Henry Ford once said that "the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing," so let's hope the company he founded learned a lot this year.
Ford (F) had some tough moments in 2022. So tough, in fact, that the company was named the most-recalled auto maker of the year, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The company, which opened its doors in 1903, issued a total of 67 recalls this year, well ahead of Volkswagen (VLKAF) , which filed for 45 recalls.
Twelve of the Ford recalls were powertrain-related, according to the DOT statistics. Other issues included fuel system problems, airbag malfunctions and electrical system faults.
Daimler Trucks was in third place at 42 recalls, followed by Stellantis (STLA) with 38 recalls, and recreational vehicle maker Forest River, which had 35 recalls.
Further on down the list we have General Motors (GM) with 32 recalls and electric vehicle maker Tesla (TSLA), which posted 20 recalls.
Some of Ford's lowlights this year included a recall in November of more than half a million Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs due to faulty fuel injectors, which preceded the recall of more than 450,000 F-150s due to a problem with the windshield wipers earlier that month.
A Slip in Reliability Ratings
A Ford spokesperson said the DOT statistics were not a full representation of Ford's quality, noting that "a recall could include one vehicle to millions of vehicles."
The spokesperson added that "the goal is really to find any issues as quickly as we can in order to make sure our customers are safe."
Ford did not fare well in the Consumer Reports' 2022 Brand Reliability Rankings, which were released last month.
The nonprofit consumer organization and magazine dedicated to independent product testing, surveys its members about the problems they’ve had with their vehicles in the previous 12 months to determine which car brands are most reliable.
Ford ranked 18th among the 24 brands that were part of the annual survey, slipping four places from last year.
Breaking things down, Consumer Reports said the new-for-2022 Ford Maverick and Ford Maverick Hybrid had above average reliability along with the Edge.
The Explorer continued to have substandard reliability, the survey said, and this year the F-150 Hybrid does as well.
The Bronco Sport and Mustang Mach-E fell to below average. The F-150 and Escape are also below average, while all other Fords are average.
Farley Focused on Quality
"The Mustang Mach-E has in-car electronics problems with the display screen freezing, multiple of which required a hardware replacement," Consumer Reports said. "Other reported problems include the electrical system with battery pack and charging system issues."
In addition, the Bronco Sport dropped this year because of issues with brakes, engine, and noises and leaks.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has repeatedly expressed his concerns about recalls.
"Fixing quality is my No. 1 priority,” Farley told the Ford Retired Engineering Executives group, according to Ford Authority. “It is the most important initiative in the whole company. And it’s going to take several years. We didn’t lose it in just one or two years. Until we fix quality, nothing else matters.”
The automaker also recently hired quality turnaround specialist and former J.D. Power Vice President Josh Halliburton as its new executive director of quality, according to the Detroit Free Press.
And there have been bright spots for Ford in 2022 as well. MotorTrend named the company’s F-150 Lightning EV pickup its Truck of the Year, an annual award dating back to 1977 when the car magazine first gave it to the Ford Econoline van.
The F-150 Lightning became extremely popular almost as soon as it dropped, and despite the fact that Ford raised the price tag for the Pro version several times from $40,000 to $51,974, it is currently backed up with waiting list orders.
And Farley received congratulations from Tesla CEO Elon Musk himself last month when Ford said it had produced its 150,000th Mustang Mach-E since starting production nearly two years ago.
Shares of Ford stock fell more than 44% in 2022.
