by The Big Picture of Recalls
Ford continues to surprise car owners, this time with three new recalls, adding to a total of 134 recalls for the year. This significantly exceeds the figures of other automakers, including General Motors, which ranks second with only 21 recalls. In fact, Ford has initiated more recalls than GM, Volkswagen, BMW, Honda, Mercedes, and Hyundai combined.
Transmission Problems
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 34,481 repaired ten-speed automatic transmissions may not hold the vehicle in the park position. These transmissions were used as replacement parts for certain 2017–2021 Ford and Lincoln models. The issue is related to a bearing that may not have been installed, increasing the risk of the vehicle rolling away unexpectedly.
The source notes that the faulty transmission could have been installed on a range of vehicles, including the F-150, Expedition, Navigator, Ranger, Explorer, Transit, and Mustang.
Ford learned about this issue in the summer after a complaint that a Mustang would not shift into park. Disassembling the transmission revealed the absence of the T10 bearing, and soon another similar case was reported. So far, there are eight warranty claims related to this problem, but no reports of accidents. Dealers have been instructed to check the transmissions on vehicles with up to 8,000 miles and replace the transmission if necessary.
Falling Spoilers on the Flex
The second recall affects 64,938 2017–2019 Flex vehicles. The spoilers on the driver’s and front passenger’s door pillars may detach while driving, creating a hazard for other road users.
The problem is attributed to design changes that increased stress on the part, as well as insufficient work quality at the factory where workers improperly used manual rollers to ensure adhesion. This recall was partly prompted by a separate campaign related to similar issues on Explorer models. To date, there have been 1,601 warranty claims, 20 field reports, 8 consumer complaints, and other reports of spoilers detaching.
Repeated Recall of the F-150 Lightning
The final recall concerns 14,843 2022 and 2023 F-150 Lightning electric pickups. This is the second recall for these models: they were initially recalled for potential cracks in the rear LED light bar, which allowed moisture inside, causing flickering or failure of the lights.
During the initial repair, dealership technicians may not have replaced the original metal fasteners with the required plastic clips. The metal fasteners can transfer stress to the LED light bar lens, causing cracks and repeating the problem. The manufacturer has already received numerous complaints regarding 47 vehicles. To resolve the issue, technicians will inspect and replace the rear LED light bar, and hopefully, use the correct fasteners this time.
Owners will be notified in November; however, the fix is not expected to be available until March 2026. Such delays may cause concern among owners, especially given the substantial number of Ford recalls in the recent period. This points to systemic quality control issues that require attention not only from the company but also from regulators to prevent similar situations in the future.
