NHTSA Probes Ford Recall Practices

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched two new investigations into Ford's recall practices, following the automaker's recent $165 million fine for delayed recall actions. The first investigation targets approximately 457,000 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and Maverick pickups from 2021 to 2024, focusing on issues of sudden power loss attributed to degrading 12-volt batteries. Despite a prior recall and fix, complaints persist about power failures. The second probe involves around 113,000 Ford Expeditions from 2019 to 2020, where seat belts reportedly tighten unexpectedly without crashes, affecting vehicles not initially included in the recall. These probes aim to determine the sufficiency of Ford's recall solutions and whether further action is necessary. Ford is cooperating with these inquiries as it faces heightened scrutiny from federal regulators.