Ford Recalls Nearly 45,000 Mustang Mach-E Models Due to Potential Headlamp Failure

Per a press release from Ford Motor Company, the automaker is initiating a recall for 45,047 of its 2025-2026 Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles. The recall addresses a potential issue with the LED Driver Control Module (LDCMB) in the headlamp assemblies, which could lead to a failure of various lighting functions. This defect could compromise vehicle visibility and the vehicle’s visibility to other drivers, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

The affected lighting functions include the high beam, low beam, position lamp, daytime running lamp, and turn signal. A failure of the LDCMB prevents these lights from operating, potentially leading to non-compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, which governs lamps and associated equipment. Drivers may receive a warning message on the instrument panel cluster indicating that the “Advanced Front Lighting Feature Temporarily Unavailable.” Additionally, the turn signal indicator will flash at an accelerated rate when engaged if the system is malfunctioning.

The root cause of the issue is believed to be a faulted Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) component within the LDCMB. This faulted component can prevent the module from rebooting, causing it to fail to communicate on the vehicle’s Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. While the exact root cause of the NVM fault is still under investigation, it has been traced to a Tier 2 supplier, Zhe Jiang Keboda Industry Corp, located in China. The specific component involved is the Mach-E LDCMB, with part number RJ8B-13B626*.

The issue was first identified on September 30, 2025, when a 2025 Mustang Mach-E at the Cuautitlan Stamping and Assembly Plant was found with an inoperative passenger-side headlamp assembly during pre-delivery inspection. Subsequent analysis revealed the LDCMB was not communicating on the CAN bus. A stop-ship order was issued on October 7, 2025, and a second affected vehicle was identified on October 10, 2025. Modules from these vehicles were sent to the Tier 2 supplier, which determined that the faulted NVM components were the issue. These components were then sent to a Tier 3 supplier for further analysis, which has not yet established a definitive root cause.

Ford has taken steps to address the issue in production. On November 3, 2025, updated LDCM software designed to mitigate system hang-ups associated with faulted NVM components was implemented in production. Vehicles that were held under the stop-ship campaign were reprogrammed with this new software. As of December 9, 2025, Ford is aware of one warranty claim that may be related to this condition. Ford has stated that it is not aware of any accidents or injuries resulting from this defect.

The remedy for this recall will be a software update for the LDCMB. Ford anticipates beginning Over-The-Air (OTA) deployment of this software update in April 2026. Owners will also have the option to visit a Ford or Lincoln dealership for the software update, which will be performed at no cost. The updated software, identified as RJ8B-13B671-EA or RJ8B-13B671-FA, is designed to prevent a faulted NVM from causing the LDCM to fail to reboot.

Owners can expect to be notified by mail regarding the recall. The dealer notification is scheduled for January 12, 2026, with owner notification letters expected to be mailed between January 26, 2026, and January 30, 2026. Vehicle identification numbers (VINs) will be searchable for recall applicability starting January 12, 2026. Ford advises owners of affected vehicles not to drive them and to park them outside until the remedy is applied.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from Ford Motor Company

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