Ford’s Recall Problem Is Getting Too Big to Ignore

[AzScorpion]

With all their recalls they're now being watched heavily by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Back in 2024 they (Ford) received a civil penalty of up to $165 million for failing to comply with federal recall requirements. As we've seen they're still pilling up the recalls and losses and you'd think this would've pushed them to get their recalls under control. Between the recall losses and the EV losses it's a wonder they're still in business.

https://autos.yahoo.com/safety-and-recalls/articles/ford-recall-problem-getting-too-123057133.html

Ford entered 2026 carrying a burden that has been hanging over the company for several seasons now: a record number of recalls, growing pressure from regulators, and rising frustration from customers. There are still no real signs of that trend slowing down. In 2025, Ford set an unwanted industry record with more than 150 recalls affecting nearly 13 million vehicles, the highest annual recall total ever recorded for a single automaker in the United States.

The largest single recall so far covers about 4.38 million trucks, vans, and SUVs, including the best-selling F Series. The issue involves software in the Integrated Trailer Module that could disable trailer brake functionality and exterior trailer lighting. That creates a serious safety risk, especially when towing. In keeping with current industry practice, Ford is addressing the defect through an over-the-air software update, though customers can also have the repair completed through mobile service or at a dealership.

That recall is only one piece of a much broader picture. Ford’s 2026 campaigns have touched nearly every major system category, including short circuit risks tied to engine block heaters, rear suspension components that may fracture, windshield wiper motor failures, and multiple rearview camera defects. Some of the affected vehicles are relatively new, including 2025 and 2026 model year products, which highlights the challenge of launching increasingly digital and electrified vehicles while keeping quality fully under control.

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[AzScorpion]

Then there's this new one which is not good. So they knew about this back in 2022 and yet did nothing about it.

Ford Knew About Defective Wipers for Years — It Took Federal Pressure to Force a Recall

https://autos.yahoo.com/safety-and-recalls/articles/ford-knew-defective-wipers-years-120000026.html

Ford just recalled over 422,000 trucks and SUVs for a windshield wiper arm defect that can cause the arm to stop working or detach entirely while driving in the rain. The affected vehicles — F-250s, F-350s, Expeditions, and Lincoln Navigators built between October 2021 and December 2022 — share a manufacturing flaw in the wiper arm assembly. Latch retention plates were incorrectly staked during production, weakening over time until wiper arms strip, fail, or come off completely.

But where it gets complicated is that the issue was identified during a mandated review rather than through a new field investigation. Under a 2024 Consent Order with NHTSA, Ford was required to conduct a mandatory three-year lookback of its safety data. That review turned up elevated warranty claims on the exact same wiper arm failure on vehicles built just after a previous 2022 recall that addressed the same issue. Ford had logged over 1,500 warranty reports tied to this defect. Without that federal mandate, there is no indication this recall would have happened at all.

 

[Fordup]

Pandemic quality is now catching up.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I saw this coming when I retired in 2002. The push to go faster meant short cut proveout. I am amazed Farley is still CEO. The buck stops at Farley's desk. Sad time for Ford with the Black Eyes they are getting with all these recalls. OEM suppliers are slipping. Where is Ford SQA, Supplier Quality Assurance.

 

[Grumpaw]

I saw this coming when I retired in 2002. The push to go faster meant short cut proveout. I am amazed Farley is still CEO. The buck stops at Farley's desk. Sad time for Ford with the Black Eyes they are getting with all these recalls. OEM suppliers are slipping. Where is Ford SQA, Supplier Quality Assurance.

Here he is Phil.......

 

[Cabose-1]

This is to my 2024 Ranger. The fix for the trailer control module is a software update.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Here he is Phil.......

Hi Steve,

Actually, something like this...walking Tito every day...about 1 mile walk for him...slow walk for sure!

 

[Zappy]

I'm still stewing about how much money I've sunk into my Ranger to fix post-warranty quality problems. I'm thinking Ford will need to give me a no-cost 100,000 mile warranty to get me back as a customer. (secretly hoping Ford watches these forum posts)

 

[JimJa]

No excuse for Ford, but many of the recall issues are because of pressure on suppliers to reduce prices. When suppliers are under significant pressure to cut pricing a point is reached the relationship becomes adversarial. No one win in that case.

In '96 I purchased a new 'Mustang V-8. My only complaint was the fuel tank was too small at 15 gallons so I installed a 21 gallon fuel cell. While the tank wqs being installed at the manufacturer in Long Beach I visited with the owner. He mentioned GM came to him when the new Corvette was under development and wanted use a fuel cell...but they only wanted to pay $29 each for them. He told me he had more money in materials than that. Obviously an agreement was not reached.

Vehicles are getting too expensive for the average worker (thank you government for your EV mandate) as manufacturers now have to recover their massive EV and battery investments, resulting in major pressure on suppliers. It's also the reason used vehicles are remaining expensive. Toyota didn't go all in on EVs and are currently in a better position.

 

[Grumpaw]

These are spy photos of recent Ford board meeting when quality control was brought up.....and how board members reacted.....

 

[Dropped F Bomb]

Sad thing for me is that I love everything about my truck (2019 supercab), except for the transmission, which I absolutely despise. It's so irritating that I'm already planning to trade it in for either a vb wrx or the next gen wrx. I'm just waiting to see what subaru does for the next gen.

 

[veedubtuner]

When it rains it pours. Or in Ford's case El Niño type thunderstorms

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ford-recall-f-150-pickup-trucks-gearshift-issue/

 

[veedubtuner]

These are spy photos of recent Ford board meeting when quality control was brought up.....and how board members reacted.....

Farley at the same meeting

 

[AzScorpion]

When it rains it pours. Or in Ford's case El Niño type thunderstorms

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ford-recall-f-150-pickup-trucks-gearshift-issue/

 

[AzScorpion]

Farley at the same meeting

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