Recalls are common in the automotive industry and come about for a host of reasons. Sometimes it's a supplier's fault, sometimes the manufacturer's. Could be a defect mechanical part, could a software problem.

Sometimes, it can be embarrassing, like with a design flaw. An error that embarrasses the manufacturer because it could have been avoided, and annoys vehicle owners.

In 2024, Ford issued a recall of the Trail version of the Ford Transit. But the fix wasn’t a popular one, and after the reasons for the recall came to light, owners filed a lawsuit against the company.

The off-road-focused model was recalled because its 30.5-inch Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse tires could rub against the wheel liner in certain situations. Ford's solution? Replace the tires with smaller 28.5-inch ones.

The class-action lawsuit charges that the Transit Trail no longer lives up to the manufacturer's promises. It alleges that Ford’s solution lowered the vehicle's ground clearance, causing it to lose capability. The new ground clearance is "closer to that of the cheaper base model than that of the Transit Trail." The recall "removes the main advantage of the Transit Trail models," according to the complaint.

Ford issued the recall for the Transit Trail in March 2024, after launching an investigation into the tires in late January 2024, according to the U.S. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), the equivalent of Transport Canada.

Ford engineers discovered that the front tire shoulders (the outer edges) could come into contact with surfaces inside the wheel wells at “60% of a full turn when braking when the vehicle is carrying the equivalent of the gross axle weight rating at the front.”

A small problem, which does not affect the vehicle in all possible situations, but which could end up being costly for Ford.