Ford F is facing regulatory scrutiny for insufficient or ineffective recalls just days after being fined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency has now launched two separate investigations into recent recalls.

The first probe involves approximately 113,000 Ford Expeditions from model years 2019–2020. In February, Ford recalled about 78,000 of these SUVs due to a seatbelt issue where the belts could tighten up and hold people even if there was no crash. NHTSA received complaints from three owners whose vehicles were not included in the recall but experienced the same problem. The agency is investigating whether the recall needs to be expanded.

The second investigation covers about 457,000 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and Maverick small pickups. In April, Ford recalled selected 2021–2024 Bronco Sports and 2022–2023 Mavericks because of a risk of sudden power loss. However, NHTSA has logged five complaints from owners who experienced power loss even after their vehicles underwent the recall fix. The issue is linked to degraded 12-volt batteries and the agency will assess whether the recall effectively resolved the problem. Ford is cooperating fully with both investigations.

As part of last week’s settlement with NHTSA, Ford is required to conduct a comprehensive review of all recalls it issued over the past three years and, if necessary, initiate new recalls. The $165 million civil penalty imposed by NHTSA is the second-largest in the agency's history, following the fine levied against Takata for defective airbag inflators. Ford has been penalized over delayed response for recalling vehicles with faulty rearview cameras and failing to provide complete and accurate recall information, as required by federal law.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

F currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the auto space are Dorman Products, Inc. DORM, Tesla, Inc. TSLA and BYD Company Limited BYDDY, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DORM’s 2024 sales and earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 3.66% and 51.98%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2024 and 2025 have improved 75 cents and 88 cents, respectively, in the past 30 days. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TSLA’s 2024 sales suggests year-over-year growth of 2.97%. EPS estimates for 2024 and 2025 have improved by 22 cents and 18 cents, respectively, in the past 30 days. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BYDDY’s 2024 sales and earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 25.07% and 31.51%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2024 and 2025 have improved by 35 cents and 39 cents, respectively, in the past 30 days.

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