Ford has issued a recall for over 272,000 Maverick small pickup trucks and Bronco Sport compact SUVs due to a 12-volt battery issue that could cause the vehicles to stall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed the potential problem last week, prompting Ford to take action.
The 12-volt battery in these vehicles could fail, leading to a sudden degradation that may result in stalling when coming to a stop or difficulty restarting the vehicle. This issue is especially concerning as it could affect the automatic stop/start function, which helps conserve fuel by cutting engine power at stops when it is not needed.
The loss of engine power can occur at low speeds, and a battery failure could also impact other functions such as hazard lights. While both hybrid and gas versions of the Maverick are affected, the recall primarily applies to older models.
This recall includes the 2021-2023 Ford Bronco Sport and the 2022-2023 Ford Maverick. The faulty battery was discontinued from production on Oct. 20, 2022, but a remedy for the recall is not expected until the second quarter of this year.
Interestingly, a previous recall in April 2024 attempted to address a similar battery issue with a software update, but it did not resolve the root cause. This new recall, labeled as 25V-019, provides a new fix for the older models that were not effectively addressed in the prior recall (24V-267).
This marks the 15th recall for the Maverick since its launch in 2022 and the 10th recall for the Bronco Sport since its introduction in 2021. These popular vehicles have experienced various issues, ranging from taillights to wipers and rearview camera problems.
In the automotive industry, Ford led the way in recalls from 2021 to 2023, but Tesla took over in 2024 as the automaker with the most cars recalled, followed by Stellantis and then Ford.
Owners of the affected Maverick and Bronco Sport models are advised to bring their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln service center for a replacement of the faulty battery with a new Ford AGM battery. Those who have already paid for a battery replacement will be reimbursed with proof of purchase. Notifications will be sent out by mail starting from Feb. 3, and for more information, owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or visit Ford’s recall site.
