DETROIT, March 9, 2026, 12:41 PM EDT
Ford Motor was set to start mailing U.S. recall notices on Monday for roughly 1.02 million vehicles, continuing a fast run of safety actions at the automaker. Ford shares were down about 1% at $12.03 around 12:25 p.m. EDT.
That matters now because recent filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, are moving from regulator databases into owners’ mailboxes, keeping pressure on Ford’s drive to cut warranty costs. In the windshield-wiper case, owners are getting interim letters – first warnings sent before remedy letters scheduled for May – and some owners caught in last week’s rearview-camera recalls still do not have a repair.
NHTSA schedules show Ford was due to notify owners of 604,533 Escape, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator and Lincoln Corsair vehicles with windshield wiper motors that may fail. A separate mailing due Monday covers 412,774 Explorer SUVs with rear suspension toe links – parts that help keep the rear wheels aligned – that may fracture and affect steering; dealers will repair both issues free of charge.
Those mailings come on top of Ford’s 1.74 million-vehicle rearview-display recalls. AP reported over the weekend that Ford has a software update for 849,310 Bronco and Edge models, but a remedy is still under development for the second group of 889,950 vehicles.
Even before Monday’s notices, Reuters said Ford had logged 17 U.S. recalls affecting more than 7.3 million vehicles this year, the industry’s highest total so far. Hyundai Motor, the next-highest, had five recalls affecting about 700,000 vehicles.
Farley has said recalls will rise in the short term as Ford roots out problems, while initial quality is a better gauge of progress. Reuters reported last month that he told employees Ford’s initial quality – repairs in the first 90 days of ownership – was the best in a decade, helping lift companywide bonuses to 130%.
In Ford’s Feb. 10 earnings release, Farley said the company was “lowering material and warranty costs” and “making real progress on quality.” He told analysts the same day that Ford’s spending plan for hybrids, partnerships and a cheaper electric-vehicle platform was “the right allocation of capital.” Ford Shareholder
But the risk for Ford is plain. More call-backs can keep repair bills high and delay any margin recovery, especially if fixes take time to reach owners. In February, Ford forecast 2026 adjusted EBIT – a measure of operating profit – of $8 billion to $10 billion, while Reuters said the company was still carrying hefty warranty costs and big losses in its EV and software unit.
Ford plans to report first-quarter 2026 results after the close on April 28. That will give investors their next hard look at whether better early quality is starting to outweigh the steady drumbeat of recall notices.
