Overview
- Ford has opened a formal recall under internal code 26C13 and is sending written notices to affected owners while preparing VIN lookup tools for checks.
- The fault stems from a telematics control unit (TCU) software update deployed earlier that was not correctly processed on a subset of vehicles, which can stop the E‑Call system from working.
- Ford says the remedy is a workshop TCU software update that takes under two hours and that other services such as Ford App control, remote start, and traffic data may also be impaired until the fix is applied.
- German regulator the KBA lists the action as reference 16563R and gives a different scope than Ford, reporting 11,793 affected vehicles and a partly different model list versus Ford’s roughly 16,800 figure.
- Because E‑Call is legally required in the EU and transmits crash location to emergency services, owners must visit authorised workshops for the fix and the incident highlights limits of over‑the‑air updates and possible increased regulatory scrutiny.