Ford recalls 4.4 million trucks, vans, SUVs over trailer software glitch
Ford is recalling 4.38 million vehicles—ranging from Model Year 2021 to 2026—because a software error related to the Integrated Trailer Module may cause the vehicle to lose communication with an attached trailer, potentially causing trailer light and brake failure.
The software issue is estimated to affect 1% of the following models:
- 2021-2026 Ford F-150
- 2022-2026 Ford F-250 SD
- 2026-2026 Ford E-Transit
- 2022-2026 Ford Expedition
- 2022-2026 Lincoln Navigator
- 2022-2026 Ford Maverick
- 2024-2026 Ford Ranger
According to the NHTSA safety recall report, “a software vulnerability within the ITRM allows for a potential race condition to occur between the ITRM and the CAN Standby Control bit (STBCC) during initial power-up. If this condition occurs, the module will be powered on but unable to communicate with the vehicle.”
This results in loss of brake lights and turn signals for both High and Low series. High series would also lose trailer brakes functionality. The loss of trailer lights and brakes increases the risk of crash, so towing in this state is highly dangerous.
No accidents or injuries have been attributed to the software anomaly. More than 400 warranty claims have been linked to the issue, though.
Operators planning to use a trailer with one of the potentially impacted vehicles will receive an identifiable warning to indicate the issue is present. According to the recall report, the turn signal telltale will blink rapidly and a "Trailer brake module fault" pop-up message will appear on the instrument panel cluster. A "Blind Spot Assist System fault" may also appear on the cluster.
An over-the-air update slated for May 2026 is expected to resolve the problem.
Last year, Ford set the record for U.S. vehicle recalls by an OEM with 152, almost twice as many as Stellantis (53) and General Motors (27) combined.