Ford's Major Recall: Software Glitch in Millions of Trucks and SUVs

Ford Motor Company announced a massive recall affecting 4.3 million pickup trucks and SUVs in the United States due to a critical software fault. The error may cause trailer brakes to malfunction and exterior lights to fail, raising grave safety concerns for popular models including 2021 through 2026 F-150s and several others.

The defect stems from the Integrated Trailer Module losing communication with the vehicle, which might hinder brake and turn signal lights or brake function altogether. As a remedy, Ford plans to implement an over-the-air software update. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highlighted the increased crash risk if trailer lights or brakes fail.

Ford reported awareness of 407 related incidents, but no crashes have been directly linked to this issue. The company, in collaboration with NHTSA, revisited the problem at the start of the year following discussions in December.