Embarrassing EVs: Ford and Rivian Recall Yet More Electric Cars and Trucks

Several electric vehicle makers have announced recalls of their newest cars. Ford and Rivian are both undergoing fresh recalls, but they have quite a ways to go before they catch up to Tesla, which has issued 13 recalls impacting 2.3 million vehicles.

Barrons reports that both Ford Motor and Rivian Automotive have announced the recall of various electric vehicles. On Monday, a recall notice for 1,175 Ford Mustang Mach E electric vehicles was posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.

James Farley, president and chief executive officer of Ford Motor Co. Photographer: Emily Elconin/Bloomberg

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe (Phillip Faraone /Getty)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 02: Elon Musk attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)

The NHTSA notice states: “The right-rear axle half shafts may have been manufactured improperly, allowing the half shaft stem to break under load.” The parts will reportedly be inspected and replaced free of charge for the vehicle owner. In June, Ford temporarily halted sales of the Mustang Mach E due to safety concerns.

Breitbart News reported:

CNBC reports that Ford has instructed car dealerships to temporarily halt the sale of its electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E, due to a potential safety defect that could render the vehicle immobile. Force posted notices to dealerships Monday stating that the potentially affected vehicles include 2021 and 2022 Mach-Es built from May 27, 2020, through May 24, 2022, at the automaker’s Cuautitlan plant in Mexico.

According to a Ford spokesperson, almost 49,000 of the roughly 100,000 Mach-Es produced during the time frame will be part of a recall. The problem relates to the potential overheating of the cars’ high voltage battery main contactors, an electrically controlled switch for a power circuit.

The issue can lead to a malfunction preventing the vehicle from starting or immediately losing power while in motion. The recall is just the latest in a long line related to electric vehicles including Tesla cars. Ford has issued a handful of recalls regarding the Mach-E since its launch, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.

A recent notice was also posted for 207 Rivian R1T pickup trucks and R1S SUVs for front seat belt anchors that may have been installed incorrectly. The parts will also be fixed for free. Rivian trucks are just beginning to hit the streets after a considerable time in development.

Tesla has issued 13 recalls affecting 2.3 million vehicles, most of which are related to software issues. In December, Elon Musk’s car company recalled almost half of all vehicles it had sold in the United States.