Study Claims Some Ford Owners Forced To Wait 6 Months For Recall WorkAutoGuide.comAvery AndersonFri, September 25, 2026 at 6:18 PM UTCAdd us on Googlestudy claims some ford owners forced to wait 6 months for recall workFord continues to lead the U.S. auto industry in total safety recalls, but a recent report highlights a growing frustration for owners: the length of time required to secure an official repair.According to an analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data by marketing firm 1Point21 Interactive and Mississippi-based Hearn Law Firm, Ford recalls with significant remedy delays averaged 198 days to fix between 2025 and mid-2026.A "significant delay" is defined as any repair timeline extending past the initial 60-day window automakers have to notify vehicle owners.study claims some ford owners forced to wait 6 months for recall workHigh Recall Volumes Drive Longer Wait TimesFord set an industry record in 2025 by issuing 153 separate safety recalls. That trend has carried into 2026, with Ford issuing more than double the recalls of any other rival brand.AdvertisementAdvertisementLooking across a broader four-year window from 2021 to 2025, Ford recorded 110 recalls that exceeded the 60-day repair window, averaging a 174-day wait for a fix. By comparison, Nissan averaged 299 days across 13 delayed recalls, while Stellantis averaged 225 days across 27 delayed recalls. However, Ford's high overall volume means its customers face delayed remedies far more frequently.Industry analysts attribute many of these long timelines to supply chain constraints and part manufacturing capacity. When a recall impacts hundreds of thousands of vehicles, re-engineering a component and spooling up new supplier assembly lines can take months. In some cases, such as a cracked fuel injector issue on Bronco Sport and Escape models, initial software mitigation took effect quickly, but permanent hardware replacements required nearly 11 months to supply.study claims some ford owners forced to wait 6 months for recall workFord Pushes Back on Study MethodologyIn a statement provided to Detroit News, Ford spokesman Mike Levine pushed back against the study's conclusions, stating that excluding fixes resolved within the standard 60-day window artificially skews the average wait time higher.Levine noted that Ford's overall average time to remedy across all recalls is significantly lower than the study suggests. He added that delays primarily stem from complex cases requiring newly engineered parts or supplier line expansions, and noted that a dedicated internal team actively works to accelerate parts availability.AdvertisementAdvertisementFord also highlights over-the-air (OTA) software updates as a key tool for accelerating repairs. Several software-based recalls were deployed via wireless updates, bypassing dealership visits entirely.While Ford recently topped mass-market brands in J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study, the automaker remains under an independent federal monitor following a 2024 NHTSA investigation into delayed rearview camera recalls.Porsche Dominates 2026 Auto Quality - Top Brands Revealed!Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter.