Ford says it has made significant progress in quality, recall management, and customer support amid its high volume of vehicle recalls in recent years.
First things first: Ford spokesperson Mike Levine told CDG News that most of the company's recent recall activity stems from legacy vehicle architectures rather than current-generation products.
Through the end of May, more than 90% of Ford's safety-recall volume was tied to 2021 model-year and earlier vehicles engineered in calendar year 2019 and prior, Levine said via email.
While some recalls affect 2022-2026 model-year vehicles, Levine said the underlying engineering decisions that led to the issues originated during those earlier years.
“We refuse to compromise our responsibility to our customers, and we will continue to proactively find and address these issues until these older platforms fully cycle out of operation,” said Levine.
Digging in: Levine said Ford's recall-management strategy centers on proactively identifying issues tied to older vehicle platforms while transitioning to newer architectures and minimizing disruption for customers and dealers.
Ford's testing methods are designed to simulate extreme customer use cases, pushing critical systems such as powertrains, steering, and braking to failure points.
The company has shifted from a reactive "find and fix" approach to a prevention-focused strategy spanning engineering, manufacturing, and supply-chain operations.
Ford is expanding efforts to simplify recall repairs and reduce pressure on dealerships through its Mobile Service network.
The automaker is also growing its pickup-and-delivery offerings and digital tools, including the FordPass app, to minimize customer downtime and streamline service visits.
"We are focusing equally on rapid resolution and systemic prevention," Levine said. “Our ultimate goal is to eliminate recalls altogether by tightening our engineering and manufacturing process controls and stopping potential problems before they ever reach the road."
Why it matters: Ford's comments provide context around the automaker's elevated recall volume and its efforts to separate legacy quality issues from current vehicle development, helping dealers address customer concerns about recalls in the showroom and service area.
OUTSMART THE CAR MARKET IN 5 MINUTES A WEEK
Get insights trusted by 55,000+ car dealers. Free, fast, and built for automotive leaders.
Between the lines: According to Levine, Ford's quality-improvement efforts are already producing measurable results, including lower warranty costs and stronger quality metrics.
Ford's warranty costs fell by approximately $500 million in 2025 compared with 2024, reflecting improved initial quality in newer vehicles, Levine said.
He also said early-life recall volumes for Ford's newest products are significantly lower than previous generations, though specific figures were not provided.
Approximately 80% of Ford's 2026 recalls are software-only and can be resolved quickly without physical parts replacements, according to Levine.
Levine also pointed to Consumer Reports' 2026 New Vehicle Reliability rankings and the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Initial Quality Study, where Ford achieved its highest ranking in 15 years, as evidence of progress.
“The impact of this process-driven culture shift is proving itself in our newest models,” said Levine. “These vehicles are demonstrating significant quality gains and earning major accolades, including top reliability marks from Consumer Reports and the 2026 Motor Trend Truck of the Year for the Maverick.”
Bottom line: Ford is betting that investments in quality, testing, and recall prevention will help turn the page on the issues tied to older vehicle platforms. For dealers, sustained improvements could mean fewer customer frustrations, lower warranty-related pressures, and stronger confidence in Ford's newest products.
A quick word from our partner
OPENLANE is cranking up the excitement this summer with another unforgettable DealerFest!
For the entire month of July, the more you transact on OPENLANE, the more opportunities to unlock incredible prizes.
From July 1-31, you’ll earn points for every vehicle you buy, sell and transport through OPENLANE.
The more points you earn, the bigger prizes you can win. New dealers who sign up in June receive up to $2,500* in fee credits.
