Ford's CEO Knew Of Quality Issues

Issue #108

We hope you had a lovely Easter weekend. The automotive market has been anything but slow.

Here's our starting question: Is Ford's CEO desperate? He wants to turn back time, sort of. We explain why.

Market News

• Toyota's new midsize hybrid SUV has pleased many. Are you a fan?

• What's the automotive production prediction if tariffs remain? Here's the estimate. 

• Chevrolet's most successful and cheapest SUV has an uncertain future in the US. 

• Stellantis fired at both the US and the EU, stating this about regulations. 

• Elon Musk threatened engineers with this if they revealed braking issues. 

• The Dodge Charger had excellent discounts, but the Hornet discounts are crazy. 

• New car prices have reached a new high. Here's how much. 

• Jeff Bezos has very weird hints about his new EV truck. 

• Subaru might get the WRX STI, but it's not how we imagine it. 

• Crashing an EV is extremely complex, and Rivian is no exception. Here's why. 

Safety and Recalls

• Volkswagen will recall 114,000 vehicles over airbag concerns.

• Chrysler is recalling 58,000 cars due to this issue.

Fear not! Ford did another recall, but we'll discuss it later in the newsletter.

Car Culture

• Ferrari reveals its first electric SUV. Talk about a headline we'd never thought we'd write.

• General Tire offers excellent discounts for spring. So, finally, affordable tires. 

• Mazda wants to return to the US with a pickup truck, and we love the idea. 

• Here's the fascinating tale of how they found a car in the unlikeliest of places: a sunken WWII ship. 

• After Pope Francis II has passed away, what will happen to the $504,000 Popemobile?

• GM argues that they can sell our data for this reason. 

• You can buy a Porsche Dakar edition replica, but there's a catch (or half a catch).

• Jalopnik asked which Chinese cars the public wanted. Here are their answers. 

• Is there a car you want to buy but are too scared of? This list covers some interesting models. 

• Here's why fitting a turbocharged bike engine into a Miata makes perfect sense. 

• Would you trust your jack with your life?

Video Of The Week

It turns out there are cars made of foam. So this guy bought two of them!

Power On The Go

The 2nd Best Gift I’ve Ever Given My Dad (Hands Down)

This past Christmas, my dad lit up more than the tree when I gave him a solar generator. He uses a CPAP machine at night and constantly worries about losing power—especially with hurricanes and winter storms here in North Carolina.

Knowing he finally had a reliable backup gave both of us peace of mind.

That’s why I joined Bluetti’s affiliate program. Their lineup of solar generators is incredibly solid—and they’ve got models for everything from emergency home backup to road trip charging stations.

Personally, I have the EB3A. It’s compact, perfect for camping or tossing in the car to charge phones and laptops. But if you want to power bigger stuff—like a fridge during an outage—you’ll want one of their larger units.

👉 Check out the current Bluetti deals here.

Yes, that’s an affiliate link. No, it doesn’t cost you anything extra. But every click helps support this newsletter and keeps the content coming. Win-win.

In The Know

Is this Ford move BS? Let's talk about the blue oval. 

Oh, boy, it has not been a good year for Ford. 

For one, it lost a crown when, by the end of 2024, the F-150 was no longer the most popular vehicle in America, as this article explains. 

Here's an interesting fact: Ford held that position for forty years!

The fact that the F-150 lost its place at the top reflects the problems plaguing one of the country's most legendary brands. But why is this happening?

It's not because the company produces boring models (it doesn't) or the intensified competition.

Instead, it's due to one critical issue that even Jim Farley, the current CEO, knew and didn't address. 

We dug into the NHTSA database and obtained all of Ford's 2025 recalls. We put them in the following picture, and if you want all the data, you can find it here. 

That's 40 recalls in four months. Ten of these events per month is far too much, and clients have taken notice. 

Why put up with bad quality when there are other options? 

What does Farley mean by knowing about these issues?

In this February 2024 interview, he admits that he should have focused on quality instead of other aspects and "should've turned back time."

Now, Ford faces another problem that, mind you, is not unlike what others face. Car prices have plenty of uncertainty, and all automakers are taking action to navigate them.

The problem with Ford is that it can't afford to increase prices, although it has come to grips that it probably will. 

That's not to say everything is bad for the company. Even with the Mustang's sales down nearly 32%, the iconic car managed to be the number one sold sportscar in the world.

That's no small feat; you can learn more about it here. 

Plus, US News rated the Ford Explorer as one of the most reliable SUVs you can buy, a statement backed up with a JD Power ranking of 87/100.

So, there is some positive news.

Plus, there's a catch with the F-150 sales. If you consider that model alone, then yes, the RAV4 got it beat, but Ford stepped in to clarify. 

As this article explains, the entire F-series nameplate continues to be the best-selling in America.

What are your thoughts on this? Does it count?

Best-selling vehicle or not, Ford needs to up its sales, and the tariffs gave it an opportunity. It has enticed employees with excellent pricing. 

But what's behind this "employee pricing?"

Just as we did with this year's recalls, we analyzed it to see whether it was BS or actually a brilliant move by Ford. Read our article to find out more, and share your thoughts!