2024 Ford Ranger Recall: What Causes Window Pinching, & How Dangerous Is It?
In August 2024, Ford issued a recall for more than 70,400 vehicles due to a power window safety issue. The recall included the 2024 Ford Ranger pickup truck and the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, which share the same driver and passenger door module (DDM/PDM) software. The affected Ford Rangers were produced between December 9, 2022, and July 15, 2024.
The problem that forced Ford to take this action was that the global closing feature on some models allowed the windows to keep closing even when an object, like a hand or finger, was in the way. This violates Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 118, which mandates that power windows reverse direction when they detect an obstruction. Without this fail-safe, there's a risk of pinching injuries.
Ford has promised to update the door module software free of charge. Notifications to owners began on September 23, 2024, under recall number 24C24. Owners of these trucks or SUVs were advised to wait for the official notice or check the VIN through the NHTSA website.
What are anti-pinch windows supposed to do
Modern power windows are required to have an anti-pinch or bounce-back feature. This safety function reverses the window when it meets resistance while closing. Most automakers, including Ford, have been using this system for years, especially in vehicles with one-touch window operation.
The technology behind it is simple but effective: sensors measure resistance or force when a window is closing. If the force exceeds a set threshold, indicating something might be stuck in the way, the motor reverses and lowers the glass.
Ford's version, called "bounce-back," uses Siemens' Closing Force Limitation (CFL) system to do this automatically. But if the software in the DDM or PDM fails to detect resistance, the window may not reverse as intended. That's what triggered this recall. This isn't unique to Ford, either. Tesla had a similar recall in 2022 for more than a million vehicles. Anti-pinch windows are there to prevent injury, especially to kids or pets. When they don't work, the risk rises fast.
How dangerous is window pinching?
It doesn't sound serious until you consider how much force a window motor can exert. It takes only 22 pounds of pressure to injure a child's neck, and power windows can produce 30 to 80 pounds. That's enough to cause cuts, bruises, or worse. Strangulation has happened in the past. While modern regulations now require safer switch designs and auto-reverse functionality, issues like this show the tech still needs constant validation.
Most vehicles only have this feature on front windows, leaving backseat passengers more exposed, especially young kids. Kids and Car Safety, a watchdog group, has linked nearly 100 child deaths to power windows in the U.S. over the years. Although the problem is rarer today, the stakes are high.
You should always keep an eye out for a faulty window motor. Pinch sensors can also become uncalibrated if the battery dies or is replaced, which means the windows may stop working as intended until reset. That's why recalls like this are crucial. Even one missed calibration can lead to serious injury.