Ford has told dealers to temporarily halt deliveries of the Mustang Mach-E over a potential safety defect, a setback for the carmaker as it tries to fortify its position as a leader in electric vehicles.
The automaker is recalling 48,924 Mach-Es from the 2021 and 2022 model years made at Ford’s plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, a spokesperson for the company said Tuesday.
Dealers can still sell the car, but cannot deliver it to buyers until the defect is fixed, Ford said.
Ford submitted the recall to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The issue involves the possible overheating of high-voltage battery main contactors, which can cause vehicles to lose power while in motion or fail to start.
The defect is being corrected with a software update that owners can receive over the air or by going to their dealer, Ford said. It added that there are no open investigations with NHTSA.
Ford became the second-leading seller of electric vehicles in the US last year, behind Tesla, on the strength of the Mustang Mach-E, which sold 27,140 models in 2021.
Sales of the battery-powered crossover SUV were up 50% so far this year to 15,718 units, and the model had its best month yet in May.
Chief Executive Office Jim Farley has accelerated Ford’s push into EVs, with plans to build 2 million annually by 2026.
This month, the automaker said it’s spending $3.7 billion (R59 billion) to expand factories in the Midwest. That’s on top of the $11.7 billion (R186 billion) Ford is investing with battery partner SK Innovation to construct EV and battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Ford’s shares rose 3.3% to $12.20 (R194.74) at 1:07 p.m. in New York, rebounding after several days of declines.
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