Recall Issued for 115,000 of America’s Beloved Trucks Due to Crash Hazard

Ford has issued another recall on the ever-popular F-series pickup truck. 

On Wednesday, federal traffic safety officials announced a recall of 115,539 vehicles due to a defect that might lead to parts detaching from the car’s steering system.

In documentation provided to federal regulators, the company indicated that this issue “may result in a loss of steering, which could increase the risk of a crash.”

The issue affects model year 2020 through 2021 F-250, F-350, and F-450 trucks.

Ford dealers will inspect and repair or replace the faulty parts free of charge.

The automaker predicts that less than 1 percent of trucks will require the parts swap. 

A spokesperson told the Daily Mail the company is ‘not aware of any accidents or injuries’ from the defect. 

The affected models belong to Ford’s highly popular vehicle lineup. The F-Series, including the well-known F-150, has been the best-selling truck in America for 48 consecutive years.

Last year, the company sold 732,000 F-Series trucks, earning the crown as America’s most popular new car. 

It looks like the truck is on the same pace this year, with the automaker already reporting more than a half-million sales this year. 

Despite the sales success, the newest safety bulletin extends Ford’s blistering streak. By September, the car company had already issued 115 recalls, more than any car company has ever submitted in an entire year. 

The next six most recalled automakers this year — Chrysler, Volkswagen, GM, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai — issued 116 in the same span. 

Ford has also led the auto industry in safety recalls in three of the past four years. 

This year, its vehicles have faced several problems, including accessory battery defects, door handle issues, technical glitches, loose electrical connections, and door jams.

Most of the recalled vehicles were built prior to 2023, before the company launched a major effort to fix its manufacturing issues.  

Ford told the Daily Mail that around half of its recalls are resolved through over-the-air updates that do not require a trip to the dealership.

The company is aware of previous parts problems and is spending top dollar to address manufacturing issues with advanced AI scanning technology that validates that every component is properly connected before the car rolls off the line.

In a 2024 earnings call, Ford CEO Jim Farley said the company spent $4.8 billion annually on recalls.

The top boss unveiled a ‘build and hold’ model for several US-built models.

After the products finished rolling through Ford assembly plants, the car company held trucks in giant parking lots, allowing engineers to assess their build quality.

Farley said the new process helped the company avoid 12 safety and technical recalls. It also temporarily cut into profits.

‘Our earnings may be a little lumpy,’ he said during an April 2024 earnings call.

‘What we’re going to see long term is fewer recalls and lower warranty costs because of this new process.’

A majority of Ford’s vehicles — around 77 percent — are assembled in the US.