Add a software bug to the list of issues affecting Ford’s recently released Mustang Mach-E electric crossover. Per The edgea problem with the secondary 12-volt battery in the car is that some vehicles cannot start even when their primary lithium-ion battery is fully charged. Under normal circumstances, the battery will extract the energy from the car’s main power cell. In Mach-E vehicles where this is a problem, it does not happen when the car is plugged in and loaded. When the 12 volt battery finally dies, the FordPass app will report that the Mach-E is in ‘deep sleep’ mode.
Ford acknowledged the problem in a technical service bulletin submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, where he noted that the problem was a software-related issue with the car’s power steering control module. The company claims that the fault only affects a “small number” of Mach-E vehicles. Specifically those that Ford manufactured on or before February 3rd. And while the carmaker is developing an OTA to address the issue, the primary way to resolve the issue is to bring an affected Mach-E to a Ford dealer. It is possible to start the battery yourself, but the process of doing so is not at all simple.
“We are aware that a small number of Mustang Mach-E owners had their 12-volt low-voltage battery. We worked proactively with early owners who experienced this problem to identify the cause and solution,” “said a Ford spokesman. Engadget. “In the rare cases where it still occurs, customers can now contact their local EV-certified Ford dealer to have the matter resolved.”
As for the recently released EVs, software issues are not uncommon, especially among car manufacturers who are relatively new to making them. Late last year, Polestar had to recall the Polestar 2 to address a software bug that caused some vehicles to suddenly lose power while driving. No matter how small this latest bug is, it’s a blip for one of the sensational EV launches from an American carmaker.