Add a software bug to listing problems affecting recent versions of Ford Mustang Mach-E electric crossover. Through The edge, an issue with the car’s 12-volt secondary battery prevents some vehicles from starting, even when their primary lithium-ion battery is fully charged. Under normal circumstances, the battery draws power from the car’s main power cell. With Mach-E vehicles where this is a problem, this does not happen when the car is plugged in and charging. When the 12-volt battery eventually dies, the FordPass app will report that the Mach-E is in “deep sleep” mode.
Ford recognized the problem in a technical service bulletin filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, where it notes that the issue is a software-related issue with the car’s powertrain control module. The company says the bug affects only a “small number” of Mach-E vehicles. Specifically, those manufactured by Ford on or before February 3. And while the automaker is developing an OTA to resolve the issue, the primary way to resolve the issue is to bring an affected Mach-E to a Ford dealership. It is possible to restart the battery yourself, but the process to do so is not at all easy.
“We are aware that a small number of Mustang Mach-E owners have seen their 12-volt battery reach a low voltage state. We have been working proactively with early owners who encountered this issue to identify the root cause and a problem. solution, “said a spokesperson for Ford Engadget. “In the rare event that this still occurs, customers can now contact their local certified EV Ford dealership to resolve the issue.”
When it comes to recently released EVs, software glitches are not uncommon, especially among automakers who are relatively new to their manufacturing. At the end of last year, Polestar had to recall of the Polestar 2 to remedy a software issue that caused some vehicles to suddenly lose power while driving. Still, no matter how small this latest bug is, it’s a problem for one of a U.S. automaker’s top EV launches.