- Ford has issued a stop-sale recall for over 300,000 Mach-Es worldwide.
- The issue is that the vehicle could lock itself without the ability to unlock it again, which could trap someone inside.
- Ford is working on an over-the-air software fix that it will roll out to all affected vehicles.
Ford is halting all Mustang Mach-E deliveries and test drives until it rolls out a software fix for a defect that prompted the recall of over 300,000 vehicles worldwide. The issue is that the vehicle can lock itself, trapping someone inside or leaving the owner unable to enter.
According to The Detroit News, almost 197,000 Mustang Mach-Es from the 2021 to 2025 model years are in the United States, and an additional 120,000 are from other markets. The issue, therefore, affects both sold and unsold vehicles and this isn’t the first time we have heard of it.
The problem stems from the fact that the Mach-E doesn’t have physical door handles. If the 12-volt battery that runs most auxiliary systems in the car dies, this can cause the doors to lock with no means to open them. Even if you try jumping the car or get an unlocking specialist, it likely won’t allow you access to the inside if it has locked itself.
In its announcement, Ford states that this defect hasn’t resulted in any accidents or injuries. However, owner forums feature numerous stories of people being locked out or in and how they fixed the problem.
Earlier this year, we reported on an instance when a nine-month-old baby got trapped inside a Mach-E. Mach-E Forum member JeffGo reported that he got a message in his vehicle saying, “In the event of unexpected 12V battery discharge, the front door electronic latches retain their last lock/unlock status. If the driver or front passenger exits the front doors using the mechanical inside release handles, the doors may remain locked when they are closed. This may result in an unexpected lock-out condition.”
The infant was inside the car for 40 minutes before being extracted after the electronic locks stopped working. They had to smash the front window after not even AAA could help get the car unlocked. The car likely needs to be taken to the dealer, although Ford doesn’t recommend towing it there—it says you should use a flatbed.
There is a definite increased risk of being trapped or unable to board a vehicle with electronic door openers. Some vehicles offer a mechanical override to open the doors from the outside, but many don’t. Occupants inside the car usually also have a mechanical backup, although it’s sometimes not obvious, especially in the rear.
The Mach-E only has a mechanical door opening for front seat occupants, unlike the Tesla Model Y, which also has them for people in the rear, although getting to them is tricky if you don’t already know they exist.
The Mexico-made Mach-E got off to a strong start in 2025, selling 21% more vehicles in Q1 compared to 2024, but it recently went up in price by $2,000 after the 25% tariff kicked in. However, the manufacturer doesn’t plan to cut production or have consumers bear the full brunt of the tariffs, even if it means selling cars at a loss.
