A small number of hybrid compacts based on the Ford C2 platform have been hit with a safety recall. Said vehicles could unexpectedly shift into neutral due to a hybrid powertrain control module software error, leading to a sudden loss of drive power.
Dearborn’s favorite son estimates that 5 percent of the recall population feature the iffy software, but out of an abundance of caution, dealers have been instructed to update the hybrid powertrain control module’s calibration software for all potentially affected vehicles. Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group started investigating the problem on March 26, 2024. The investigation concluded at the beginning of May 2024, when the automaker’s Field Review Committee approved the safety recall.
Prior to filing the recall documentation with the National Highway, the Ford Motor Company was aware of 315 warranty claims and 125 vehicle owner questionnaires related to this condition. Owners will be notified by first-class mail between May 23, 2024 and May 24, 2024 with instructions to bring their vehicles in for the software update.
Those who intend to visit their preferred dealers prior to May 23 for an oil change or any other operation should ask the dealer to run the 17-character VIN in their system to determine whether said vehicle is recalled or not. Alternatively, owners can do it themselves on the automaker’s website.
To be facelifted for model year 2025, the Ford Maverick remains the nation’s favorite small truck. A unibody rather than a body-on-frame design, the Maverick starts at $23,815 for the XL with front-wheel drive and the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-pot turbo engine. Prior to the 2024 model year, the FWD-only hybrid was the standard powertrain.
The EPA says the hybrid setup is good for up to 37 miles to the gallon or 6.4 liters per 100 kilometers if you prefer metric units, while a full tank of gas is good for 511 miles (822 kilometers). By comparison, the peppier EcoBoost is rated at 26 mpg (9.0 l/100 km) and 429 miles (690 kilometers) with front-wheel drive. Opting for all-wheel drive is definitely worth the gas mileage penalty because the rear end is upgraded to independent suspension.
Ford Motor Company delivered 39,061 units of the Maverick in the first quarter of 2024, whereas the Escape couldn’t do better than 36,595 examples. The less interesting brother of the Bronco Sport carries a starting price of $29,495, but going hybrid means that you have to spend at least $33,490.
Higher up the spectrum, the Lincoln brand wants $38,990 for the Corsair Premiere, $43,115 for the Reserve, and $53,925 for the Grand Touring. Only the Grand Touring is plug-in hybrid, and compared to the equivalent Escape’s $40,500 starting price, that’s a bit peppered for a compact utility vehicle.
