Brake issues force Ford to recall over 120,000 vehicles

Ford $F ( ▲ 2.45% ) has issued another massive vehicle recall, coupled with two other smaller call backs—a problem that continues to eat away at the company’s profits.

The details: The latest recall applies to the Ford F-150 pickups and Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigator SUVs for a faulty brake master cylinder that could lead to a brake failure, potentially resulting in an accident, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

• The recall covers 87,738 F-150s, 30,200 Expeditions, and 5,673 Navigators, all from the 2017 and 2018 model years.

• Drivers might be alerted of a problem with their vehicle’s brake system via warning notifications on the dash. 

• Ford isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries due to the faulty brake system on the pickups and SUVs.

• Ford will replace the master brake cylinder at dealerships for free and is expected to start notifying owners by letters by May 26. 

Worth noting: The automaker has also issued a recall of 24,655 2025 Explorer SUVs due to the possibility that a powertrain control module (PCM) could reset while driving, which can damage the vehicle's parking system or cause the engine to stall as well as re-recall of 1,168 vehicles, including the 2024 Ford Ranger and Lincoln Nautilus.

Between the lines: The latest major Ford recall follows a 240,000 Ford and Lincoln SUV recall in early February, call back on certain 2022 Mavericks in March, and 34,000 Ford Broncos and Escapes in early April—signs of a lingering issue for the automaker.

• In 2024, Ford had more than 60 recalls, which has prompted several changes in the automaker’s operations aimed at reigning in the company’s warranty costs. 

• Changes include the appointment of a new head of quality and leaning on Ford’s “performance award system” to improve quality issues and reduce warranty costs.

Bottom line: Fixing defects is table stakes. Fixing confidence in Ford’s quality is what really hangs in the balance.

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