Ford 12-volt battery issues in Bronco Sport vehicles and Maverick pickup trucks has resulted in hundreds of thousands of recalled vehicles and a class action lawsuit against the auto manufacturer.
Ford Maverick and Bronco Sport vehicles may have faulty hazard lights, lose propulsion, experience inhibited Auto Stop/Start function or lose the ability to restart. Ford’s recalls attribute these issues to battery degradation going undetected by the BCM or PCM software.
The Ford battery lawsuit, which represents thousands of Bronco Sport and Maverick owners against Ford and Camel Group Battery, alleges that the 12-volt batteries are defective and cause sudden power loss and stalling.
These Ford battery recalls and lawsuits come after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a federal civil penalty of $165 million against Ford for its backup camera recall failures.1
Before the federal civil penalty, Ford had recalled more than 450,000 Ford Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles for similar battery issues that reportedly lead to vehicle fires and property damage. Ford is aware of at least 917 warranty reports, 11 field reports, and 54 customer complaints related to the loss of motive power.2
Learn more about the Ford Bronco Sport and Maverick pickup truck battery recalls, Ford’s response to the 12-volt battery issue, the latest Ford battery class action lawsuit, and what you can do if your Ford vehicle has battery issues that your local dealership cannot seem to resolve.
Table of Contents
- Ford Bronco Sport and Maverick Battery Recalls
- How do I know if my Bronco Sport or Maverick is under recall?
- What should I do if my Bronco Sport or Maverick is recalled?
- What are my options if my Ford’s battery cannot be fixed?
- Talk To Our Attorneys At Lemon Law Help
Ford Bronco Sport and Maverick Battery Recalls
Ford has issued three recalls for 12-volt battery issues in Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles. The first two recalls affected hundreds of thousands of Maverick pickup trucks and Bronco Sport models. The final recall addresses a much smaller population of 2021–2024 Bronco Sport and 2022–2023 Maverick owners.
First Recall: Issued in 2024
This recall is known as NHTSA Campaign Number 24V267000 or Ford Recall 24S24.
In April 2024, Ford recalled 456,565 model year 2021–2024 Bronco Sport and 2022–2023 Maverick vehicles. The Body Control Module and Powertrain Control Module were unable to detect battery failures, which allowed for a loss of motive power whenever an Auto Stop/Start event occurred or while coming to a stop at a low speed.
Owner notifications were sent out on June 4, 2024. Ford and Lincoln dealers were instructed to recalibrate the Body Control Module and Powertrain Control Module.3
Second Recall: January 2025
This recall is known as NHTSA Campaign Number 25V019000 or Ford Recall 25S02.
In January 2025, Ford recalled 272,817 model year 2021–2023 Bronco Sport and 2022–2023 Maverick vehicles for battery degradation and failure.
This time, the culprit was in the battery type: Camel EFB batteries with a manufacturing defect. Failures in the battery’s Cast On Strap and internal weld failures led to open circuits.
Ford and Lincoln dealers were instructed to replace the Camel EFB batteries with Ford Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) 12-volt batteries. An interim notice was sent to owners on January 29, 2025 and a second notice will be mailed when the remedy is available, according to the recall listing on NHTSA.4 However, recall documents made available indicate that these interim mailed notices were expected to be mailed in February 2025.5
Third Recall: March 2025
This recall is known as NHTSA Campaign Number 25V158000 or Ford Recall 25S26.
In March 2025, Ford recalled 12,833 model year 2021–2024 Bronco Sport and 2022–2023 Maverick that were repaired incorrectly under a previous recall.6 The Body Control Module and Powertrain Control Modules may fail to detect when the 12-volt batteries fail, allowing for vehicle stalling and loss of motive power. Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicle owners under this recall had the incorrect software installed.
Recall notices are expected to be sent April 24, 2025. Ford and Lincoln dealerships will update the Body Control Module and Powertrain Control Module with the correct software.7
How do I know if my Bronco Sport or Maverick is under recall?
Ford Bronco Sport and Maverick owners under recall should have received mailed notification for at least one of these open recalls. However, if you have not received a mailed notice, there are other ways to confirm if your vehicle is under recall.
- Contact Ford’s customer service department (1-866-436-7332) and ask a customer service representative to confirm if your vehicle has been recalled. You may be asked to supply your vehicle identification number (VIN).
- Use NHTSA’s Recall Search Tool and type your VIN into the search bar. The results will display the number of unrepaired recalls associated with your vehicle.
If your Ford Bronco Sport or Maverick has stalling issues that have yet to be resolved, schedule an appointment with your local dealership.
What should I do if my Bronco Sport or Maverick is recalled?
Follow the instructions on your recall notice. Your mailed safety recall notice will describe the vehicle issue, associated risks, and, if a remedy is available, how to request a repair service. It is recommended that you schedule a recall-related repair service as soon as possible to avoid incurring further mechanical issues with your vehicle.
How to schedule a battery repair service
Contact your local Ford dealership and request a service appointment for your associated recall. The recall number will be listed on the recall notice. Provide the dealer with your VIN and use Ford’s recall number when talking to customer service representatives. The existing Ford recalls for the 12-volt battery issue are: 24S24, 25S02 and 25S26.
What are my options if my Ford’s battery cannot be fixed?
If your Ford Maverick or Bronco Sport’s battery issues cannot be resolved, you have legal options to take against the auto manufacturer. It is vital to document these failures and why they occur. Two possible reasons for this inability include: multiple failed repair attempts pointing to a manufacturing defect, and inability to develop or provide a remedy in a timely manner.
Gather all repair orders or work orders from your car service appointments and all records of correspondence with your manufacturer and/or dealership. If your auto manufacturer or associated dealerships cannot repair your vehicle issues within a reasonable number of attempts or time frame, your vehicle may have a manufacturing defect that can warrant legal action.
Ford battery class action lawsuit
If you own or lease a 2021–2023 Ford Bronco Sport or 2022–2023 Ford Maverick, you may be represented in a class action lawsuit filed against Ford Motor Company and Camel Group Battery.
Benson v. Ford Motor Company alleges that Ford and Camel Group Battery produced and sold Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles with defective 12-volt batteries and concealed or omitted information of these defects when selling these vehicles.8
Camel Group’s 12-volt batteries have an internal weld and cast-on-strap susceptible to failure and can cause sudden power loss and stalling. Though Ford recalled nearly 273,000 of these vehicles, the lawsuit alleges that some owners were not informed of this recall and these battery systems are likely to fail again.
If you remain in the class action lawsuit and it reaches settlement, you may be eligible for a portion of the final award. However, what you are eligible to receive will depend on your vehicle circumstances, the number of class members and the terms of the settlement itself.
If you want to pursue an individual claim against the manufacturer and receive a potentially higher individual settlement amount, you will need to opt out of a class action lawsuit before its opt-out deadline. A lemon law attorney can assist you in this process.
Pursue a lemon law claim in California
If you are an owner or lessee of a defective new motor vehicle in the state of California, you may be able to pursue an auto defect lawsuit against your auto manufacturer.
Those who purchased a defective vehicle from a dealership in California are eligible to receive substantial cash compensation, a replacement vehicle or a repurchase of their vehicle for an amount approximately equal to the initial purchase price. Owners of lemon vehicles may also receive reimbursements for defect-related expenses, such as out-of-pocket repair costs, rental and towing costs, or fares for alternate transportation.
If a manufacturer willfully violates the California Lemon Law, it may have to pay additional civil penalties up to twice the amount you are owed for the vehicle repurchase.
If you are successful in your lemon law claim, the manufacturer has to compensate your attorneys’ fees and costs as part of the final settlement.
Talk To Our Attorneys At Lemon Law Help
If your Ford vehicle has issues with batteries, electrical systems or other important parts and your local dealership has not been able to repair your vehicle, our lemon law attorneys can help you recover legal restitution. If applicable, our attorneys can help you opt out of any relevant class action lawsuits so you can pursue an individual lemon law claim.
It starts with a free consultation. During the consultation call, you may ask our attorneys any questions you have about the legal process. If we suspect that you have a potential claim, we will request your repair orders or work orders for further review. To get started, you may fill out our consultation request form below or call us at 833-208-8181.
References
- NHTSA. (2024, November 14). NHTSA Issues $165 Million Civil Penalty, Second Largest in Agency’s History. https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/ford-consent-order-165-million-civil-penalty
- Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-267. (2024). https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V267-6161.PDF
- (2024, April 12). Loss of Drive Power from Undetected Low Battery. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://www.nhtsa.gov/?nhtsaId=24V267000
- (2025, January 17). Loss of Drive Power from Battery Failure. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://www.nhtsa.gov/?nhtsaId=25V019000
- Part 573 Safety Recall Report 25V-019. (2025). https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V019-5305.PDF
- (2025, March 14). Loss of Drive Power from Undetected Low Battery. https://www.nhtsa.gov/?nhtsaId=25V158000
- Part 573 Safety Recall Report 25V-158. (2025). https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V158-5493.PDF
- Rizzi, C. (2025, February 13). Ford Facing Class Action Lawsuit Over Bronco Sport, Maverick Battery Recall. ClassAction.org. https://www.classaction.org/news/ford-facing-class-action-lawsuit-over-bronco-sport-maverick-battery-recall
Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group is an automotive lemon law firm that exclusively practices in California, with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Orange County. If you are a California resident who purchased or leased a defective vehicle from a licensed dealership in California, we may be able to help you get rid of your potential lemon and recover significant cash compensation. Model year restrictions apply: 2020–Present vehicle models only.
However, we cannot help those who reside outside of California or purchased their vehicle outside of California unless they are active duty members of the Armed Forces, nor will we be able to refer those to a lemon law firm in their states.
To learn more about the California Lemon Law and your legal rights, visit our guide on the California Lemon Law for more information.
