Ford Recalling 242,669 Maverick Pickups For Tail Light Trouble

Ford is recalling all 242,669 Maverick pickups built between Feb 3, 2021 and March 21, 2024 because their tail lights may not work correctly, creating a safety hazard.

According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the body control module software may “falsely detect a current overload” in one or both of the lights and and deactivate them while the vehicle is operating.

The issue was brought to Ford’s attention through several warranty claims, but it isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries related to the problem that have occurred.

Ford issued a recall last December due to a software problem related to the Maverick’s turn signals.

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Owners will be notified about the tail lamp recall starting on May 20th. The software update needs to be done by a service technician and cannot be achieved through an over-the-air update.

The Maverick has been one of Ford’s hottest models since it launched in 2021. The compact pickup is offered with either a front-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain or a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s available with front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. It is currently Ford’s lowest-priced model, starting at $24,460.

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The model helped Ford set a brand record for hybrid sales in the month of April. Ford sold 26,061 Mavericks through April, with 59% of its buyers coming from other brands or vehicle segments, according to the automaker. Ford’s other hybrids include the F-150 PowerBoost and Escape.

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The Maverick’s only direct competitor is the Hyundai Santa Cruz, which is not offered as a hybrid and accounted for 11,373 sales through April.

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The Maverick is built on a platform that is shared with the Bronco Sport and the two are manufactured at the same plant in Mexico, but the subcompact SUV has not had any tail light or turn signal-related recalls.

However, a recall for both models was issued last month due to a software problem that could lead to a loss of power or hazard lights due to a low state of 12-volt battery charge.