Ford recalls 770K cars. Here's why it leads among recalls in 2026

Ford is recalling more than 770,000 cars that have potentially faulty powertrain software or fender flares, according to documents posted online by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Dearborn, Mich.-based manufacturer said the power train recall affects certain Lincoln Navigator, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Aviator and Ford F-150 vehicles from the model years between 2018 and 2021.

The company said the fender flare recall affects certain 2022-2026 Ford Bronco vehicles.

In both cases, Ford said it will fix the cars free of charge once a remedy is available. A fix for the fender flares is expected to be ready by August 2026, while the power train issue remedy won't be able until April 2027, Ford said.

The latest call-backs come as Ford already had recalled cars more often than any other automaker by far so far this year, according to data compiled by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Dearborn, Mich.-based manufacturer has issued 51 recalls since January 1, 2026, according to the agency. The nearest manufacturer to Ford's recall pace is Chrysler, which has issued 19 recalls so far this year, NHTSA said.

"At Ford, customer safety is our top priority," Sharyn Ghacham of Ford said. "More than 80% of our recalls this year are resolved through convenient, software-only updates."

Why does Ford have so many vehicle recalls?

Ghacham, the Ford spokesperson, attributed the companies recall challenges to the number of older vehicles it still has on U.S. roads. She also noted the company has made improvements to his production process on newer vehicles that have been built in recent years.

"While our overall recall volume is high, more than 90% of them are for older vehicles built between 2013 and 2020," she said. "Quality improvements on newer vehicles helped reduce our warranty costs by $500 million in 2025 vs 2024 and helped earn us our best Consumer Reports reliability ranking in 15 years along with the most segment winners of any brand in the J.D. Power 2025 Initial Quality Study."

"We are fully committed to building on this strong momentum, continuously raising our standards to deliver the world-class quality and peace of mind our customers expect," Ghacham said.

NHTSA says on its website that recalls are issued "when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle, equipment, car seat, or tire creates an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet minimum safety standards."

"Most decisions to conduct a recall and remedy a safety defect are made voluntarily by manufacturers prior to any involvement by NHTSA," the agency said. "Manufacturers are required to fix the problem by repairing it, replacing it, offering a refund, or in rare cases repurchasing the vehicle."

Michael Brooks, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Auto Safety, which advocates for stringent regulation, said Ford likely leads among U.S. car manufacturers on recalls because it "remains subject to the 2024 consent order they agreed to with NHTSA, which engaged an independent third party to oversee their recall issues, required safety expenditures, and cited Safety Act violations."

"Ford's recall numbers started creeping up to significant levels right about the time the consent order was in the works," Brooks said. "This has resulted in Ford far outpacing other vehicle manufacturers in number of recalls for 2024, 2025, and 2026."

The USA TODAY Cars team took a look at the top 5 manufacturers that have issued the most recalls so far this year.

1. Ford

Best-selling car: Ford F-150

Biggest recall this year: A February recall of 4.3 million cars from multiple models and years that had faulty trailer lights or brakes that the company said could reduce drivers' ability to control or even see their trailers.

2. Stellantis

Best-selling U.S. model: Jeep Grand Cherokee

Biggest recall: A June recall affecting more than 1 million cars from multiple models and years that have electric hydraulic power steering pump wiring that the company said "may overheat and cause a vehicle fire, even when the vehicle is parked with the ignition in the 'Off' position."

3. General Motors

Best-selling U.S. model: Chevrolet Silverado

Biggest recall: An April recall affecting more than 276,000 Chevrolet Malibu cars from the 2023 to 2025 model years that have rearview camera screens that may display a distorted or blank image.

4. Hyundai

Best-selling U.S. model: Hyundai Tucson

Biggest recall: A January recall affecting more than 568,000 Hyundai Palisade SUVs from the 2020-2025 model year. The company said "side curtain air bags for third-row occupants may deploy improperly in a crash."

5. Toyota

Best-selling U.S. model: Toyota RAV-4

Biggest recall: A March recall affecting more than 550,000 gas-powered and hybrid Toyota Highlander vehicles from the 2021-2024 model years that the company said have "second-row seat backs (that) may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment."

How can you check if your car has an open recall?

You can check if your car has any open recalls by entering your VIN number or make and model here on the NHTSA website: Check for Recalls: Vehicle, Car Seat, Tire, Equipment | NHTSA

You can also call the service center at your local dealership to check for potential recalls.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ford recalls 770K cars. Here's why it leads among recalls in 2026

Reporting by Keith Laing, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 12:11 PM.