Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling approximately 159 units of its 2021 F-150 pickups equipped with the Onboard Scales feature. An over-the-air (OTA) software update to the body control module (BCM) may have inadvertently disabled the reverse lights.
The affected vehicles received an OTA software update to the BCM, which mistakenly altered a parameter configuration related to the backup lamp status. As a result, the backup lamps do not illuminate when the vehicle is in reverse gear. This malfunction increases the risk of a crash as it fails to alert other motorists and road users that the vehicle is reversing.
Recall Chronology –
April – June 2024
- On April 25, 2024, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) launched an investigation into inoperative backup lamps following a BCM OTA software update on certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The issue was identified when a customer reported the problem to a Ford dealership. The dealership, in turn, contacted Ford’s technician hotline, noting that the vehicle had received a BCM OTA update a week before the issue was noticed.
- The CCRG analyzed the OTA software update and the vehicles that received it. Although the update was available to all 2021.5 F-150 models, the problem only affected those equipped with the Onboard Scales feature due to a unique configuration setting. The OTA update, intended to enhance BCM software unrelated to backup lamp operation, inadvertently changed the backup lamp configuration status from ‘Present’ to ‘Absent.’
- Testing confirmed that the ‘Present’ setting is necessary for the backup lamps to function correctly. When set to ‘Absent,’ the lamps do not illuminate in reverse gear.
- As of May 20, 2024, Ford is aware of seven warranty reports related to this issue, received between January 30, 2024, and April 30, 2024.
Ford dealers will update the body control module software free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on July 1, 2024. Owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, referring to recall number 24S38.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or visit www.nhtsa.gov.
 is recalling approximately 159 units of its 2021 F-150 pickups equipped with the Onboard Scales feature. An over-the-air (OTA) software update to the body control module (BCM) may have inadvertently disabled the reverse lights.){kind=link}