Ford has issued a sweeping safety recall covering almost 4.4 million vehicles in the United States (US) after identifying a software defect that could disable trailer lights and, in some cases, trailer brakes.
The recall, filed with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), centres on a vulnerability in the Integrated Trailer Module (ITRM).
It further said the fault can interrupt communication between the vehicle and an attached trailer, affecting stop lamps, turn signals and braking functions.
In a statement cited by Bloomberg, the carmaker said the issue creates a breach of federal safety standards and may impair a driver’s ability to control a trailer while also reducing its visibility to other road users.
Ford added that it is not aware of any accidents, injuries or fires linked to the defect.
The recall affects a broad range of pickups, SUVs and commercial vehicles produced between 2020 and early 2026, including the F-150, F-250 Super Duty, Maverick, Expedition, Ranger and E-Transit, as well as the Lincoln Navigator.
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All affected vehicles are equipped with ITRM feature codes that may suffer a loss of communication due to the software flaw.
According to documents submitted to regulators, the remedy will be a software update to the ITRM system.
Ford said it expects to begin rolling out over-the-air updates for both Ford and Lincoln vehicles from May 2026.
Owners will also be able to visit authorised dealers to have the update installed at no cost.
The announcement comes amid renewed scrutiny of vehicle safety recalls in the United States.
Earlier this month, Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, issued a rare “Do Not Drive” warning for around 225,000 older vehicles fitted with defective airbags.
That alert covered models built between 2003 and 2016 and was linked to unrepaired inflators supplied by Takata.
The faulty components can rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious injury or death.
Notably, the Takata airbag crisis remains the largest automotive recall in US history, with tens of millions of vehicles affected worldwide.