Ford Motor Company has issued a recall for 115,539 vehicles in the US, following concerns identified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding a steering defect.
According to the agency, the defect could potentially lead to the detachment of the steering column’s upper shaft, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
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The affected vehicles include the 2020-2021 Ford F-Super Duty trucks, encompassing the F-250, F-350, and F-450 models.
Ford dealers have been tasked with inspecting the steering column and, if necessary, repairing or replacing the upper shaft at no cost to vehicle owners.
NHTSA said that vehicle owners will be informed of the safety risk, with initial letters expected to be sent out by 6 October 2025.
A second round of letters will be dispatched once a definitive remedy has been established, which is projected for December.
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By GlobalDataThe safety regulator estimates that 1% of the recalled vehicles contain the defect.
According to the NHTSA report, the problem was first reviewed by Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group on 26 June 2025.
Subsequent investigations into the design history of the upper shaft revealed changes in the manufacturing process.
Initially, a single primary staking method was used until February 2021, when a second staking method was introduced to enhance the part’s design, the report said.
Analysis of customer claims showed that incidents were reported in vehicles built in March 2020 or earlier.
Manufacturing data analysis indicated a shift in the primary staking load and depth, which, before the change, resulted in a lower pull-apart load.
Statistical analysis confirmed a difference in the parts manufactured after this date, with improved pull-apart force capability, the regulator said.
The affected parts were determined to have been installed in vehicles produced at the Kentucky Truck Plant before 1 October 2020.
As of 11 September 2025, the company has been made aware of a small number of reports potentially related to this concern, including three vehicle owner questionnaires, three field reports, seven warranty claims, and four customer call hotline reports.
However, there have been no reported accidents or injuries associated with this condition, the report said.
The recall is one of several for Ford in recent months, including one earlier in the month for around 1.45 million vehicles due to a defective rear-view camera system, and in August, for 355,656 light trucks over a faulty instrument panel display.
