A Ford Maverick Hybrid Owner Says His 2025 AWD With Just 527 Miles Completely Bricked Due to a Shifter Fault, He Adds, “It Left Me Stranded in Colorado Springs and Was Too Disabled To Even Be Towed”

There is a particular cruelty when a brand-new vehicle fails before its first tank of gas, or in this case, before its first real stretch of life. A recent post in the Ford Maverick Hybrid Only group captures that gut-punch moment with unnerving clarity. 

A 2025 Maverick Hybrid AWD with the Lux package, just 527 miles on the odometer, abruptly shut itself down and left its owner stranded on a side street in Colorado Springs, fully immobilized and impossible to tow.

The failure did not arrive quietly. The truck threw a shifter fault warning, demanded to be put into park, and then refused to cooperate any further. 

The gear selector locked itself in park, blinking yellow, while the vehicle refused to start or shift. This was not a dead battery scenario, the usual scapegoat for modern automotive weirdness. The 12-volt battery tested fine. 

Disconnecting it for 40 minutes accomplished nothing. Parking brake on, parking brake off, ignition cycles, resets, all useless. The truck was, in the owner’s words, a giant paperweight.

“Well, ladies and gents. Have some news to report. My 2025 Maverick hybrid, AWD, lux package bricked up today with 527 miles on the odometer. Left me completely stranded. The car was saying shifter fault, put into park. Gear selector stuck in park and blinking yellow. Wouldn’t start. Checked the 12V battery, which tested just fine. Unhooked 12V for 40 minutes and reconnected. No change. Parking brake on, off, nothing. Called Ford Roadside. They sent a tow truck. It couldn’t be towed as it is an AWD, and the truck couldn’t be put into neutral. Can’t drag it onto the bed, as you can damage the drivetrain. Ford and Tow Guy both recommended having a Ford Mobile Tech go to the vehicle. My brand new truck is now parked on a side street in CO Springs and is a giant paperweight at the moment. Not here complaining, figure in case this happens to anyone else, this thread may give some insight. Will report back and let you know what the diagnosis is tomorrow. Wish me luck! Love the truck. Disappointed this happened, obviously. I am sure Ford will figure it out!

Update!”

What followed exposed a less-discussed vulnerability of modern AWD hybrids. Because the truck could not be shifted into neutral, it could not be winched onto a flatbed without risking drivetrain damage. Dragging it was out of the question. The roadside assistance solution most people assume will work simply did not apply. Both Ford and the tow operator agreed that the only safe next step was to dispatch a Ford Mobile Technician, leaving the truck parked and stranded overnight.

Ford Maverick: Size & Use Cases 

• The Maverick’s compact size and unibody construction give it car-like driving behavior, making it easier to maneuver and park than body-on-frame pickups.
• Hybrid powertrain availability prioritizes fuel efficiency and low operating costs, trading towing capacity and acceleration for everyday practicality.
• Interior design focuses on cost-conscious materials and simple layouts, with durable plastics chosen to support light-duty work and casual use.
• The short bed limits hauling flexibility, but clever accessories and integrated storage options help offset its reduced cargo dimensions.

This is where the story shifts from individual frustration to systemic insight. Several commenters chimed in with workarounds and lessons learned the hard way. One pointed out the manual park release hidden under the rubber liner in the center cubby beneath the radio, a detail easy to miss and rarely needed until everything goes wrong. Another emphasized the importance of a proper lift tow, where rear wheels are placed on dollies and the front end is lifted, noting that they had experienced a similar failure on their own 2025 Maverick and had to reject multiple tow trucks before finding one equipped to handle it correctly.

What makes this episode notable is not that a new vehicle failed, as unsettling as that is. It is how completely it failed. Modern vehicles are increasingly software-defined, and when a control module decides something is wrong, it often errs on the side of total shutdown. In this case, a shifter or transmission control fault cascaded into a situation where the truck could not move under its own power and could not be safely moved by others. Redundancy, once mechanical, is now digital, and when it collapses, it collapses all at once.

The tone of the original post is strikingly measured. There is disappointment, certainly, but no theatrics. The owner makes a point of saying they love the truck and believe Ford will sort it out. The post is framed less as a complaint and more as a field report, shared so that others might be better prepared if the same thing happens to them. That restraint gives the story credibility and makes the underlying issue harder to dismiss.

Responses from other owners add perspective rather than panic. Some report high-mileage Maverick Hybrids that have been remarkably reliable, even with salvage titles and early recall histories. Others acknowledge that the first year of ownership often comes with growing pains, especially as Ford continues refining software and electronic systems across its lineup. One commenter casually mentions pushing the “L” button to shut everything down for 30 minutes, fully admitting it is probably useless information, which somehow perfectly captures the helpless improvisation modern drivers resort to when logic runs out.

The broader takeaway is not that the Maverick Hybrid is flawed beyond redemption. The margin for error in modern vehicles is thinner than it used to be, especially at the intersection of software, drivetrains, and safety systems. A minor fault no longer degrades performance. It can erase mobility altogether. And when that happens, even the process of rescuing the vehicle becomes complex.

For owners, the lesson is uncomfortable but practical. Know where the manual releases are. Understand what kind of tow your vehicle actually requires. And recognize that in an AWD hybrid, a simple electronic fault can strand you just as effectively as a blown engine once did. The truck may only have had 527 miles on it, but it already delivered a full education in modern automotive reality.

The owner promised an update once the diagnosis comes in, and that will matter. Whether this turns out to be a software glitch, a faulty module, or a deeper mechanical issue will shape how this story is remembered. For now, it stands as a reminder that even the most sensible, efficient trucks on the market are still complex machines. And sometimes, they decide very early in life to test your patience.

Image Sources: Ford Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.