- Ford has already damaged the report for many security remembers in a 12 months
In 2014, Basic Motors set the report for probably the most security remembers an automaker issued in a 12 months. Amid a scandal over defective ignition switches, the automaker known as again automobiles for pressing repairs 77 occasions.
Ford has issued 89 remembers to this point in 2025. The 12 months is 53% over.
Ford has issued extra remembers in 2025 than the subsequent 5 automakers mixed.
What Is a Recall?
- A recall is a legally required free repair for a security drawback
Federal legislation requires automakers to repair issues of safety with their automobiles free of charge. The legislation additionally requires them to aim to contact registered house owners to allow them to know of the issue. The federal authorities’s Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) oversees the method.
Nearly each automaker points a number of remembers yearly. Automakers constantly inform us their greatest frustration within the course of is house owners who ignore recall notices.
Not each high quality drawback is a security drawback. Peeling paint received’t set off a recall, however a defective airbag or a component that may fall off into site visitors will.
The legislation technically lets automakers off the hook 15 years after a automotive is first bought. However many automakers proceed to restore even older autos free of charge. In notably threatening circumstances, they could even ask drivers to cease utilizing automobiles altogether and order sellers to cease promoting them till they’re mounted.
Ford Had Been Making Progress
- Ford led the auto trade in remembers for a number of years, however did higher in 2024
The information is especially devastating for Ford as a result of the corporate had been making progress on an outdated recall drawback.
Ford led the auto trade in remembers in each 2022 and 2023. It paid a $165 million effective and entered right into a consent decree with NHTSA requiring a plan to deal with its recall drawback.
Final 12 months, the corporate employed a brand new head of high quality and held tens of 1000’s of autos for further inspections earlier than delivering them to sellers. It appeared to be working. In 2024, Tesla and Stellantis shared the doubtful recall crown.
So, What Occurred?
- A software program audit compelled Ford to repeat some older remembers
- Even with out these repeats, the corporate leads the trade in remembers
There’s no single rationalization for Ford’s nightmare 2025 recall situation. However there’s a proof for greater than a 3rd of it. Thirty-three of the 89 have been partial repeats of outdated remembers.
Many remembers in as we speak’s automobiles relate to software program issues. Early this 12 months, Ford found an issue with the best way its sellers uploaded software program fixes.
The system they used might often report success even when an add failed. Ford developed a brand new course of to repair that, and launched an audit of software-related remembers from prior years.
“The overwhelming majority of recall repairs had been profitable, with the proper software program model put in on the related module,” Ford says. However, in lots of prior remembers, a small proportion of automobiles didn’t get the proper replace.
Sellers believed they’d, and returned the automobiles to house owners as mounted.
Ford’s audits recognized the automobiles that had been lacking the updates. Thirty-three occasions to this point in 2025, the corporate has issued a second recall to deliver again these automobiles to have the proper software program put in.
Take away these 33, nonetheless, and Ford nonetheless has 56 remembers, barely greater than midway by the 12 months. Ford would possibly beat GM’s 2014 report even with out the software program audit at that tempo.
What Is Ford Doing About It?
- Ford has employed extra inspectors and elevated inside testing
- Executives are spending time on manufacturing facility flooring
Ford has taken a number of steps to deal with the difficulty.
An organization spokesperson instructed trade publication Automotive Information that Ford “has greater than doubled its staff of security and technical consultants previously two years and considerably elevated testing to failure on vital programs reminiscent of powertrains, steering, and braking.”
The corporate can also be “turning to in-house options reminiscent of AI-powered software program programs to assist catch defects extra shortly,” AN stories.
Fan web site Ford Authority stories executives have additionally begun conducting “gemba walks” — a Japanese method that entails visiting manufacturing facility flooring to review how work is carried out and work together immediately with front-line employees.