• Ford recalls 113,000 F-150 pickup trucks due to potentially defective rear axles.
Ford had the dubious distinction of leading the recall hit parade in 2023, with 23 recalls issued over the course of the year. In all some 5.9 million vehicles were affected. If there's any good news, it's that this was down on 2022, when 68 recalls were issued, affecting 8.7 million models.
It’s early days in 2024, but already the automaker is issuing a first recall. The new campaign affects 2019-2021 F-150 pickup trucks, which present a higher risk of being involved in an accident due to potentially defective rear axles.
As a result, the company is calling back 112,965 F-150s for a fix.
The F-150s identified by the recall are equipped with the Tow Max Duty towing package and a heavy-duty rear axle. The problem is that the hub bolt of that axle can break. According to Ford, this can damage the splines of the axle hub, which can lead to an accident, as vehicles can start to move forwards or backwards even when parked if the parking brake has not been activated.
Ford is still working on a fix for the problem. Right now it’s asking owners to take their vehicles to a dealer if they notice any symptoms of axle bolt failure, such as noises coming from the area deemed problematic.
Notification letters to owners will be mailed by January 29.