In 2025, Ford Motor Company (Ford) became the first American automaker to issue more than 100 auto recalls in a single calendar year. With 153 recalls issued in total, Ford claimed the dubious title of “most recalls ever issued in a year.” The previous record for most recalls in a year was 77 in 2014; executives for competitors in the American auto industry can breathe a deep sigh of relief, since it seems like that figure won’t be surpassed anytime soon!
A recent study on Ford’s historic year of recalls explores each individual incidence in detail. We discuss some of the automaker’s major recalls, the potential risks to drivers, and the actions Ford has taken to improve quality control moving forwards.
What Are Vehicle Recalls?
First and foremost, let’s discuss what auto recalls are. When a vehicle, child seat, tire, or other equipment is deemed non-compliant with safety standards or pose an unreasonable risk to the car’s occupants, a recall order is issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). When a recall is made, the manufacturer of the defective vehicle or equipment must provide a free remedy that addresses safety concern.
In most cases, if your vehicle is recalled, it will be repaired for free at one of the manufacturer’s dealerships. In some cases, your vehicle may need parts replaced, a software update, or repairs carried out on a faulty component. In the rare event that your car cannot be repaired and made safe for the road, the dealership will buy back your vehicle.
Does Ford Have a Good Track Record With Recalls?
In three of the past five years, Ford has led all automakers in the number of annual recalls issued (2022, 2023, and 2025). Ford briefly relinquished its dubious position of honor at the top of the pack to Tesla and Stellantis in 2024. The following year, Ford issued a whopping 153 recall orders. In total, Ford issued 400 recalls between the beginning of 2021 and the end of 2025.
The average person might reasonably be concerned by the surge of recalls Ford experienced in 2025. After all, you don’t want to purchase a used or new vehicle, just for it to spend weeks at your local dealership’s service lot waiting for parts. Ford, however, claims that the number of recalls they put out is actually a good thing. The company’s stance is that they are erring on the side of caution by performing more detailed safety checks, expanding testing, and identifying and resolving problems sooner.
How Concerned Should You Be if Your Vehicle is Recalled?
The severity of vehicle recalls varies significantly. In some cases, a recall may be issued for something as trivial as excessively small font on a car’s touchscreen or flickering dashboard lights. While these are undoubtably frustrating issues that could potentially increase the risk of a crash, they are certainly more manageable than other problems you could run into.
In most cases, the most serious recall orders are issued with either a “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside” advisory. “Park Outside” advisories are generally created when a vehicle is at risk of spontaneously catching on fire. If parked near another vehicle or structure, such as a home, significant damages or loss of life could occur. Vehicles at risk of fire may have defective batteries, unsafe electric vehicle charging appliances, faulty engines, or other unsafe components.
Vehicles that are subjected to a “Do Not Drive” advisory may cause serious injury or death if operated under normal operating conditions. These vehicles may have issues with sudden acceleration, loss of steering, loss of engine power, the possibility of control arm detachment, or a number of other issues that could directly lead to a life-threatening collision.
You can enter your vehicle identification number (VIN) or make, model, and year into the NHTSA recall tool to check for any outstanding repair orders. If you have questions about your specific vehicle, you can also call your local Ford dealership for additional guidance.
What Steps Has Ford Taken to Address Vehicle Quality Concerns?
While there are certainly some reasonable concerns over the quality of Ford’s current lineup of vehicles, the company has taken steps to improve build quality and prevent defective cars from ever leaving the factory floor. Ford was spurred into motion by a $165 million fine in 2024 for acting too slowly to recall cars with defective backup cameras. This was one of the largest fines ever issued by the NHTSA, and it mandated additional oversight of Ford’s compliance with vehicle safety standards over a three-year period.
At the end of 2024, the company restructured its leadership to ensure a stronger focus on quality control. Ford also began to implement an artificial intelligence system called Mobile Artificial Intelligence Vision System (MAIVS) in its plants. MAIVS is capable of detecting vehicle defects as a vehicle is built in real-time, allowing problems to be corrected immediately and reducing the risk of an unsafe unit leaving the factory floor.
The steps Ford has taken to improve build quality are certainly encouraging, but only time will tell how their current generation of vehicles withstand the test of time.