Key facts
- Campaign IDs: NHTSA recall 25V404; Ford (manufacturer) recall 25S65. Submitted June 13, 2025 by Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI.
- Vehicles affected: 197,432 in the U.S. Press reports roughly 120,000 additional units outside the U.S. (worldwide ~300,000+).
- Model years/trims: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E, all trims and battery types (Select, Premium, California Route 1, GT, GT Performance/Rallycross; RWD and AWD; standard-range LFP and extended range). Not 2026.
- Defect mechanism: After an unexpected 12V battery discharge below 8.4V at key-off, the side door e-latches retain their locked status; power is not provided to unlock the front doors via inside release handles, creating a lockout.
- Safety risk (NHTSA): An occupant who remains inside a locked vehicle unable to use an inside release handle may be unable to be rapidly retrieved, a serious-injury risk especially in hot weather.
- Remedy: Free dealer software update to the PCM and SOBDMC modules, extending 12V support for 12 minutes after key-off. Software fix, not a hardware latch replacement.
- Key dates: VIN searchable June 16, 2025; interim owner letters planned June 23-27, 2025; remedy owner letters planned September 29 - October 3, 2025.
- VIN order: Vehicles were not built in VIN order, so model year alone does not confirm inclusion; a VIN lookup or dealer OASIS check is required.
Which used Mustang Mach-E model years and trims are affected?
Recall 25V404 (Ford 25S65) covers 2021 through 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles across every trim and battery configuration. That includes Select, Premium, California Route 1, GT and GT Performance/Rallycross, in both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive, and both standard-range LFP and extended-range battery packs. The scope is 2021-2025 only and does not extend to the 2026 model year.
Because these vehicles were not produced in VIN order, you cannot infer a specific car's inclusion from its model year alone. The recall spans production dates from February 24, 2020 to June 3, 2025 (the build window of the recalled software configuration). Only a VIN lookup or a Ford dealer OASIS check reliably confirms whether an individual Mach-E is covered.
| Make / Model | Model Years | Type | Powertrain configs in remedy | Build window | Approx. count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Mustang Mach-E (all trims) | 2021-2025 | Electric SUV (Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle) | Standard-range LFP RWD & AWD; extended-range BEV RWD & AWD; GT / GT Rallycross | Feb 24, 2020 - Jun 3, 2025 | 197,432 (U.S.) |
Assembly is reported by press as the Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico. The ~120,000 additional non-U.S. units and "~300,000+ worldwide" figure also come from press (CBS, Electrek, InsideEVs); the U.S. NHTSA report addresses only the 197,432 U.S. figure.
What exactly is the door-latch defect, and can a child get trapped?
The defect is a low-voltage lockout. Per NHTSA's report, if the 12V battery discharges below 8.4V at key-off, the side door electronic latches (e-latches) retain the lock/unlock status they held at the moment of discharge. If the driver or front passenger exits using the mechanical inside release handles, the doors stay locked when re-closed, and no power is provided to unlock the front doors via the inside handles, producing an unexpected lockout.
NHTSA's verbatim defect text describes a driver/front-passenger re-entry lockout (locked out of the car). The widely reported "child trapped in back" storyline is the safety consequence and press framing, not the wording of NHTSA's defect description. NHTSA's stated safety risk is that an occupant who remains inside a locked vehicle and cannot use an inside release handle "may be unable to be rapidly retrieved," a serious-injury risk especially in hot weather. The recall chronology notes a new owner questionnaire that "involved a child in the rear seat." Do not conflate the two: the primary defect text is about front-door lockout, while the rear-occupant hazard is the highlighted risk and press angle.
On rear-door manual egress, sources disagree. Some outlets state the Mach-E rear doors have no interior mechanical release and depend entirely on 12V power; Consumer Reports states rear occupants can exit via a mechanical release procedure described in the owner's manual (and that front occupants pull the handle twice). NHTSA's report explicitly describes only front-door inside mechanical release handles and does not confirm or deny a rear manual release. Treat rear egress as unsettled and check the specific vehicle's owner's manual.
Was anyone hurt, and is the 40-minute trapped-infant story real?
Ford states it is not aware of any accident or injury related to this condition, which matches CBS News reporting. NHTSA's report documents warranty claims, customer service reports, and owner questionnaires, including allegations of lockouts with children in the rear seat, but records no confirmed injury.
The dramatic details are press reporting, not NHTSA findings. InsideEVs reported that an infant was trapped inside a Mach-E for about 40 minutes and that a parent had to smash a window to free the child after roadside assistance could not unlock the doors. NHTSA's report says only that a new owner questionnaire "involved a child in the rear seat." The 40-minute duration, the roadside-assistance provider, and the window-smash are attributable to InsideEVs, not to NHTSA.
What is the fix, and can it be done over-the-air?
The remedy is a free software update, not a hardware repair. Ford dealers reflash the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Secondary On-Board Diagnostic Control Module C (SOBDMC). Per NHTSA's report, the new software extends 12V support for 12 minutes after key-off through continued DC/DC converter function, so a discharged 12V battery no longer causes a lockout during that window, and front doors will unlock via the inside release handles for 12 minutes after the front occupant exits (until intentionally locked). Prior software levels stopped DC/DC converter 12V support at key-off.
NHTSA's report describes a dealer PCM/SOBDMC update. Some trade and forum coverage (macheforum, InsideEVs) indicates an over-the-air flash was delivered to some units. Whether every affected VIN can be remedied over-the-air versus requiring a dealer visit is not confirmed by the primary document, so treat it as a free software update available at a dealer, with OTA reported for some units. NHTSA lists the remedy type as "Mail Information/Labels, Software," and no "Do Not Drive" or "Park Outside" advisory was issued.
Warning signs a low 12V condition may exist, per NHTSA: a SYNC screen showing a "system off to save power" warning or a blank screen at key-off, and the inside front release handle needing to be pulled further than normal to unlatch.
Why were Mach-E sales halted, and does that affect a used purchase?
Ford issued a stop-sale/delivery hold on new and dealer-inventory Mach-Es, reported by outlets including The Drive, Electrek, InsideEVs and TFLcar, because federal law bars selling a vehicle with an open safety defect until it is remedied. This is a new-inventory stop-sale, not a bar on private used-vehicle resale.
For a used buyer, that distinction matters: you can legally purchase a used Mach-E that still carries the open recall from a private seller, then have the free software fix performed. The open recall is a scheduling task and a negotiating point, not a legal obstacle to a private-party sale. Confirm remedy availability and completion with a Ford dealer.
How to check a used Mach-E by VIN before buying
Start with the authoritative, free sources. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall tool (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see whether recall 25V404 is open on that specific vehicle, and ask a Ford or Lincoln dealer to run the VIN through OASIS to confirm whether the PCM/SOBDMC software remedy has actually been completed. Ford's owner portal can also show recall status by VIN. The VIN became searchable on June 16, 2025.
Alongside those authoritative checks, a Zilocar VIN check surfaces the same open-recall presence signal as NHTSA's free tool, plus the history NHTSA does not provide: prior accident and damage records (location, type, severity, and airbag-deployment status), an odometer/rollback check, junk and salvage auction records, theft (NICB) records, ownership-count history, and past and current sales-listing history (prices, mileage, and days-on-market), along with specs/options, NHTSA and IIHS safety ratings, and market valuation. Use NHTSA and the dealer for recall and remedy status; use the broader history to judge condition and price.
What a VIN check can and can't tell you here
A VIN check is decisive for some questions and explicitly not for others. It confirms whether the recall is present on the car and gives you the accident, salvage-auction, odometer, ownership, and listing history that shapes price and condition. It cannot confirm the recall was fixed, and it cannot track the underlying investigation or per-unit firmware. Cede those to NHTSA and a Ford dealer.
| Question | Can a VIN check answer it? | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Is recall 25V404 present on this VIN? | Yes (recall presence/count) | Zilocar or NHTSA free tool |
| Was the PCM/SOBDMC software fix completed? | No | Ford/Lincoln dealer (OASIS) or Ford owner portal |
| Did an OTA flash land on this specific unit? | No | Ford dealer / Ford owner portal |
| Prior accidents, damage, airbag deployment? | Yes | Zilocar VIN check |
| Odometer rollback / mileage consistency? | Yes | Zilocar VIN check |
| Junk or salvage auction records? | Yes (auction records, not the legal title brand) | Zilocar VIN check |
| Legal title-brand classification? | No | State DMV / title document |
| Ownership count and sales-listing history? | Yes (prices, mileage, days-on-market) | Zilocar VIN check |
| Is there an open NHTSA investigation? | No | NHTSA (ODI) |
Run a Zilocar VIN check to screen a used Mustang Mach-E for open-recall presence and to see its accident, airbag-deployment, salvage-auction, odometer, ownership, and sales-listing history. Verify remedy completion with a Ford dealer using the VIN.
