door fault, transmission not in park, auto hold fault and hill assist not available when driving the car. The car will engage parking brake randomly and when the brakes are wet the brakes will not engage for up to 50 feet. The car has become extremely unsafe and unpredictable. Ford’s road side assistance keeps delaying any tow and finally had to cancel the tow as I have to work. Need help badly with this!
NHTSA ODI #11657967
Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 2025
Electrical SystemPower Train
Purchased new 2024 Ford Mach E on 03/31/25. Had 15 miles when purchased. On 04/10/25 at 185 miles on odometer, car experienced 2 malfunctions, Powertrain and High Voltage. This placed the car at alternating restricted speed of 5-12 mph on a highway. Towed vehicle to dealership same day as unsafe to drive. On 04/18/25, dealership…
Read full complaint
Purchased new 2024 Ford Mach E on 03/31/25. Had 15 miles when purchased. On 04/10/25 at 185 miles on odometer, car experienced 2 malfunctions, Powertrain and High Voltage. This placed the car at alternating restricted speed of 5-12 mph on a highway. Towed vehicle to dealership same day as unsafe to drive. On 04/18/25, dealership technician cleared the Diagnostic Trouble Codes and stated that they were unable to recreate error condition, therefore wanted to release the car as is with no recommended fix. The technician called it an "intermittent" Trouble code.
NHTSA ODI #11655572
Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2025
Electrical System
The HVBJB failed on my 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-e. I first noticed a dashboard warning regarding a powertrain malfunction when I tried to start the car about a half-hour after we returned home from an approximately 170-mile drive five days ago. The warning said it was a powertrain malfunction and to get service soon. The car st…
Read full complaint
The HVBJB failed on my 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-e. I first noticed a dashboard warning regarding a powertrain malfunction when I tried to start the car about a half-hour after we returned home from an approximately 170-mile drive five days ago. The warning said it was a powertrain malfunction and to get service soon. The car started an hour later and I was able to drive it to the Ford Service center where I bought the new car only last June. There they diagnosed the problem with this language: "HV JUNCTION BOX - FOUND P0AA1:68 AND P0AA1:00 TO BE HARD SET AND THE TO BE IN LIMP MODE. NEED TO REPLACE HV JUNCTION BOX ( 414-03A PPT P4 ) AND RETEST ALL MODULES. WILL NEED MORE TIME AFTER REPAIR TO TEST ALL SYSTEM. MEY NEED TO TAKE APART HV BATTERY AGIAN..." The service people told me that they need to keep the car for two weeks to replace the part and conduct follow-up tests. I know that the failed component has been the subject of two past recalls (2022, 2023) of the 2020-2022 model years for the Mach-e. The first recall resulted in Ford's attempt at a software fix, while the second required replacing the HVBJB in cars in which the software fix proved insufficient, presumably because the part had already been damaged before the fix and later failed under heat stress. Based on my experience this week it seems clear that neither recall resulted in Ford fixing the underlying problem with the part. Importantly, Ford says the part is subject to failure from overheating when drivers too often use high speed chargers (DC) or too often employ maximum acceleration. This admission contradicts Ford's own marketing of the car, which emphasizes its sportiness and fast acceleration, and its compatibility (with an adapter) with Tesla's large national network of superchargers. So the nature of the failing part is apparently wholly incompatible with what attracts many buyers to the car. Can NHTSA require Ford to make the necessary engineering fix to the part?
NHTSA ODI #11655458
Official recalls
5Sep 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.
Dec 12, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 F-150 Lightning BEV, 2024-2026 Mustang Mach-E, and 2025-2026 Maverick vehicles. The integrated park module may fail to lock into the park position when the driver shifts into park. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loss of park function can allow the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The park module software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C69. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 26, 2026.
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.
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.
Illustration