Ford Motor has issued a recall of 115,539 vehicles across the United States due to a steering defect flagged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency stated that the defect might cause the upper shaft of the steering column to detach, heightening the risk of a crash.
The recall affects 2020–2021 Ford F-Super Duty trucks, including the F-250, F-350, and F-450 models.
The recall notice, published by regulators on Wednesday, stated that Ford dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and repair or replace the defective part at no cost. According to NHTSA, vehicle owners will be notified about the safety issue, with the first round of letters scheduled to be sent by October 6, and a follow-up round of notifications will be issued once a final fix is confirmed, which is expected by December.
The safety regulator estimates that about 1% of the recalled vehicles are affected by the defect. As outlined in the NHTSA report, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group first examined the issue on June 26. Further investigation into the upper shaft’s design history uncovered modifications in its manufacturing process. Originally, only one primary staking method was used, but in February 2021, a second method was added to improve the component’s design, the report noted.
Analysis of customer complaints revealed that incidents occurred in vehicles manufactured in March 2020 or earlier. Manufacturing data showed a change in the primary staking load and depth; prior to this adjustment, the components had a lower resistance to separation. According to the regulator, statistical analysis confirmed that parts made after the change demonstrated stronger pull-apart force, indicating improved durability.
The defective parts were found to have been installed in vehicles manufactured at the Kentucky Truck Plant before October 1, 2020. As of September 11, Ford has received only a limited number of reports that are linked to the issue. These include three vehicle owner questionnaires, three field reports, seven warranty claims, and four calls to the customer service hotline. However, the report noted that no accidents or injuries related to the defect have been reported.
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