Tail Light Failure In Certain Ford Maverick Vehicles

In certain 2022-2024 Ford Maverick trucks, a potential safety issue has been identified regarding the rear position lamps. These lamps may fail to illuminate, making a vehicle hard to see in dark conditions. The problem can significantly reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of accidents.

Ford first became aware of this problem in February 2024, prompted by reports of tail lamp failure in a Ford Maverick truck. Utilizing Connected Vehicle (CV) data for Ford Maverick vehicles in the field, the Ford Product Development Lighting Systems team launched an investigation. They discovered an elevated level of Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) associated with inoperative rear tail lamps. Importantly, it was found that while the position light was affected, the brake and signal lights remained fully functional.

Between February and April, the Lighting Systems team conducted comprehensive testing and analysis to ascertain the conditions leading to the observed DTCs. They also delved into connected vehicle data and warranty claims to understand the vehicle behavior better. As of April 2024, Ford has noted 11 warranty claims potentially linked to this issue.

According to the defect report, the rear lamps are equipped with two position bulbs on a single circuit. However, the Body Control Module (BCM) current threshold was calibrated to the current draw for one bulb. This discrepancy meant that the BCM could falsely detect a current overload on one or both of the rear position lamp circuits, leading to the deactivation of one or both lamps. It's important to note that this issue does not affect headlights, stop lamps (including the Center High Mount Stop Lamp), or turn signal functions.

Owners will receive notification by mail and will be advised to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer. There, they can have the BCM calibration updated to the latest level. Ford has designated this recall as 24S24, and the NHTSA campaign number associated with it is 24V-293.