Ford recalls 242,000 Maverick pickups for bum taillights

The 2022-2024 Ford Maverick small pickup truck is being recalled for taillights that may not illuminate at night, the NHTSA disclosed on Monday. 

The brake lights and turn signals still illuminate, but the control module might read the currents wrong and inadvertently deactivate the taillights while the truck is being driven. It’s possible the module was calibrated to rear one bulb, not the two that actually make up each taillight.

The headlights, brake lights, and indicators all work fine. The problem is limited to taillights that would normally appear at night or in fog or other low visibility situations. Hence, the recall of 242,669 units of the popular hybrid pickup truck introduced in 2022.

It won our Best Car To Buy 2022 award, our highest honor, and continued to impress, earning this year’s Best Car To Buy Pickup Truck. But it has been beset by problems, including 11 recalls, most of the minor. Last month, however, Ford recalled nearly half-a-million Maverick and Bronco Sport vehicles for a loss of drive power. In June 2023, Ford expanded its hybrid engine recall for an increased risk of engine fire.

The 2024 Ford Maverick comes with either a base 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 with front- or all-wheel drive, or an available 191-hp 2.5-liter inline-4 hybrid with a battery pack and electric motor. It gets 37 mpg combined. 

Most of the other recalls of the Maverick are electrical in nature, such as this taillight recall. Ford didn’t know of any injuries or crashes related to the recall, but ascribed 11 warranty claims to the issue. 

Owners will be notified by mail as early as May 20, 2024, and be instructed to take their Maverick into a Ford or Lincoln service center. A technician will update the control module software. Owners who previously paid for the fix out of pocket will be reimbursed, but Ford says eligibility for reimbursement ends June 3, 2024. 

For more info, contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or visit Ford’s recall hub.