Recall #25S65 - 12V battery discharge may cause door lock-out (Vehicle Entrapment Allegations). Stop Sales issued by Ford

[Mache_Nor]

Please see the existing discussion, the interior door handles will always still work. The issue is getting locked out when there is an infant or pet stuck in the car, which could lead to serious heat stroke injury.

It’s plausible to have more scenarios:
1) People with disabilities can be locked in (see point below)
2) People with health issues (say some emergency happens with one of the passengers. You run out to enter different side of car - no dize.)

It’s an absolute hazard on so many levels, and I believe we have been lucky not to seen a serious incident due to this.

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[Larry Paul]

I just wish the rear hatch had an emergency release handle from the inside. I could at least fold the rear seat back and climb out through the hatch.

If this ever happens to me, I would say smash the rear hatch glass or back doors...less chance of injury to passengers. Also my front door windows are laminated glass. (only on 2021 premium/GTs and early 2022 GT's)

 

[Star Lord]

This is not a glitch. It's a stupid design flaw on par with the Pinto gas tank. If your 12v battery dies you could be either locked out or your door won't close and lock. So depending on the state of the battery when it happened you either can't get in your car or everyone can get in your car because the doors won't close and lock.

Stupid tech.

 

[Jimrpa]

I just wish the rear hatch had an emergency release handle from the inside. I could at least fold the rear seat back and climb out through the hatch.

If this ever happens to me, I would say smash the rear hatch glass or back doors...less chance of injury to passengers. Also my front door windows are laminated glass. (only on 2021 premium/GTs and early 2022 GT's)

If you’re an adult and inside the vehicle, why wouldn’t you just open the doors, using the handles and the emergency procedure?

 

[Larry Paul]

If you’re an adult and inside the vehicle, why wouldn’t you just open the doors, using the handles and the emergency procedure?

Clearly I would just open the doors if I could. If they would not open or I could not open them, I am just saying what I would ask/want others to do in an emergency where the doors would not open.

 

[jsus]

Part 573 Safety Recall Report is now available for NHTSA recall 25V404 // Ford recall 25S65. See the full document below. Below are some highlights. TL;DR: You'll now have 12 minutes after turning the vehicle off with the push-button start to be able to open/close, lock/unlock all doors even if the 12V battery is dead.

"Updated module software extends 12V support post-key off for 12 minutes through continued DC/DC converter function." Basically, the HVB contactors will remain closed, allowing the DC/DC converter to feed the 12V system off the HVB. Essentially like a 12 minute HVB-powered accessory mode after key-off.

Descriptive Information:

The recalled part was introduced into production on 2/24/2020 and was taken out of production on 6/3/2025. These vehicles are not produced in VIN order. Information as to the applicability of this action to specific vehicles can best be obtained by either calling Ford’s toll-free line (1-866-436-7332) or by contacting a local Ford or Lincoln dealer who can obtain specific information regarding the vehicles from the Ford On-line Automotive Service Information System (OASIS) database. 197,432 Mustang Mach-E vehicles are affected.

Description of the defect or noncompliance:

In the event of an unexpected 12V battery discharge below 8.4V at key-off, side door electronic latches (e-latches) retain their lock/unlock status at time of 12V discharge. If the driver or front passenger exit the front doors using the mechanical inside release handles, the doors will remain locked when they are re-closed if the e-latches were locked at the time of 12V battery discharge. This may result in an unexpected lock-out condition for the driver and front passenger without the ability to immediately reenter the vehicle.

Description of the safety risk, including crash, fire, death, injury:

An occupant who remains inside a locked vehicle and unable to use an inside door release handle may be unable to be rapidly retrieved by a passenger who has exited the vehicle. This could result in a serious injury, especially in hot weather.

Description of the cause:

In the event of a 12V battery that discharges below 8.4V, vehicle power is not provided for any interval of time post-key off to allow the front door e-latches to unlock when inside release handles are used.

Identification of any warning that can occur:

At key-off, a customer may notice the SYNC screen displaying a “system off to save power” warning, or a blank screen. When exiting the vehicle through a front door, a customer may notice the inside release handle needs to be pulled further than normal to unlatch the door.

Affected modules: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Software and Secondary On-Board Diagnostic Module C (SOBDMC) SW. Different versions are listed based on powertrain configuration.

Remedy Type: Mail Information/Labels, Software

Description of remedy program:

Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have their vehicle’s Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Secondary On-Board Diagnostic Control Module C (SOBDMC) modules updated. There will be no charge for this service.

How remedy component differs from recalled component:

Updated module software extends 12V support post-key off for 12 minutes through continued DC/DC converter function. With this update, lockout due to a discharged battery is prevented during this time period. Additionally, front doors will unlock when inside release handles are used to open them during this time period when the DC/DC converter is providing the power post key-off, and will remain unlocked until they are intentionally locked by the customer.

Prior PCM/SOBDMC software levels would stop providing DCDC converter 12V support at key off.

Description of recall schedule:

Notification to dealers is expected to occur on June 16, 2025. Mailing of interim owner notification letters is expected to begin June 23, 2025 and is expected to be completed by June 27, 2025. Mailing of remedy owner notification letters is expected to begin September 29, 2025 and is expected to be completed by October 3, 2025. The date VINs are planned to be searchable is June 16, 2025.

Chronology:

January – February 2025

On January 10th, 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) team contacted Ford’s Automotive Safety Office (ASO) regarding six Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) in which customers described being unable to open Mustang Mach-E doors after their vehicle’s 12V battery discharged. In two of the VOQs, customers described being unable to open their vehicle with children inside. On January 17th, 2025, Ford provided ODI details of Mach-E ingress and egress methods in the event of a discharged 12V battery. On January 21st, 2025, this concern was opened in Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) for further evaluation.

As part of its investigation, CCRG reviewed the findings from a prior investigation in the spring of 2022 that was prompted by questions from Transport Canada. The prior investigation evaluated the e-latch mechanism behavior in the event of a 12V battery discharge. To gain access from the exterior of the vehicle in the event of a discharged 12V battery and locked doors, the customer must jump the 12V battery by first gaining access to the frunk using a 12V power supply on the leads hidden below the vehicle’s right headlamp. CCRG also reviewed its previous conclusion that occupants inside a locked vehicle with a discharged 12V battery are able exit the vehicle from front and rear doors and customers are able to apply a 12V power source to enter the vehicle through the leads near the vehicle’s right headlamp. As part of its new investigation, CCRG verified the leads used to access the frunk functioned as intended and that a method to provide power to the e-latch existed. Based on this review and a data review, on February 18, 2025, CCRG agreed to proceed to closure on this investigation.

March - April 2025

On March 18-19, 2025, Ford’s ASO team met with NHTSA and shared the findings of the CCRG investigation and to coordinate a future vehicle demonstration. On April 23rd, 2025, ASO team members demonstrated Mach-E ingress and egress methods in the event of a discharged 12V to NHTSA personnel at a Ford dealership in the Washington D.C area.

May – June 2025

On May 15th, 2025, ASO met with ODI to share findings from further analysis of the 6 provided VOQs. As part of this further analysis, ASO and Ford’s Low-Voltage Power Supply team members determined that in some of the cases, the 12V battery failed suddenly while the vehicle was operating with minimal or no notification provided to the customer. If a customer was unaware of a discharged 12V battery at key-off and exited via the front door mechanical release handle, they may become locked out of their vehicle if the door was locked at the time of discharge. While the customer could jump the battery through the leads near the vehicle’s right headlamp, the customers that filed the VOQs either had difficulty in doing so or broke the vehicle’s window first. Based on this review, CCRG re-opened its investigation on May 20th, 2025, to further analyze the potential for other lockout conditions. This analysis included further discussions with Ford’s Low Voltage Power Supply and Body Exterior team members, and evaluation of connected vehicle data of a new VOQ alleging a vehicle lock-out. From other sources CCRG later found out the new VOQ involved a child in the rear seat.

On June 6, 2025, Ford’s Field Review Committee reviewed the concern and approved a field action.

As of May 15, 2025, Ford is aware of four warranty claims, three customer service reports, and three VOQ allegations of vehicle lock-out with children in the rear seat post-12V battery discharge (6 unique VINs). These reports were received between November 22, 2023 and April 28, 2025.

Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition.

• RCAK - Recall AcknowledgementRCAK-25V404-5484.pdf 0.321KB
• Recall 573 ReportRCLRPT-25V404-6081.pdf 0.558KB

 

[Bobcat17]

I had my key in car and door release wasn’t working. I had to use Ford Pass app to open door. WTF!

 

[DeusEx]

So it seems like a 30+ minute fix via FDRS, an all day or longer affair at the dealer or hope and wait for it to drop via OTA?

Another question, since this is a software recall, does it have to be addressed by the dealer to clear the recall or is waiting for the OTA enough? I'd rather not involve the dealer for a software fix unless it's necessary.

 

[E90alex]

The NHTSA report gives a lot more detail than what we had before.

Seems exactly as I suspected in an earlier post. The door latches remember the lock state at the time of 12V power loss, so if power is lost at shut off and door are locked, it still only remembers being locked even if the manual release is used.

So the fix is to keep the DC-DC converter active for 12 minutes after shut off.

Hopefully the update is available before the Sept/Oct owner notification date for the remedy being available. My car is at the local rail yard and not deliverable until the fix is available. ?

 

[Star Lord]

I had my key in car and door release wasn’t working. I had to use Ford Pass app to open door. WTF!

Wouldn't your keypad work either? I have to say the keypad is the only thing Ford has over every other manufacturer. I love that keypad.

 

[E90alex]

So it seems like a 30+ minute fix via FDRS, an all day or longer affair at the dealer or hope and wait for it to drop via OTA?

Another question, since this is a software recall, does it have to be addressed by the dealer to clear the recall or is waiting for the OTA enough? I'd rather not involve the dealer for a software fix unless it's necessary.

It doesn’t mention being available OTA in the report. They might want to do it in person so they can test and verify the update is working properly.

 

[DeusEx]

Thanks for that clarification.

Just another question. For cars that are really out of date from a software perspective, I'm think along the lines of cars still stuck on BC 1.0 or older versions of sync, would this recall then help get all those other modules updated (GWM, APIM, TCU) or can the latest powertrain updates be applied with those being out of date?

 

[CameraCarl]

Maybe if Ford didn't put those dumb electronically operated door openers on the car and had gone with good old fashioned mechanical door handles, we wouldn't have this problem. Why would you ever engineer something that required a good full 12V battery to get into and out of a car when mechanical door release handles have been around for over 100 years???!!!

 

[ShadowTheHedgehog]

The NHTSA report gives a lot more detail than what we had before.

Seems exactly as I suspected in an earlier post. The door latches remember the lock state at the time of 12V power loss, so if power is lost at shut off and door are locked, it still only remembers being locked even if the manual release is used.

So the fix is to keep the DC-DC converter active for 12 minutes after shut off.

Hopefully the update is available before the Sept/Oct owner notification date for the remedy being available. My car is at the local rail yard and not deliverable until the fix is available. ?

How do we keep the DC/DC converter active for 12 minutes? I just saw on my app I have an active recall for this (just a notification).

 

[E90alex]

How do we keep the DC/DC converter active for 12 minutes? I just saw on my app I have an active recall for this (just a notification).

That’s what the software update fix for the recall will do. You’ll have to wait until you get the letter saying the remedy is available and sounds like you’ll have to take it in to the dealer to get updated.

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