Ford Motor Company has emerged as the clear frontrunner in terms of vehicle recalls issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the current year. Astonishingly, the American automaker has already initiated a staggering total of 38 separate recall campaigns within the first four months of 2025 alone. This figure starkly contrasts with that of the second-place manufacturer, Volkswagen, which has recorded a comparatively modest 12 recalls during the same period, highlighting Ford's significantly higher volume of safety-related issues identified thus far. Despite this commanding lead in recall numbers, Ford is further solidifying its position with the announcement of three additional recall actions affecting a substantial number of its popular trucks and sport utility vehicles.
The first of these newly announced recalls encompasses a total of 123,611 trucks and SUVs, specifically including the 2017 and 2018 model years of the highly successful F-150 pickup truck and the large Expedition SUV, as well as their luxury counterparts, the 2017 and 2018 Lincoln Navigator. According to the NHTSA, vehicles equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine may be susceptible to a potential defect in their brake master cylinder, which could develop a leak over time. If the brake fluid level drops sufficiently due to such a leak, it could consequently lead to a degradation in the vehicle's overall braking performance, potentially compromising driver and passenger safety. Ford has indicated that it is aware of at least 90 warranty claims that are related to this specific issue. To rectify this potential problem, owners of the affected vehicles will be required to schedule an appointment with their local Ford or Lincoln dealership to have the brake master cylinder replaced. Furthermore, if an inspection reveals evidence of an existing leak from the master cylinder, the brake booster will also be replaced as a precautionary measure to ensure the continued integrity of the braking system.
The second recall action is categorized as more serious in nature and affects approximately 24,655 units of the Ford Explorer crossover vehicle from the 2025 model year. These particular vehicles are equipped with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine and have been identified as potentially experiencing an unexpected reset of their Powertrain Control Module (PCM) while the vehicle is in motion. This type of failure is particularly concerning as it could lead to a scenario where the vehicle's park pawl, a critical component responsible for preventing the vehicle from rolling when in park, may inadvertently engage or "ratchet" while the vehicle is still moving. This unintended engagement of the park pawl at speeds greater than 10 miles per hour (or 16 kilometers per hour) could potentially cause significant damage to the pawl itself or other components within the vehicle's parking system, increasing the risk of unintended vehicle movement or loss of control. Adding to the severity of the issue, the PCM reset can also result in a temporary loss of acceleration, further increasing the potential for hazardous driving situations. The NHTSA's documentation chillingly notes that if the PCM experiences eight consecutive resets within a mere 18-second timeframe, the driver could effectively find themselves in a situation where the vehicle loses power and forward momentum. The government agency attributes this problem to a programming flaw within the PCM software, which "erroneously triggers a reset" when the software encounters an unexpectedly small data value. To address this critical safety concern, authorized Ford dealers will perform a software update to the vehicle's PCM and will also conduct a thorough inspection of the transmission assembly for any signs of damage to the parking system. If any damage is обнаружено, the affected components will be replaced at no cost to the vehicle owner.
The third and final recall announced by Ford involves a smaller number of vehicles, specifically 1,168 units of the 2024 model year Ford Ranger pickup truck and the Lincoln Nautilus luxury SUV. Notably, this particular recall is classified as a "recall of a recall," indicating a concerning trend where vehicles that were previously subject to a recall and supposedly repaired may have been addressed incorrectly. This situation, where previously recalled vehicles require a subsequent recall due to improper initial repairs, is becoming an alarmingly common occurrence for Ford. In this specific instance, the issue pertains to the power windows, which may pose a pinching hazard to occupants. Specifically, when utilizing the global closing feature, which allows for the simultaneous closing of all windows, the system may fail to automatically reverse direction after detecting an obstruction, such as a hand or arm. To effectively resolve this safety risk, Ford dealerships will perform a software update to the driver and passenger door module software in the affected Ranger and Nautilus vehicles, ensuring that the windows will properly detect obstructions and reverse their movement to prevent potential injuries.