Skip to main content
Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Ford kicked off 2025 with a flurry of quality-control chaos. By mid-June, Ford has racked up 69 recalls, affecting over 2 million vehicles. And the most shocking part? Many of these “recalls” were do-overs—fixes of botched work that didn’t stick the first time.

In the first weeks of 2025, Ford issued several recalls. Then several more. By the end of Q1, the automaker had issued 24 of them. That’s two every week. But as Q2 marched on, the pace only increased. CarEdge pointed out that as of May 15, the automaker had issued 51 recalls, affecting 1.8 million vehicles.

So how do other brands stack up? By May 15, the recall runner-up was VW Group with 14. The Blue Oval’s Detroit neighbors—General Motors and FCA US—tied for third with 11 recalls. And as Ford’s recalls continued piling up, no one had a chance of catching the Blue Oval.

According to USA Today, Ford’s late-May recalls affected another 558,043 vehicles. By mid-June, the automaker had recalled well over 2 million cars and trucks. It had issued an unprecedented 69 recalls in the first half of 2025—already surpassing its entire 2024 count of 67.

Ford’s quick to spin this as the beginning of a new chapter in its quality control. But the embarrassing truth is that company didn’t choose to audit its past recalls. The NHTSA made it. And while that might seem unfair, the NHTSA was right. Ford’s audit uncovered dozens of recalls the automaker promised to do, then fumbled.

Ford recalls and the NHTSA crackdown

The real story behind Ford’s record-setting recall spree begins in late 2024. That’s when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hit Ford with a consent order after finding the company failed to properly fix defective rearview cameras and withheld complete recall data. The penalty? A $165 million fine—second-largest in agency history—and something even more painful: forced oversight.

Under the order, Ford must revamp how it tracks, verifies, and reports safety issues. Most significantly, Ford was mandated to review every recall it’s issued since November 2021. If any were incomplete or improperly handled, they had to be redone—immediately. This is why 2025’s recall numbers have exploded.

Ford didn’t volunteer to comb through its mistakes. The government forced its hand. And now drivers are paying the price, recall by recall.

Best in News
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari is a MotorBiscuit Staff Writer who brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Henry covers Ford models daily, including the F-150. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. He’s an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts. Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont.