Ford is planning to voluntarily recall 23,830 electric and extended-range electric vehicles, including the Focus Electric plus the C-Max Hybrid and Energi models equipped with push-button ignition due to the cars not producing a chime when the driver’s door is open, thereby violating federal regulations.
Looking back at its origin, the goal of the chime is to remind drivers not to leave their vehicles running or leave keys (or key fobs) in the vehicle itself — actions that are rather easy to perform when the car in question makes very little to no noise when running or at idle while not requiring a physical key to be placed in the ignition. In that regard, it could even be said that the importance of the chime is higher on an electric vehicle than it is on a “traditional” vehicle with an (audibly-running) internal combustion engine.
The recall is being conducted voluntarily, and impacts 2012 and 2013 models of the Focus Electric, as well as the 2013 C-Max Hybrid and Energi. Most of the 23,830 units in question were sold in the United States, and less than 1,000 were delivered to customers in Canada. The specific model-by-model breakdown is not clear, however.
Ford will contact owners of the affected vehicles, who will be asked to visit a Ford dealer for a software update.
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