Ford is Recalling 300,000 2021-2025 Mach-E SUVs Because Rear Seat Passengers Can Get Locked Inside

Ford is taking decisive action to fix a flaw in the popular 2021-2025 Mach E SUVs. Owners have discovered that if the 12-volt battery dips too low and front passengers exit the SUV, it can lock the doors. The lock-out scenario prevents the driver from opening the doors to help the back seat passengers get out. The fear is that a child or disabled person might not be able to operate the inside door handles to exit safely. According to paperwork filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford is recalling all 197,432 Mach E BEVs sold in the U.S.

How Ford Discovered the Problem

According to the NHTSA Safety Recall Report, Ford’s Automotive Safety Office found out through customer questionnaires about the issue. 

“As part of this further analysis, ASO and Ford’s Low-Voltage Power Supply team members determined that in some of the cases, the 12V battery failed suddenly while the vehicle was operating with minimal or no notification provided to the customer. If a customer was unaware of a discharged 12V battery at key-off and exited via the front door mechanical release handle, they may become locked out of their vehicle if the door was locked at the time of discharge. While the customer could jump the battery through the leads near the vehicle’s right headlamp, the customers that filed the VOQs either had difficulty in doing so or broke the vehicle’s window first.”

While there is a way to jump the Mach E through battery leads that are located under the right headlight, it is understandable that drivers panicked, especially if a child or disabled person was trapped in the back seat. 

As of May 15, 2025, Ford is aware of four warranty claims, three customer service reports, and three allegations of vehicle lock-out with children located in the rear seat because of the low battery issue. Luckily, there are no reports of any injuries or accidents because of lock-out situations.

How Ford Will Fix the Issue

Ford will notify owners by mail Jun 23, 2025 - Jun 27, 2025, about the issue and the recall, however the remedy is not yet available. Ford will notify owners again Sep 29, 2025 - Oct 03, 2025, when they expect to be able to fix the issue. Ford will update their vehicle’s Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Secondary On-Board Diagnostic Control Module C (SOBDMC) modules with new software that should prevent the issue in the future. 

The new software will extend 12V support for 12 minutes after the driver turns off the vehicle, which would prevent a lock-out situation. Additionally, front doors will unlock when inside release handles are used to open them and will remain unlocked until they are intentionally locked by the customer.

The NHTSA number for this recall is 25V404. Ford’s number for this recall is 25S65.

Ford Photo

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

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