2023 Ford Mustang Mach E

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.

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.

Sensors constantly list as failed. Makes the automated functions unusable. Paid for these features and they don't work over half the time. Also the JUN 30, 2026 recall is still not fixable. That's nearly 5 months of no serviceable fix. Manufacturer Recall Number26S50 NHTSA Recall Number26V417 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete, remedy not yet available

NHTSA ID

11773834

Incident

Oct 24, 2026

Exterior Paint Blistering consistent with tsb 25-2189

NHTSA ID

11773357

Incident

May 14, 2026

The spot welds holding the driver side front door check strap (the thing that keeps the door from opening too far) have failed on a 3 year old Mustang Mach E GT (2023 model year) with 45,000 miles on it and no corrosion on the door. You are more than welcome to look at the failure or I can send you pictures. The safety issue is that this is the only thing keeping the door from opening too far and damaging the hinges that could prevent the door from closing. I don't want this failure to be reproduced as my other doors seem okay. The spot weld failure on my car hasn't been inspected, but there are numerous Mach E doors with the same issue, but Ford won't issue a recall or a TSB like they did with the 2021 Escape doors that have the same issue. The warning sign was a creaking when opening and closing the door.

NHTSA ID

11771875

Incident

Sep 7, 2026

recall still not fixed from 2024

NHTSA ID

11770832

Incident

Oct 13, 2026

OTA software updates are unable to be recieved and I cannot set the auto update option to on. Since the vehicle is basically a computer on wheels, this is a serious safety concern. All functions rely on the computer which in turn relies on the software updates.

NHTSA ID

11770392

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

I am reporting a recurring safety defect involving my 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium. The defect appears to involve the high-voltage battery system, powertrain system, and High Voltage Battery Junction Box (HVBJB). The vehicle and related components are available for inspection upon request. My vehicle experienced failures on May 28, 2026, June 25, 2026, and October 1, 2026. Prior to each failure, the vehicle displayed "High Voltage Battery Warning" and "Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power" messages. Following these warnings, the vehicle became completely inoperable and would not start. This has now occurred three times, indicating a recurring defect rather than an isolated incident. This defect created safety risks for both myself and others. During the first incident on May 28, 2026, the vehicle became inoperable while in the drive-through lane of a busy coffee shop. Because the vehicle could not be started or moved, it blocked access to the drive-through during peak morning and lunch periods, forcing the business to temporarily close the drive-through lane. This created a traffic obstruction and left me stranded. On all three occasions, the vehicle became unusable without warning, creating the risk of being stranded and unable to safely rely on the vehicle for transportation. The vehicle was taken to a Ford dealership after each incident for inspection and diagnosis. Despite multiple service visits, the issue has not been permanently resolved, and the same warnings and failure conditions continue to occur. The vehicle and components have been inspected following each incident; however, no repair has successfully corrected the problem or prevented it from recurring. The repeated occurrence of High Voltage Battery Warning, Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power, and HVBJB shutdown conditions that render the vehicle unable to start raises serious concerns about the reliability and safety of the vehicle. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this defect.

NHTSA ID

11769941

Incident

May 28, 2026

On almost all Mustang Mach-E vehicles, a loose or faulty cable connection which runs to the forward facing camera in the rear-view mirror housing causes error messages to suddenly display on the dashboard screen. Generally, the driver will receive a "Front Camera Fault – Service Required" error message, in addition to a "Pre-Collision Assist Not Available" error message, also followed by an error message indicating that lane centering is also no longer functioning. All of this occurs after the vehicle travels over a harsh imperfection/bump in the road pavement, or in my case, every time I drive over railroad track crossings. I have seen so many reports of owners receiving this exact same issue, and everyone says the same thing: when this issue begins to occur, the vehicle will disable all of these safety features for about 30 seconds or less, and then all of the systems will reactivate like normal. Many owners state that eventually these errors become permanent, which causes all of these safety systems in the vehicle to become PERMANENTLY disabled, until the vehicle is brought into a dealership service center. If the vehicle is still within the 3-year/36,000 mi factory warranty, Ford will replace the coaxial cable running to the camera at no charge to the vehicle owner. However, as many owners have stated, if their vehicle is beyond the factory warranty, the vehicle owner usually is forced to pay for the repair out of pocket, which seems to range anywhere between $1,000 and $4,000. The reason I am reporting this matter is because I believe this is a major safety concern. When the front camera fault appears on the driver's display, the vehicle automatically disables many of the safety systems, including the ability for the vehicle to avoid a collision by bringing the vehicle to a stop. Because this is a major safety concern, I believe that NO Mustang Mach-E owner should be forced to pay for this repair out of pocket, and I believe that this should be a recall.

NHTSA ID

11766238

Incident

Sep 22, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11764752

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

This bulletin supersedes 26-2297. Reason for update: Add 2022-2025 Transit vehicles. Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with SYNC4 may experience a blank center display screen or black center display screen after welcome animation. The rear-view camera will still function when shifting the vehicle to reverse under these conditions.

Some 2021-2026 Mustang Mach-E vehicles may exhibit an illuminated brake warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C1013:92 stored in the anti-lock brake system (ABS) module. This may be due to brake pads being out of specification for compressibility, which can alter the brake system's pressure-volume and falsely indicate an internal hydraulic failure. The pinpoint test for C1013:92 in the Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 206-09 has been updated to include a preliminary inspection and a brake pad swap to determine if an out of specification set of brake pads are the root cause.

Recommended Repair Prior to Sale Customer Satisfaction Program 26B23 Certain 2021-2026 Model Year Mach-E Vehicles Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Update

Quality improvements include: -Enhanced Android Auto and Car Play connectivity

Recommended Repair Prior to Sale Customer Satisfaction Program 26B07 Certain 2021-2025 Model Year F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E Vehicles Undesired Acceleration Due to Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Activation

Some 2021-2024 Mustang Mach-E, 2025-2026 Navigator and 2024 F-150 vehicles may exhibit inoperative welcome/approach detection lights. This may be due to the body control module (BCM) software. To correct the condition, download and run the "BCM - Programmable Module Installation (PMI)" application using the latest software level of the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS) scan tool. If the condition persists after PMI, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 417-01 for normal diagnostics and repair as necessary outside of this article. For claiming, use causal part 15604 and labor operations 12651D and BCM.