NHTSA Reviews Brake-Loss Allegations Affecting 82,040 Ford Maverick Hybrids
Federal auto-safety regulators are reviewing allegations that certain 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid pickups can intermittently lose anti-lock and regenerative braking, including one owner’s claim that the problem contributed to a collision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation opened Defect Petition DP26007 on August 24, 2026.
The petition concerns an estimated 82,040 model-year 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid vehicles, although NHTSA has not determined that those vehicles have a safety defect. At this stage, regulators are evaluating whether to grant or deny a request to open a defect investigation.
What the Ford Maverick Owner Alleges Happened
NHTSA says its Office of Defects Investigation received the petition on July 20. The petition was dated July 7 and requested an investigation into intermittent braking loss on 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid vehicles. According to NHTSA’s summary, the petitioner alleges intermittent loss of both anti-lock and regenerative braking associated with certain fault codes.
The petitioner further alleges that the braking condition contributed to a collision. The reported problem allegedly continued despite four repair attempts, with the vehicle spending more than 50 days out of service.
Those are allegations contained in the petition and should not be interpreted as NHTSA findings that a defect exists across the 2024 Maverick Hybrid population.
The Petition Raises Questions About Earlier Ford Brake Recalls
Another important part of the petition concerns previous Ford brake-control software recalls. According to NHTSA’s summary, the petitioner alleges that model-year 2024 Maverick Hybrids were improperly excluded from related Ford brake-control software recalls. NHTSA has not concluded that the 2024 vehicles should have been included.
Determining whether the alleged condition exists more broadly — and whether the petition warrants a full defect investigation — is part of what federal regulators must now evaluate. The distinction is important because an open Defect Petition is not the same thing as a recall or a federal finding that thousands of vehicles have defective brakes.
What Does an NHTSA Defect Petition Mean?
Vehicle owners and other interested parties can petition NHTSA to investigate an alleged motor-vehicle safety defect. When the agency receives such a petition, its Office of Defects Investigation analyzes the request and determines whether it should be granted or denied.
NHTSA explains that consumer complaints and other reports can help regulators identify possible safety-defect trends. When similar reports or other evidence suggest that a safety-related defect may exist, the agency can proceed with further investigation. An investigation can ultimately contribute to a safety recall if a defect is identified, but many investigations do not result in recalls.
For DP26007, NHTSA currently lists the matter as open, with no recall campaign associated with the petition.
About 82,040 Maverick Hybrids Are Within the Review’s Scope
The estimated population associated with the petition is 82,040 model-year 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid pickups. That figure does not mean 82,040 owners have reported brake failures, nor does it mean NHTSA has determined that 82,040 trucks are defective.
The federal review stems from a petition describing a specific owner’s experience and asking regulators to investigate whether the alleged problem extends beyond that vehicle. That makes the number of vehicles potentially within the scope of the issue much larger than the number of incidents currently described in NHTSA’s public summary.
Owners should therefore avoid assuming their Maverick has a braking defect simply because it is a 2024 Hybrid.
What 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid Owners Can Do Now
Because there is currently no recall associated with DP26007, there is no recall repair for owners to schedule based solely on this petition. Owners experiencing braking problems should take the symptoms seriously, document what happens and contact Ford or a qualified service provider rather than waiting for the federal review to conclude.
Drivers can also report potential safety problems directly to NHTSA. The agency says consumer complaints are added to its public database after personally identifying information is removed, and those reports can help investigators identify possible defect patterns. Owners can additionally search NHTSA’s website by year, make and model to review recalls, investigations, complaints and manufacturer communications involving their vehicle.
Drivers concerned about an unrepaired recall on a specific vehicle can search using the 17-character Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN.
NHTSA Has Not Determined That a Defect Exists
The most important distinction for Maverick owners is that DP26007 represents an open Defect Petition, not a recall. NHTSA is currently considering allegations involving intermittent loss of anti-lock and regenerative braking and whether those allegations justify opening a broader defect investigation. The petition’s claims about a collision, repeated repair attempts and exclusion of 2024 vehicles from earlier brake-control software recalls are allegations that regulators are evaluating rather than established findings. If NHTSA grants the petition and moves forward with a defect investigation, additional information about the alleged problem and the number of potentially affected vehicles could emerge. For now, owners can monitor DP26007 for updates and report their own experiences to NHTSA if they encounter a potential safety problem.
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