Ford (F.US) Recalls Over 272,000 Vehicles Due to Battery Issue

Ford Motor (F.US) recalled 272,827 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles on Friday due to a power issue that could cause the vehicles to unexpectedly stop or fail to start. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) information showed that the batteries related to the issue had "internal manufacturing defects," including welding failures that could cause a short circuit. In the affected vehicles, the battery could experience internal welding and/or casting belt failures that could cause battery degradation while driving. If the battery degrades suddenly while driving, the vehicle may not restart after an automatic stop or stall while idling. These conditions could also cause auxiliary systems (including hazard lights) to be unavailable. Battery failures could disable electrical auxiliary systems (including hazard lights) or disable the drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. NHTSA said on Thursday that Ford was recalling 272,817 vehicles in the U.S. for the same battery concerns, involving 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick models.