By late summer 2025, recall alerts from Ford Motor Company accumulated at an unprecedented pace. NHTSA filings out of Washington, D.C., documented campaign after campaign—sometimes multiple in a single week. By Q3, those filings covered more than 9 million vehicles year-to-date, according to BizzyCar. Backup cameras, fuel systems, brakes, and software defects spanned the lineup, establishing America’s best-selling automaker as the nation’s most active recall filer with no slowdown in sight.
Breaking the Record
Ford issued 152 NHTSA safety recalls in 2025, the most ever by any automaker in a single year. The figure nearly doubled General Motors’ 2014 record of 77-78 campaigns, a mark that stood for over a decade. Filed through NHTSA, the campaigns affected millions of U.S. vehicles for issues ranging from camera failures to powertrain risks. Ford described the surge as a proactive “find and fix” strategy under COO Kumar Galhotra, but the scale was unprecedented.
Quarterly Surge
Recall activity accelerated sharply by Q3 2025. Automakers issued 96 campaigns covering 8.5 million vehicles in the quarter, a 16% jump from Q2. Ford alone accounted for 24 recalls affecting about 5 million vehicles—roughly 60% of the quarter’s total. Defects hit critical safety systems, including back-over prevention across models like the F-150 and Explorer that violated FMVSS 111 standards. One company clearly pulled ahead of the pack.
Critical Safety Issues
Behind the statistics were serious hazards. Ford recalled 850,318 Broncos and Explorers for failing fuel pumps that could cause engine stalls at highway speeds. NHTSA filings warned of “engine stall while driving,” a serious safety risk. Separately, 694,000 Broncos faced leaking fuel injectors that could ignite, while 1.46 million vehicles required rearview camera repairs concentrated in high-population states like Texas and California.
Some recalls carried heightened urgency. Ford issued “Park Outside” advisories for 4,632 vehicles due to potential engine-fire risks, reframing recalls from inconvenience to immediate hazard. For owners nationwide, the guidance changed daily routines—where to park, when to drive.
Industry Pressures
Modern recalls trace back to 1966, when Congress created NHTSA under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301, requiring automakers to fix safety defects. Ford, despite being America’s top-selling brand, historically averaged far fewer recalls annually. That norm collapsed in 2025.
The auto industry’s complexity has exploded. EVs, hybrids, advanced driver-assistance systems, and over-the-air software all strain traditional quality controls. Post-2020 supply chain disruptions compounded the challenge, while NHTSA pushed for faster defect reporting. Ford’s expanding lineup—from Mustang Mach-E to F-150 Lightning—faced both software glitches and hardware flaws. Warranty costs climbed through 2023–2024, putting pressure on CEO Jim Farley’s leadership team as recall risk steadily intensified.
Competitive Landscape
Ford’s recall volume dwarfed its rivals. In Q3, Stellantis recalled about 802,000 vehicles and Toyota roughly 686,000, while GM managed just 48,000, far from its 2014 peak. Over the full year, Stellantis ranked second with 53 recalls, compared with Ford’s 152. The imbalance gave competitors a short-term reputational edge with cautious buyers.
Across the industry, 18.9 million vehicles were recalled year-to-date in 2025, with 87% citing crash risk. About 16% of fixes were completed via over-the-air updates, reducing dealer visits. Ford benefited from OTA capability in 1,359,442 vehicles recalled in Q3, but many defects—brake hoses, cameras, fuel components—required physical repairs.
Internal Response
Ford’s challenges extended beyond customers. Dealers faced unprecedented workloads coordinating repairs, parts, and communications. Consumers flooded forums questioning Ford’s quality reputation. Internally, Ford had tied executive compensation to quality metrics in 2024. That year, executives achieved a 69% business performance factor, weighed down largely by warranty and recall challenges.
CEO Jim Farley made quality a central priority after 2024 setbacks. Ford more than doubled its safety and technical expert team over two years, adding engineers focused on defect detection. COO Kumar Galhotra expanded “testing to failure” programs on powertrains, steering, and braking systems, particularly in Michigan facilities. Dealer networks received improved diagnostic tools to shorten repair times, reframing recalls as customer-engagement moments rather than crises.
Uncertain Path Forward
Analysts caution that better 2025 model-year quality doesn’t erase legacy issues. Much of the 152-recall total reflects defects in earlier production years now being uncovered. BizzyCar expects volatility to continue into 2026 as EV complexity exposes latent problems. NHTSA maintains close oversight in Washington, D.C.
Record recall volumes have drawn congressional attention. Lawmakers monitor NHTSA funding as 49 U.S.C. §30118 mandates timely defect notifications. Ford’s filings stress the agency’s enforcement capacity, prompting bipartisan discussion around auto-safety penalties and reporting standards. Large-scale recalls carry legal risk, with class actions possible if defects go unrepaired and NHTSA penalties reaching $27,168 per violation.
Ford’s 152 recalls in 2025 mark a turning point for the auto industry, underscoring a technology reckoning where rapid innovation collides with quality control. NHTSA data now directly shapes purchasing decisions, investor confidence, and policy debates. Whether Ford’s “find and fix” approach represents proactive safety leadership or exposes deeper systemic flaws will influence how automakers balance speed, complexity, and trust in the years ahead.
Sources:
BizzyCar Q3 2025 Recall Report | Heading: BizzyCar Q3 2025 Recall Report | Publication Date: October 13, 2025
NHTSA Official Recall Database and Part 573 Safety Recall Reports | Heading: NHTSA Official Recall Database and Part 573 Safety Recall Reports | Publication Date: Multiple 2025 filings (July-October 2025)
Ford Update on Quality and Recalls | Heading: Ford Update on Quality and Recalls | Publication Date: July 15, 2025
Ford Motor Company 2024 Proxy Statement | Heading: Ford Motor Company 2024 Proxy Statement | Publication Date: March 2025
U.S. Code Title 49, Chapter 301 – Motor Vehicle Safety Statutes | Heading: U.S. Code Title 49, Chapter 301 – Motor Vehicle Safety Statutes | Publication Date: Codified (current as of 2024-2025)
General Motors Historical Recall Data (NHTSA Archives) | Heading: General Motors Historical Recall Data (NHTSA Archives) | Publication Date: 2014 (with ongoing archival records)