Ford Motor Company is recalling thousands of its electric vehicles (EVs) over a battery problem, which can suddenly cause power loss while driving. However, several affected vehicles were part of an earlier recall over the same issue last year.
The latest recall affects almost 35,000 Mustang Mach-E EVs, specifically from the model years 2021 and 2022.
According to the auto company, the problem with the affected cars lies in their battery contactors. These parts help distribute power to the various parts of an EV. However, it was found that the contactors can overheat whenever the EVs are plugged into a DC fast charger or are subjected to repeated hard acceleration.
If the contactors begin to overheat, it could lead to power loss while driving or prevent the car from starting. Ford said that there weren’t any reported crashes of injuries related to the problem.
A software update last year was meant to address this problem, but Ford is recalling the affected vehicles for added repairs.
EV power loss problems and the Lemon Law
A car suffering from repeated or constant defects even after a reasonable number of repair attempts may be eligible for a manufacturer buyback under California’s Lemon Law.
The Lemon Law applies to automobiles bought or leased in the state with an active new vehicle warranty. The vehicles must suffer from a mechanical defect that continues to impair their use, value or safety even after several repairs.
At most, four repair attempts may allow a car owner to request a manufacturer buyback for a defective vehicle under the law. But if a vehicle defect has the potential to cause serious harm or death to its passengers, California’s Lemon Law will allow drivers to request a buyback after two repair attempts.
EV owners who continue to experience defective part problems should remember that state law protects them from deceptive sale practices and unsafe driving conditions.