Ford began delivering Mustang Mach-E vehicles to customers in China at the end of December last year, and they have not performed anywhere near as well as the Tesla Model Y.

(Image credit: Ford)

Ford will recall a total of 775 Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles in China starting August 1 because of software problems, according to an announcement posted today on the website of China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

The vehicles include 228 manufactured between October 28, 2021, and March 5, 2022, which may incorrectly report abnormal front drive shaft torque output because the latest version of the functional safety monitoring system software for the powertrain is not in use.

This may cause the vehicle to enter a safe mode, which limits power output and illuminates a powertrain malfunction warning light in the instrument cluster.

In extreme cases, the software may ignore unexpected vehicle acceleration, deceleration or movement, causing the vehicle to fail to respond in a timely and proactive safety manner, increasing the risk of a crash, according to the SAMR announcement.

Ford will perform a free powertrain control module software update for the vehicles covered by the recall to eliminate the safety hazard.

The recall also includes 547 Mustang Mach-E vehicles manufactured from July 27, 2021 to April 6, 2022, according to the announcement.

Some of these vehicles may see the main relay overheat due to design and parts differences in the main relay of the power cell high-voltage distribution box, causing the relay to stick or disconnect abnormally.

In extreme cases, it may cause the vehicle to fail to start or lose power while driving, according to the announcement.

Ford will carry out free software upgrades for the power control module and battery control module for the vehicles within the recall to eliminate safety hazards.

On April 13 last year, Ford Mustang Mach-E was released in China and began accepting reservations. On December 26 last year, Ford delivered the first Mustang Mach-E vehicles in China.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E's price in China was raised on May 5, with a price increase in the range of RMB 7,000 - 22,500 yuan ($3,530).

The information displayed on Ford's website shows that the Mustang Mach-E is available in five versions in China, with a previous price range of RMB 265,000 to RMB 369,900 after subsidies.

The Mustang Mach-E's main competitor is the Tesla Model Y, but the sales performance of the two is worlds apart.

Ford delivered 969 Mustang Mach-E vehicles to customers in China in March, it said on April 14, posting its first delivery figures for the model.

For comparison, Tesla Model Y retail sales in China were 39,730 units in March, up 291.4 percent from 10,151 units a year earlier and up 113.7 percent from 18,593 units in February, according to data released April 12 by the China Passenger Car Association.