Latest news with #FordF-150s
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Hits the Brakes Again With Major New Recall
Ford has announced three fresh recalls through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The move affects various popular models, including the F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator. The recall affects over 148,000 vehicles in total. The issues involve faulty software, malfunctioning power windows, and fluid leaks. The biggest chunk comes from a recall targeting the F-150 and other large Ford vehicles. That single action accounts for more than 123,000 of the affected units. The first recall targets 2017–2018 Ford F-150s, Expeditions, and Lincoln Navigators. In total, 123,611 vehicles are being pulled in for inspection. Each affected model comes equipped with Ford's 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. According to Ford and the NHTSA, about one percent of these vehicles may experience brake fluid leaks from the master cylinder's front wheel circuit into the brake booster. This kind of leak can potentially reduce braking performance. Although the percentage is small, the safety risk is enough to warrant a wide-scale recall. In a separate and larger recall, 24,655 of the 2025 Ford Explorers are being called in. A brake fluid leak can cut braking power to the front wheels, which typically do most of the work. This can lead to longer stopping distances and a noticeable change in pedal feel. Drivers might see a low brake fluid warning or feel a harder pedal with more travel. In some cases, braking performance could be significantly reduced. Ford's fix includes replacing the brake master cylinder, and if a leak is found, the brake booster will be swapped out too. The repairs are free of charge. Dealers have already been alerted, and affected owners can expect recall notices between April 28 and May 2, 2025. A smaller recall affects just 1,168 vehicles, specifically the 2024 Ford Ranger and Lincoln Nautilus. The issue lies in the power window system. Ford's global closing feature may fail to stop the windows if they detect an obstruction. Dealers will correct the problem with a free software update. Owners will begin receiving notifications starting May 19, 2025. It's a quick fix, but still a critical safety update. In a separate and larger recall, 24,655 of the 2025 Ford Explorers are being called in. This time, the issue stems from the powertrain control module. The system may reset while driving, potentially leading to engine stalling or other serious problems. A free software update will address the issue, with owner notifications starting May 26, 2025. Ford has made quality control a priority, and these recalls are part of that ongoing commitment. After issuing numerous recalls last year, the company shows no signs of slowing down in 2025. The hope is that by addressing issues early—both before and after vehicles hit the road—Ford can boost long-term reliability for its customers. It's a strategy that aims to turn short-term fixes into lasting trust. Source: NHTSA, TopSpeed
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Car Dealerships Across the U.S. Brace for Impact as Tariffs Take Effect
In a move that will have a strong impact on car buyers in the coming months, the Trump administration has launched on imported cars, light-duty trucks, and auto parts. The previously announced 25 percent tariff on vehicles started on April 3, and tariffs on parts will start May 3, . We spoke with several dealers to see how they plan to respond. President Trump's executive order for a 25 percent tariff on all cars and light-duty trucks imported into the U.S. took effect as of Thursday, April 3. While the current administration says it's going to stick, some industry analysts are skeptical, and speculation is high enough to wonder if Las Vegas bookies are taking bets. But as of this moment, the tariffs are a go, and dealerships across the country are figuring out how they're going to respond. But wait: there's more. As reported by the Associated Press, the administration is levying additional tariffs above and beyond the increase on auto imports, plus levies against China, Canada, and Mexico. The White House is also demanding expanded trade penalties on steel and aluminum and tariffs on countries that import oil from Venezuela. Plans are in the works for additional import taxes on pharmaceuticals, lumber, copper, and computer chips. "The final assembly is one point on the supply chain and the dealer is another point, and it has yet to be seen who will bear these ultimate costs," says Will Hardeman, managing partner of Continental Automotive Group. "I think it will be shared across the board." Some dealer owners, like Kenny Covert in Texas, are cautiously keeping the faith. "Ultimately, when our price goes up, unfortunately consumers' prices go up," says Covert, managing partner for Covert Auto Group. "But also, I think Trump is a businessman. I don't think he'll let the Big Three sales go out of whack." General manager at Mercedes-Benz of San Antonio Chris Martinez says operations will continue as normal, because it's still a bit early to determine the full impact. "All current inventory in stock is unaffected by the tariffs, but incoming units will be subject to them," Martinez says. It's possible that some models may be discontinued because of the tariffs, he speculates. In most cases, Martinez believes the tariff will likely be reflected on the Monroney price sticker in a similar manner to a transportation fee. Hardeman thinks manufacturers will adapt to make their products more affordable. "In some cases, the industry got into a feeding frenzy by putting too many options and equipment on their cars," he says. "They achieved good margins but they might need to offer more basic versions of cars. The industry has gotten into upfitting cars with lots of fancy options." For instance, top trims of Ford F-150s and Chevy Tahoes are creeping into the $80,000 range and up, Hardeman points out, which is a radical departure from the base price. Manufacturers may have overshot the market and made the cars less affordable, Hardeman posits. "Things are going to get more compressed with more tariffs," he says. "But I will say this: I'd say 80 percent of the models I sell today are built in America, even the Subarus and Hondas and the majority of Mercedes-Benz models are built in America. Final assembly is in America but the parts are often imported from Mexico, Canada, or Europe. Say we have a 25 percent tariff; that could affect prices 10 to 15 percent, as a really rough ballpark figure." Dealers across the country are reporting an increase in foot traffic as consumers seek to buy their new vehicle before the imposition of tariffs. Supporting this anecdotal evidence is data from AutoPacific, an automotive market research firm, which conducted a survey of new vehicle shoppers at the end of March 2025. The data revealed that 18 percent of new vehicle shoppers nationwide planned to pull ahead their new vehicle acquisition to avoid higher prices resulting from the expected tariffs. "Many automakers have anticipated this spike in demand and have built and shipped in as much inventory as possible from non-U.S. auto plants before the tariffs hit," says AutoPacific president Ed Kim. "So despite the spike in demand, there has been no shortage of good deals on pre-tariff imported vehicles leading up to the April 2 announcement." United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain has (so far) shown support for the tariff order, which he says will boost American profits. "We applaud the Trump administration for stepping up to end the free trade disaster that has devastated working class communities for decades. Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with fixing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with today's actions,"Fain said in a statement on March 26. Others are less than enthusiastic, like Ford dealer Jim Seavitt. The dealership ownertold the Detroit Free Press that his Michigan operation is down 50 percent in leads and already, "everything's off 40 to 50 percent." "It reminds me of 2008 when the mortgage crisis hit," Seavitt said. "It's looking like it's the start of a crisis." Hardeman of Texas is presently maintaining a steady hand on the wheel. "As of now, at this moment, we really aren't doing anything proactive," he says. "Car dealers are good at reacting to conditions in the marketplace. Whether things are getting more expensive or we have limited supply or excess supply, we have to curate our offerings and inventory according to consumer demand. This is no different." Covert's business was established in 1909, and he has the benefit of generations of experience on weathering the storms of the market. "I got into the business in 2000, so I saw what happened after 9/11; we had a big dip for a while," he says. "I was able to listen to my dad and uncles about running lean and watching expenses, which is Business 101. I was in management by 2008–2009 and operated the same way: you have to run lean, work smarter, work harder, and put in more hours." You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Investigates Almost 1.3 Million F-150s
NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) officials stated they've launched a preliminary investigation into nearly 1.3 million Ford F-150 models over claims of a gear downshift without warning or driver input, which is often accompanied by a rear wheel lockup. The NHTSA probe, which will determine the possible problem's severity and whether it warrants further review, follows 138 consumer complaints—the first of which arrived in 2023 from an Ohio driver. According to a Reuters report, the driver stated that 'The truck automatically shifted from 6th Gear to first gear, nearly throwing me through the windshield." Drivers described rear wheel lockup during rapid deceleration as momentary but claim to have lost control, per the NHTSA's release, which notes: 'Certain consumer complaints additionally allege that the vehicle's rear wheels temporarily lock, seize, and/or skid during the downshift resulting in a loss of vehicle control increasing the risk for crash and injury.' There have been no reports of crashes, injuries, or deaths related to the possible transmission defect, which could affect up to 1,270,970 Ford F-150s from the 2015-2017 production years. For the 2015-2016 F-150 model years, Ford used a 6-speed 6R80 automatic transmission, which also came standard on the 2017 F-150 with the 3.5L Ti-VCT V6, 2.7L EcoBoost V6, and 5.0L V8 engines. Ford also introduced a standard 10-speed automatic transmission for the 3.5L EcoBoost V6. However, a Ford spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that the NHTSA's preliminary investigation applies to 2015-2017 F-150 6-speed transmissions. Ford also told Reuters that the company is 'working with NHTSA to support its investigation.' Before issuing a recall, the NHTSA must update the status of these 2015-2017 F-150s from a preliminary investigation to an engineering analysis for closer evaluation. The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is conducting the initial investigation to determine whether an engineering analysis is necessary. A recall will stem from an engineering analysis' conclusion that the transmission or its control unit is responsible for the 138 consumer reports. Last year, Ford issued a recall of over 550,000 F-150 models from the 2014 production years with a 6R80 6-speed automatic because of a software problem and intermittent failure of the transmission's output shaft speed (OSS) sensor that could trigger a sudden downshift to first gear. As of April 2024, Ford was aware of '300 warranty reports, 96 field reports, and 124 customer complaints, corresponding to 482 vehicles in the US and US territories received from March 24, 2014, to March 29, 2024, related to unexpected transmission downshifting on 2014 MY F-150 vehicles,' according to the NHTSA. This recall's fix involved reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module with updated software safeguarding against OSS failure. In 2024, Ford had the second-highest number of US recalls submitted at 67, behind Stellantis's 72. Leading up to February 2025, Ford was leading recalls in the US at 10—so it's clear that the automaker has some ground to make up in this area. What's also concerning is the possibility that Ford's 6-speed 6R80 transmission on multiple F-150 iterations could establish a problematic reputation—but we'll wait to see how the NHTSA's preliminary investigation progresses, as it's still too early to tell.
