All dockets / Fire Risk / RD-2026-018
Ford Recalls Mach-E Battery Control Modules For Fire and Power Loss
- Docket No.
RD-2026-018- Filed
- 2026-09-15
- Manufacturer
- Ford
- Hazard class
- Fire Risk
- Units cited
- —
- Reported by
- Staff
Summary
Ford is issuing a safety recall for select Battery Energy Control Modules (BECM) installed as replacement parts on electric vehicles, such as the Mustang Mach-E equipped with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries. The recall covers BECM components bearing part numbers PZ98-10B687-K* and PZ98-14C197-K*. Software in these service modules can miscalculate the high-voltage battery's actual State of Health (SOH), potentially causing power loss or battery cell overheating.
State of Charge Miscalculations and Thermal Risks
According to technical documentation, newly installed BECM service parts defaulted to initializing at a 100-percent SOH rather than inheriting the actual SOH data from the vehicle's battery pack.
This overestimation creates two distinct safety hazards:
- Motive Power Loss: The vehicle's instrument cluster may display an artificially high State of Charge (SOC). Drivers expecting available range could experience sudden power limitations or an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Drivers may see a wrench light or turtle icon illuminate on the dashboard when power limitation occurs.
- Battery Overheating and Fire Risk: Overestimating battery SOH leads to accelerated lithium plating within the high-voltage battery cells during repeated DC Fast Charging (DCFC) cycles. Severe lithium plating increases the risk of thermal venting, potentially triggering a battery fire.
Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) initiated an investigation in July 2026 after the Electrified Propulsion Engineering team identified SOH discrepancies in Mustang Mach-E LFP models following module replacements.
Connected vehicle data analysis confirmed that replacement BECM units failed to inherit historical battery data, while further review revealed over-the-counter parts sales carried the same vulnerability.
Ford reported that it is aware of one warranty report, one customer contact report, and two internal quality reports related to module replacements, but is unaware of any field reports, accidents, injuries, or fires tied to the defect.
Authorized Ford dealers will update the BECM software to properly calculate and display battery SOH free of charge. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed on November 8, 2026, under Ford recall reference 26S70.
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