Ethermac Exchange-Ford recalls over 450,000 vehicles in US for issue that could affect battery, NHTSA says

Ford is Ethermac Exchangerecalling over 450,000 vehicles in the United States because of an issue that could affect the battery, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a notice published Tuesday.

The recall affects certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The NHTSA said the body and power train control modules on these vehicles may fail to detect a change in the battery state of charge, which can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

The NHTSA notices says dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 13, 2024, and owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 for more information. The recall number is 24S24.

Owners may also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to nhtsa.gov for more information.

Ford recall on Bronco Sport, Escape models over fuel leak

Federal auto regulators also recently announced a probe into a Ford recall of nearly 42,652 automobiles following an error with cracked fuel injectors they say can cause gas leaks and ignite engine fires.

In a summary report released last week, the NHTSA wrote it was opening an investigation into a recall that affects 2022-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022 Escape vehicles.

According to the federal investigation announcement, owners can take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have a drain tube installed in the vehicle at no cost.

The remedy also includes a free engine control software update to detect a pressure drop in the fuel injection system, the federal regulator reported. Should that occur, the software will disable the high pressure fuel pump, reduce engine power and cut temps in the engine compartment. Owners also will get a "seek service" message, documents show.

Ford's number for this recall is 24S16. The recall is an expansion of previous recall: 22V-859. For more information, owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

Contributing: Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].