Dive Brief:
- Ford Motor Co. has recalled roughly 103,000 F-150 pickups for rear axle hub bolts that could break and lead to premature wear of the axle hub splines, which can increase the risk of a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- The recalled vehicles include 2023-2025 F-150 models equipped with Ford’s optional Tow Max package. An estimated 1% of the recalled trucks are believed to have defective axle bolts.
- Owners are being notified to visit a dealer to have the rear axle shafts and hub bolts replaced. Notification letters were sent beginning Aug. 18 and are expected to be completed by May 22, 2026, as the recall will be addressed in phases. All repairs will be free of charge.
Dive Insight:
Ford previously recalled 2021-2023 F-150 pickups with the Tow Max package on Dec. 22, 2023, due to stripped hub splines caused by broken rear axle bolts. Trucks with this option come with an upgraded 9.75-inch heavy-duty rear axle with a ¾ float design to increase towing capacity.
In May 2024, Ford informed dealers that the parts needed to address the December 2023 recall would be unavailable until the first quarter of 2025. The automaker also instructed dealer service departments to check all affected F-150s in their service bays for this issue, whether or not the customer received a recall notification.
In the notice to dealers, Ford said that service technicians encountered rattling noises coming from the rear wheel caps of affected F-150 trucks during routine maintenance, such as oil changes or tire rotations, due to a broken rear axle bolt.
Due to the discovery of broken bolts on F-150s that were not part of the initial recall, the concern was escalated to Ford's Critical Concern Review Group for further review on June 5.
In June and July, Ford's Critical Concern Review Group and its Global Driveline Engineering team investigated an increase in reports of broken rear axle hub bolts and stripped wheel end hub splines on 2023 model year F-150 pickups equipped with HD rear axles.
Ford’s investigators also reviewed a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) received by the NHTSA on May 21, 2025, as part of a weekly review of feedback from owners. In the VOQ, a customer alleged a rear axle stripped spline condition and their truck rolling while in park. However, the customer’s F-150 was not included in the December 2023 recall.
Ford's investigation then expanded to include a more in-depth review of warranty claims potentially related to stripped rear axle hub splines and/or broken bolts. Its investigators identified 12 VOQs received by the NHTSA alleging broken rear axle bolts on F-150 pickups vehicles produced after Dec. 22, 2022. However, none included complaints of rollaway in park or a loss of drive power.
Out of an abundance of caution, Ford’s Field Review Committee reviewed the concerns and approved the recall on Aug. 1 covering additional F-150 models built from Jan. 2, 2023, through May 21, 2025.
As of July 14, Ford is aware of 194 warranty claims of stripped rear axle splines on F-150 pickups received between Sept. 27, 2023, and July 8, 2025.
Ford introduced a new rear axle shaft design into series production in May. Revisions include an updated spline geometry and stronger axle bolt with a larger contact area where the stud/nut is secured to the hub.
The latest recall brings Ford’s year-to-date recall total to 104. It’s the highest number of recalls for any automaker in a single year since the NHTSA was established in December 1970. Collectively, the recalls potential extend to over 6.5 million vehicles.
