Ford is recalling nearly 35,000 Mustang Mach-E EVs from the 2021 and 2022 model years due to an issue with a key propulsion-system component that potentially can’t handle the heat from fast charging or when drivers floor it too many times in a row.
“Overheating may lead to arcing and deformation of the electrical contact surfaces, which can result in a contactor that is prevented from closing or a contactor that welds closed,” Ford explained in recall documents published by the NHTSA Wednesday but dated Oct. 13. That can can lead to a loss of power and potential increased chance of a crash, it underscored.
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, at Electrify America DC fast-charger
If this issue sounds familiar, that’s because Ford has recalled the Mach-E for it before, and it’s what led to a halt of deliveries in June 2022. Under that campaign, Ford delivered an over-the-air fix containing revised software for two control modules.
Ford says vehicles that received that previous software fix, “in most cases, the software will proactively detect damage to the contactors and display a warning to the customer.”
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E first drive - Portland, OR
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E first drive - Portland, OR
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E first drive - Portland, OR
That recall covered nearly 49,000 vehicles. This new recall affects a subset of that—Mustang Mach-E vehicles with the extended-range battery pack—and warrants the physical replacement of the Bussed Electrical Center, which is also called the High Voltage Battery Junction Box. An updated design for that component was rolled into production on May 22, 2022, but the potentially defective part was used in production from May 27, 2020, to May 24, 2022, Ford explained.
Contactor failure, Ford says, can lead either to a situation in which the vehicle will not start in the next on-off cycle, or to one in which the vehicle will display “Stop Safely Now” and will coast to a stop—although power brakes, steering, and accessories will remain functional.
To see if your vehicle is one covered by the recall, call Ford at 866-436-7332 or contact your local dealership, which can consult Ford’s service database.
