The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued yet another recall for Ford Motor Company, once again raising concerns over the brand’s build quality. This time, 115,539 vehicles are affected by a potential steering column defect.
The recall covers specific F-250, F-350, and F-450 models from the 2020 and 2021 model years, among Ford’s most popular trucks and the backbone of its US lineup. The F-Series alone accounts for roughly one-third of Ford’s total sales in America.
What’s even more striking is the bigger picture: Ford has already faced over 105 recalls this year, impacting approximately 6.5 million vehicles. While the company has sold 1,492,905 units in the US during the first eight months of the year, a 6.6% increase compared to the same period last year, this growth risks being overshadowed by mounting quality concerns. This raises two crucial questions: are Ford’s vehicles truly safe? And how much are these issues eating into profitability and investor confidence?
Last October, CEO Jim Farley admitted that warranty costs were undermining the company’s bottom line, acknowledging the need for a turnaround. Yet, the latest numbers suggest the opposite: the cost curve is not bending, but worsening. In May, Farley himself conceded that warranty-related expenses remain a persistent challenge.
Meanwhile, Ford has unveiled its ambitious Universal EV Platform, which aims to revolutionize vehicle production by replacing the traditional assembly line with a “tree-like” structure featuring three main branches. However, the first model built on this platform, an all-electric midsize pickup targeting a $30,000 price point, won’t roll out until 2027.
Grand announcements and futuristic projects aside, Ford cannot escape the core issue: a carmaker’s most vital responsibility is to deliver reliable vehicles that don’t end up back at dealerships for repairs. Until Ford can address this fundamental challenge, every innovation will remain overshadowed by the weight of its recalls.
