Defective connectors can overheat and disable the vehicle
This update will limit the motor output and the charging current to reduce the stress on the connectors
Owners will be able to use their vehicle while a more permanent fix is being worked on
Ford issued a software update to almost 48,000 units of the Mustang Mach-E which have recently been recalled in order to allow the vehicles to be driven while a permanent fix is still in the works.
According to the automaker, the battery’s main connectors can overheat when the vehicle is driven hard or during a fast-charging session, which would cut power to the motors and leave the electric SUV coasting to a stop.
Since the permanent solution to this problem is expected only in the third quarter of the year, Ford released a software update that aims to reduce the risk of the connectors overheating, which allows drivers to keep using their vehicles until they are repaired.
The changes made by this update limit the available power that can be used to accelerate and it reduces the charging rate that can be achieved with a fast charger.
These two measures will keep the connectors cooler than before, but the automaker warns owners that the problem could still occur.
If the battery connectors overheat after the update, a new limp home mode will be available, which will allow drivers to move the vehicle away from traffic and possibly even to drive it to their Ford dealer.
The update will be available through the automaker’s dealer network for now, but it will reportedly be downloadable over-the-air at a later date.
Once Ford has figured out how to keep the issue from reappearing for good, another software update will be provided in order to remove the limitations temporarily imposed on charging and driving power.
