Ford Motor Company has unfortunately become a prominent figure in vehicle recalls for 2025, setting a new record at theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the sheer volume of vehicles affected and the number of distinct recall campaigns. By July, the Blue Oval had already issued 94 recalls impacting over 6.3 million vehicles, a figure that continues to climb with subsequent announcements. This challenging year highlights various manufacturing issues and defects across several of its popular models, ranging from vital safety components to essential electronic systems.

One of the substantial recalls involves 355,656 2025 and 2026 Super Duty trucks and 2025 F-150 pickups. The issue centers on the instrument panels, specifically the remote cluster box – the digital display positioned between the speedometer and tachometer. These panels may fail to illuminate or remain in a blank, standby state after certain ignition cycles. This critical malfunction can occur if the instrument panel receives a Controller Area Network (CAN)bus signal to wake up during a narrow window of its sleep entry sequence.

The consequence is severe: drivers may be unable to monitor their speed or receive crucial warning indicators such as the check engine light, ABS warnings, or other vital messages. Fortunately, the resolution for this particular problem is a software update. While many vehicles might be eligible for over-the-air (OTA) updates, owners whose trucks are not capable of receiving these or who do not have access to a mobile dealer repair service will need to bring their vehicle to a dealership.

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Ford strongly advises against driving an affected truck to the service center due to the safety risks associated with an inoperative instrument panel. Instead, Ford dealers are expected to arrange for complimentary towing services for affected pickups, and all recall-related services, including any previous work directly related to the blanking cluster issue that was covered under warranty, should be performed at no charge. Owners who were previously charged for such repairs are advised to contactFord Motor Company for reimbursement.

Adding to Ford’s recall challenges is a significant safety concern affecting 100,900 units of the 2024–2026 Ford Ranger, specifically those built from the start of production on December 9, 2022, through July 29, 2025. This recall addresses a potential flaw in the curtain airbags, a crucial safety feature designed to cushion impacts and prevent passenger ejection during a severe crash. The defect was first identified during a safety audit of the 2025 Ford Ranger conducted by the NHTSA.

Although the Ranger marginally passed the side impact test, a subsequent investigation by Ford and the third-party lab revealed a small, 15/32-inch slit torn in the curtain airbag by an external source, causing premature deflation. Further internal analysis by Ford pinpointed the inner reinforcement flange for the airbags as the potential cause of similar tears and pressure loss.

To rectify this, Ford will implement a fix involving the addition of a protective shield for the curtain airbags during deployment, rather than replacing the airbags themselves. As of now, the necessary part for this repair is not yet available, with Ford anticipating owner notifications and the commencement of repairs in the second half of December. Crucially, owners are currently not advised to cease driving their affected Rangers.

A third major recall impacts more than 210,000 2025 Ford Explorer, Police Interceptor Utility, and 2025 Lincoln Aviator models. This issue, while affecting approximately 1% of the total production of these models, stems from a potentially defective Body Control Module (BCM), which Ford refers to as the BCMC. Manufactured by Aptiv Services, the BCMC units originated from a production facility with an improperly soldered printed circuit board. The primary concern is that when a trailer is connected, the trailer lights may not function, and a "trailer-error" message might appear on the dashboard.

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Beyond towing-related problems, this faulty BCMC can manifest in various other electrical malfunctions, including inoperative power windows or mirrors, the HVAC system blowing warm air, non-functional USB chargers, a glove box light that goes out, or even the horn failing to sound when the alarm function is activated. Interestingly, Ford’s statistical analysis suggests that if an Explorer or Aviator has accumulated 9,000 miles, its BCMC is likely to be functioning correctly, allowing it to continue operating with a trailer without issue.

However, Ford still recommends that all owners, regardless of mileage, bring their vehicles in for inspection. Vehicles with less than 9,000 miles will have their BCMC replaced irrespective of its verified condition, while those over 9,000 miles will have it inspected and replaced if necessary, all at no charge under the recall. Owners should begin receiving recall notices around October 13, though there's a significant waiting period for the replacement BCMC parts, which are anticipated to be available only between March 31 and April 3, 2026. Given this delay, Ford advises owners of Explorers and Aviators below the 9,000-mile threshold to refrain from towing anything until the replacement part is installed, while still scheduling the initial inspection as soon as the notice is received.