Those that have been paying attention over the past year or more are already aware that Ford has issued its fair share of recalls over that time span, a number that continues to grow as the calendar continues to turn. Among that group, some of the more notable issues relate to the Ford Escape over a fire risk and a shift cable detachment issue, the Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition, which face blower motor failure problems, Ford F-150 wiper motor failures, the Ford Bronco Sport over a fuel injector issue, and the Ford Transit Connect and Fusion, both of which were plagued by a problematic shifter cable bushing. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the U.S. Department of Transportation is highlighting Ford as the most recalled manufacturer for 2022 – an “honor” that it also earned in 2021.
Ford took the crown for the most recalled manufacturer in 2022 by issuing a grand total of 67 of them – or 17 percent of the total automotive industry – affecting 8,636,265 vehicles, giving it a healthy lead over Volkswagen, which issued 45 recalls. The rest of the list is composed of Daimler Trucks (42 recalls), Chrysler (38), Forest River (35), Mercedes-Benz (33), General Motors (32), Kia (24), Hyundai (22), Navistar (22), Tesla (20), and BMW (19).
Ford is well aware of this problem and hired quality turnaround specialist and former J.D. Power Vice President Josh Halliburton as its new executive director of quality back in April to help get it back on track. Halliburton did acknowlege that fixing these problems takes time, and noted that Ford’s quality issues should begin to subside in 2023, while the automaker has recently placed a renewed focus on that particular area as well. Regardless, CEO Jim Farley took a more pessimistic view toward that timeline earlier this month, claiming that it could take several years to correct the company’s quality woes.
We’ll have more on Ford’s recall problems and quality issues soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford recall news, and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
As I read this, my Expedition is “bricked” in my driveway waiting for a tow truck to take it to the dealer. Wonderful.
As a Ford Sales Rep, this is embarrassing to even look at. How can a brand that me and my family believe in for over 3 generations screw up this badly?!?!? I sell these cars for a living and I worry now if I sold a safe car? Hell I just sold my sister a BRAND NEW ESCAPE that we had to switch to a different Escape because the first one that I sold had the recall for the 1.5L were the ENGINE COULD BLOW UP!!!!! I still believe that for can turn around but this should be their #1 priority, NOT EV’S!!! Hell even the EV’S have recalls!!!!!
This sounded reasonable until you descended into EV FUD with an attempt to bolster that with a spurious claim about selling a recalled vehicle.
Seriously, how are we to believe you are a professional when you say 1) that you sold your sister a defective car and 2) you then swapped it for another?
This seems highly unlikely given that for the two recalls for 1.5L engine fire (oil leak, injector crack) dealers were notified in March and November respectively of demo and delivery holds.
The vehicle you say you sold your sister shouldn’t have been available for sale if the necessary remediations hadn’t been done yet.
Sorry, rephrase, when I meant by just sold, I meant that we had numbers agreed upon until we ran the vin and realized the recall was for her first pick of Escape. We then switched to a different Escape before she signed on the line. The 2nd Escape that I showed AND sold wasn’t in the recall. And yes, I do stand with the argument that EV’s took away investing in quality control. Lets face the facts, EV’s took a majority of investment from Ford. After getting rid of all sedans and hatchbacks to make up for investment, they most likely still didn’t have enough to go fully EV. So they had to cut corners somewhere.
That’s nonsense. The vehicles that are causing problems today were developed years ago, well before EV development began.
Additionally the people going the work on ICE don’t do EV and vice versa, these are two vastly different skill sets.
If you understood product lifecycle, development and investment you would realize how far you are off the mark.
Ps Double-G Gregg needs to work on his reading comprehension skills. He’s doing drive-by case closure without realizing that he’s referring to vehicles developed before Ford’s BEV ball got rolling.
But why let effect stand in the way of cause?
And poor Bruce, he might set up a study group with Double G Gregg, because despite my second paragraph, he still had to willingly conflate skill sets and current and future product engineering like a kid mashing all his good in his plate until it looks like one thing.
But why let how things work stand in the way of an irrational grudge?
Your Worship, again, you have missed the point. SOME parts may have been designed earlier, but they all were manufactured and installed NOW. Also, the split between ICE and EV is relatively recent. It is demonstrable that talent, resources, etc are drawn off for EV development, and as the writer says, they have had numerous recalls as well. Net effect? As with many others, I have been a FoMoCo fan most of my life, but I wouldn’t touch one of their products now.
Well, I guess we all know what issue(s) need the most attention, and quickly, especially in light of the reduced repair labor force, and still lingering parts supply chain issues. People will continue to be ever more impatient with just about everything…so having to bring their vehicle in for warranty repairs will just exacerbate negative brand feelings.
Better figure it out? Is it poor engineering, poor subcontractor manufacturing quality, poor product development?
A bit of everything you listed and more.
4th generation Ford family and I even worked for Ford Lincoln/Mercury division for 10 years. I agree with one of the others, all the focus on EVs that no one wants is not helping the real issues and that is quality and reliability.
Given your expertise due to your 10 year L-M tenure many years ago, how are you able to conflate ongoing product quality issues with future EV development?
Two different parts of organization and as for powertrain, the skill sets for ICE vs EV are worlds apart.
Did you like work in the bumper sticker spare parts warehouse or something?
I’ve had Two MachEs, A New Bronco, A 21 Powerboost F150 and now a Lightning. First MachE was recalled for glass roof and windshield, Powerboost had the wiper Motor recall, and 2nd MachE GT had the High voltage Battery Junction Box where an OTA software fix was pushed.
All the others we never had a problem and let the dealer do the recall when we traded them in. Never left stranded and the Dealer and Ford Customer Liaison were on top of the issues. My daughter has the Escape recall but hasn’t had it done yet, all 5 of the vehicles never left us stranded but have read other MachE owners did need a tow. Ford’s Customer service has kept my faith in the Brand, but they do need to get quality right as it’s a huge part of repeat buyers. Having introduced so many all new vehicles, from Bronco, Bronco Sport, MachE, Lightning, and Maverick in the last 30 months is a definite quality minefield, but they need to do better.
Agreed on Ford’s need to up its Q game.
Lots of top level actions have been undertaken this year with reinforced messaging and reports on what’s happening.
Anybody who’s been elbows in in this business knows that these things take some time to gain traction.
What we should see is that as old product is replaced by new EV product, recalls should significantly decrease as many recent recalls (and the worst of them with fire risk) have been due to ICE powertrain.
I’ll keep buying Fords until they give me a reason not to. That hasn’t happened yet. I would rather they recall my cars and proactively fix a problem BEFORE the problem occurs which leaves me stranded. My ’95 Ranger, ’03 Ranger, ’06 F150, ’12 Mustang GT, ’16 Edge, ’20 F150, & ’22 Explorer have all been very reliable (at least, so far). Biggest potential issue I see facing my current vehicles is the coolant leakage issue on the ’16 Edge. Time will tell.
I’ll add to this
2019-2020 (built on or before July 30,2020) Ford Ranger HVAC (No Heat/AC Issue) Warped Heater Box Assembly
NHTSA.gov – TSB # – SSM 49264
Ranger5G forum is full of this issue and I can add myself to this list as I had this replaced under warranty (but literally within 1000miles of bumper warranty expiration)
The is affecting a lot of Ranger owners in the affected years whom are now out of the bumper to bumper warranty and repair estimates range (have been posted) anywhere from $2500 to $4000
It’s just not right to have that kind of pricey *known* issue have to be dealt with on a newer truck most likely all are still making payments on.
thats too bad. wonder if cutting all those thousands of engineering jobs over the years, awarding bids to the cheapest supplier manufacturers, and not implementing quality audits at each assembly operation (automated vision inspection systems, torque checkers, HIPOT & current draw checks, etc) is contributing to the issues.
Don’t forget how Farley cut Mechanical Engineers and replaced them with Electrical Engineers because he thought EVs would be a success. Boy did that blow up in his face. He is a bigger fool than his actor cousin (RIP).
Have a source to share regarding the mechanical engineers vs ev electrical engineers? or is that just a stab in the dark against the EV push? You wouldnt have a mechanical engineer design circuit systems (which ICE actually has more sensors/modules/and chips than the EV counterparts) and you wouldnt have an electrical engineer design mechanical systems. Ford cut the jobs. I dont recall ever seeing anything about Ford trying to make staff work outside their specialization.
Agreed. While it may make total sense to you and me and even to most casual observers, the death shaming cretins (RIP disclaimer not withstanding) can’t seem to wrap their brain cell around it.
EVs are being mandated by more and more states. Oregon is the latest stat with an EV mandate. Ford being an international builder and seller of vehicles the European EV mandate looms large.
To not put engineering research and development into EVs not now when? After ever other company is eating Fords market share up?
You do not have to like EVs, but dening the title wave building and denying the the future.
Jim Farley and his lunatic EV push in action. Toyota and RAM recently stated they will not focus on EVs because stats show a majority of Americans are not interested. And financial reports show that was a very smart decision. They are both killing Ford in stock value and profits. EVs are done for on any large scale and now Jim Farley gets to realize that.
And now K-street Eric with the add on.
He quite ramp his FUD to include “you can fit 1000 Liechtenstein’s inside Texas” but maybe somebody else drew that talking point.
Ford europe is going all-in with EVs in 2024 for non commercials!!! This will be fatal imo.
Ford is last to market in Europe with an affordable EV, all we currently have is a trickle of EV mustangs, a market that has now met the EV demand for early adopters.
Other Euro manufacturers can make and sell ICE cars until 2035 earliest ( except UK which is 2030)
LoL you sound like the old CEO of Microsoft Steve Balmer who derisively said laughing that Apple wouldn’t be able to sell an iPhone because there was no market for it even with carriers fully subsidizing it.
Well the recalls seem to be exclusively with the quality of a component. Be it the component itself or the engineering, design or manufacturing of said component. A lot more imposing task to address than workmanship quality, or lack of same.
Prior to my retirement. I was a proud Ford salesperson, so this hurts a bit.
Hurts us all Mike, but if you were around the Ford Ranch this long, you saw Ford go through several cycles of decline and then hyper rejuvenation.
What doesn’t hurt are all the bad faith trolls swinging in and splashing cone headed mass quantities of FUD all from the same talking points list.
Hang in there, you’ll see better days are ahead if you don’t buy into all the backward looking indicators and stupid FUD.
Buy junk ,get junk !! We haven’t seen the first of any issues with the EV yet !! Just wait !!
They have happened. They are inevitable and will come.
But that’s not a reason to stagnate and die.
That’s the nature of manufacturing and having the balls to not stay frozen in place before the world passes you by.
Is Ford really paying THAT much more attention to EVs than any other manufacturer?
Posters here act as if Ford is going all-EV while the others…are not. I just don’t get using this as the excuse for poor quality control.
It’s not clear who is bankrolling them but there are several bad faith posters here all repeating the same FUD talking points.
They are attacking Ford because as the maker of the best selling vehicle for what, 40 years, what it does moves competitors. They use FUD, patriotism, political orientation, mis truths, and the stupidest of children’s logic, basically anything to try and break the trend.
My 2018 Ford F-150 That I bought from a Ford dealer in Lebanon, N. H. Has had issues with the door unlocking/ locking and doors latching. I bought the ford in Nov. Of 2001 and in I had to have the back up camera replaced within two weeks. Dec 2nd we had a freezing rain storm and the doors wouldn’t unlock and when they did unlock the doors wouldn’t latch. I have had five more episodes of this happening since always in cold weather. I called Lebanon Ford the first time it happened and they said they were in inundated with calls of people having issues and for me to just wait until it warmed up. I had an emergency one morning and couldn’t get the doors to latch and lock so I had to use a bungee cord to hold the doors shut. Very dangerous situation wouldn’t you think? I have read were a lot of people are the same problems in the cold regions of the country, and the issues date all the way back to 2015 and yet Ford chooses to ignore the problem. Why? Are they waiting for someone to get hurt or killed?