Ford over-the-air update TCU-25.2.8.5
What it says"Quality improvements include: -Addresses a loss of connectivity caused by a Cellular Domain Service outage" NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as an over-the-air update dated Mar 25, 2026, received Nov 3, 2025, about the electrical system — 13 documents under this number: TCU-25.2.8.5 Escape (2 filings), TCU-25.2.8.5 Ranger, TCU-25.2.8.5 Mustang, TCU-25.2.8.5 Explorer (2 filings) and 7 more. It names 27 model years (2023–2026). An over-the-air update is not a safety recall — there is no NHTSA campaign number and no federal requirement — but it is usually work the manufacturer pays for on the vehicles it names; the dealer checks the VIN against the manufacturer’s list.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communication"Quality improvements include: -Addresses a loss of connectivity caused by a Cellular Domain Service outage"
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCU-25.2.8.5 Escape | Over-the-air update | Mar 25, 2026 | 11030681 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 Ranger | Over-the-air update | Mar 24, 2026 | 11030682 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 Mustang | Over-the-air update | Mar 6, 2026 | 11030664 | PDF, 21 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 Explorer | Over-the-air update | Feb 27, 2026 | 11029249 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 SuperDuty | Over-the-air update | Feb 24, 2026 | 11029295 | PDF, 23 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 BroncoSport | Over-the-air update | Jan 20, 2026 | 11028206 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 Maverick | Over-the-air update | Jan 10, 2026 | 11028158 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 SuperDuty | Over-the-air update | Jan 9, 2026 | 11028157 | PDF, 23 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 Explorer | Over-the-air update | Jan 7, 2026 | 11028148 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 F-150BEV | Over-the-air update | Nov 22, 2025 | 11025922 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 Escape | Over-the-air update | Nov 22, 2025 | 11025917 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 Bronco | Over-the-air update | Nov 22, 2025 | 11025911 | PDF, 22 KB |
| TCU-25.2.8.5 F-150 | Over-the-air update | Oct 24, 2025 | 11024798 | PDF, 23 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themAlso filed against model years this site has no page for: 2023 Ford F-550 SD; 2024 Ford F-550 SD; 2025 Ford F-550 SD.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 24 model years this bulletin names have filed 1,200 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 400 of them name Electrical System, Exterior Lighting — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Mustang. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V802000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.
2024 Ford Mustang · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jan 21, 2025 · ODI 11637439
If the vehicle sits for more than 36 hours, it enters a deep sleep mode and develops an unresolved battery drain issue, rendering it inoperable. This vehicle has been in the shop four times with three battery replacements having less than $30,000 MI if a person or to drive this out of town or park at a rest stop, it could lead them…
2025 Ford Maverick · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Oct 8, 2026 · ODI 11769796
My Ford Ranger is on a safety recall. They sold it to us on May 9,2025 then kept the truck. June 1 they told use the recall issue was solved. We were not given documents on this. We are now seeing the parts needed are not available until the end of June. A Fedaral and State law was broken in selling us a vehicle on a safety recall.
2025 Ford Ranger · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jun 4, 2026 · ODI 11742182
In depth: 2024 Ford F-150 electrical problems →
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the electrical system
Source: same model, same component group421 other manufacturer communications filed against these Ford models under the same component group (electrical system), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Ford list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB 26-2449 | Service bulletin | Oct 22, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2428. Reason for update: to update the Service Procedure to remove the fuel tank isolation valve replacement and… |
| 26-2431 v2 | Service bulletin | Oct 22, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2226. Reason for update: update the Service procedure for 2021-2022 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost vehicles with new Ford D… |
| TSB 26-2439 | Service bulletin | Oct 21, 2026 | Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) and radio system… |
| SSM 55256 | Service bulletin | Oct 16, 2026 | Some 2024-2026 Nautilus and 2025-2027 Explorer/Aviator vehicles equipped with power folding mirrors may exhibit concerns with the auto foldi… |
| SSM 55255 | Service bulletin | Oct 15, 2026 | Some 2024-2026 F-Super Duty vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera may exhibit a distorted or corrupted 360-degree camera image in the c… |
| TSB 26-2442 | Service bulletin | Oct 14, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2297. Reason for update: Add 2022-2025 Transit vehicles. Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement abov… |
| SSM 55240 | Service bulletin | Oct 12, 2026 | Some 2021-2024 Bronco vehicles may exhibit an illuminated red brake warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C0049:01 stored in… |
| SSM 55239 | Service bulletin | Oct 12, 2026 | Some 2023-2026 F-Super Duty vehicles equipped with a trailer brake control module and built on or before 08-May-2026 may exhibit a "Trailer… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Ford, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Ford TCU-25.2.8.5 a recall?
No. A over-the-air update is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the TCU-25.2.8.5 repair free?
A over-the-air update is usually paid by the manufacturer on the vehicles it names, within the terms and time limit the document sets; the dealer checks the VIN against the manufacturer’s list.
Which vehicles does TCU-25.2.8.5 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 27 model years: 2025 Ford Bronco, 2025 Ford Bronco Sport, 2026 Ford Escape, 2025 Ford Escape, 2026 Ford Explorer, 2025 Ford Explorer and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.