By Steven Symes 
Ford has issued yet another wave of safety recalls, this time for over 140,000 vehicles as the automaker tries to put an end to the trend. Between recalls and warranty claims being higher than in the past, the Blue Oval has its hands full.
The Ford Mustang GTD Nurburgring lap time just got scorched by Porsche.
This time around, over 120,000 vehicles have been recalled thanks to a master cylinder problem in the brake system. Apparently, the master cylinder might allow brake fluid to slowly leak out. Leaking brake fluid not only diminishes brake performance, in some cases it can lead to a fire, although the latter isn’t mentioned in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Safety Recall Report.
Among the recalled vehicles are certain 2017 to 2018 Ford F-150s, Expeditions, and Lincoln Navigators equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. Those are popular full-size trucks and SUVs.
Thankfully, the sensor which triggers a warning in the cabin that brake fluid has dropped to a certain level appears to be working correctly. But we know a lot of people ignore pretty much every dash light for reasons we don’t understand.
A second recent recall is for over 24,000 vehicles. A problem with the software in the powertrain control module might go through an internal reset while the vehicle is driving. That in turn will trigger a Malfunction Indicator Light on the dash plus cut acceleration or even stop the vehicle from moving forward.
There’s even a risk the transmission’s parking pawl might engage at speed, according to Ford. There’s a possibility this fault could result in a crash, hence the safety recall.
What’s just as shocking is this software recall is for new vehicles, certain 2025 Explorers with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. The good news is a fair number might be sitting on dealer lots, so the issue can be fixed before they’re ever sold.
Still, these two latest recalls aren’t helping Ford’s brand image. While it’s true recalls happen all the time, the Blue Oval seems to be experiencing more than its fair share lately.
Image via Ford