Ford towing recall impacts 4.38 million vehicles

Ford has issued a major Ford towing recall covering 4,380,609 vehicles in the US after a software issue in the Integrated Trailer Module (ITRM) can cause it to lose communication with the vehicle, potentially disabling trailer stop lamps and turn signals, and (on some configurations) trailer braking.

What the Ford towing recall is about

According to the safety recall filing, the failure mode can occur during vehicle start-up and results in inoperable trailer lighting and (for “High series” ITRMs) loss of trailer brake function, increasing crash risk because the attached trailer becomes less visible and harder to control.

The root cause is described as a software vulnerability that can trigger a race condition during initial power-up, leaving the module powered but unable to communicate. Drivers may see a “Trailer brake module fault” pop-up, rapidly flashing turn signals, and potentially a “Blind Spot Assist System fault” message.

Ford towing recall vehicles and timeline

The affected population spans multiple high-volume nameplates and model years (including F-150, Super Duty variants, Expedition, Ranger, Maverick, E-Transit and Lincoln Navigator), with production dates running up to early February 2026.

Ford plans a software remedy: an ITRM update delivered over-the-air (Ford Software Update / Lincoln Software Update) starting in May 2026, with the option for owners to visit a dealer for the same update at no charge. Dealer notifications are expected on 17 March 2026, with owner letters expected to begin 23 March 2026.

Why this matters beyond a single recall

The scale of the action underlines how vehicle functionality is increasingly gated by software modules and update pipelines. As previously reported by eeNews Europe when OTA updates were demonstrated on moving vehicles, the industry push is towards broader and faster update capability, but it also raises the stakes when a low-level timing bug can cascade into safety-critical features.

For the primary details, see the safety recall filing and reporting that the fix will be delivered via OTA in the coming weeks.