Navigating the Song-Beverly Act: How California’s strict consumer laws protect drivers stuck with recurring manufacturer recalls.
Author: Chad David, Esquire, California State Bar Number 327293
The Law Offices of Jon Jacobs | June 2026 | Serving All Counties, Wherever You Are in California
If it feels like your Ford has been recalled more than once, or you keep seeing headlines about another Ford recall, you’re not imagining it. Ford is recalling vehicles at a pace no other automaker comes close to matching, and it just came off the worst year for recalls any single manufacturer has ever recorded. Here’s what the numbers actually show, why it matters, and what your rights are as a California owner if your vehicle has actually had a problem.
The scale of it
The numbers speak for themselves. In 2025, Ford issued 153 recalls affecting nearly 13 million vehicles, the most a single automaker has ever recorded in one year, more than double the previous record. And 2026 has not slowed down: within the first several months of the year, Ford had already issued more than 30 recalls covering close to 10 million vehicles.
To put that in perspective, that’s roughly triple the recall count of the next-closest automakers. General Motors, Chrysler, and Toyota have each been sitting at a fraction of Ford’s total. One company is responsible for a startling share of all the recall activity in the country.
A sampling of just the 2026 campaigns shows how broad the problem is:
- Roughly 4.4 million trucks, including F-Series pickups, over a software fault that could disable trailer brake lights and turn signals. Ford has filed the recall under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Campaign Number 26V104000.
- About 890,000 Explorers, Escapes, and Lincoln models whose rearview camera image could flip or invert. Ford has filed the recall under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Campaign Number 26V-123.
- About 849,000 Broncos and Edges whose infotainment module could overheat and knock out the backup camera and center screen. Ford has filed the recall under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Campaign Number 26V-124.
- Nearly 1.4 million F-150s that could unexpectedly downshift and risk a loss of control. Ford has filed the recall under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Campaign Number 26V-237.
- Around 858,000 Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs with fuel injectors that could crack and cause an underhood fire. Ford Motor Company reports the recall on their website.
- Hundreds of thousands more for windshield wipers that could quit, loose seat bolts, and engine block heaters that could catch fire. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published the recalls under campaigns 26V159000, 26V011000, and 26V012000.
If you own almost any recent Ford, there’s a real chance your vehicle is on one of these lists.
The pattern that should concern owners most
Here’s the detail that goes beyond the raw count. In 2025, roughly a quarter of Ford’s recalls (about 42 of them) were issued not for new problems, but to fix vehicles that had already been recalled and “repaired” incorrectly the first time. A flaw in Ford’s software-update system had reported failed updates as successful, so owners drove away thinking their vehicle was fixed when it wasn’t.
In other words, Ford has repeatedly had to recall vehicles to fix its own earlier recalls. For an owner, that’s the part that matters: a recall notice, and even a completed recall repair, is not a guarantee that the underlying problem is actually resolved.
Ford’s explanation, and the other side of it
In fairness, Ford has an explanation. The company characterizes its recall volume as aggressive self-policing: it says it has more than doubled its safety and technical teams, toughened its testing, and chosen to recall vehicles early rather than wait for problems to spread. By that framing, more recalls mean Ford is catching issues faster.
There’s something to that. But it’s also true that the federal government fined Ford for moving too slowly on recalls, that the affected vehicle counts keep climbing year over year, and that “we found it early” is cold comfort to an owner whose truck actually caught fire, lost power, or went back to the dealer three times. Whether the recall wave reflects diligence or quality problems, the practical reality for owners is the same: a lot of Fords on the road have admitted defects.
What a recall does and doesn’t mean for you
This is the part most owners get wrong, so it’s worth being clear.
A recall is a manufacturer’s formal acknowledgment, filed with federal regulators, that a category of vehicles may contain a defect. It is not, by itself, a lawsuit, and it does not automatically mean you’re owed anything. Many recalled vehicles never develop the problem at all.
If your Ford got a recall letter but has run fine, the recall is likely precautionary. But if your vehicle actually had the failure the recall describes: it stalled, lost power, caught fire, lost its backup camera or brakes, or went back to the dealer again and again then your situation is very different. The recall is the manufacturer confirming, in writing, that the exact defect your vehicle suffered from was built in at the factory.
That combination of a documented defect plus a real failure in your vehicle is where the law gives you leverage.
Your rights in California
Under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, every new vehicle comes with an implied warranty of merchantability which is a guarantee that it’s fit for its ordinary purpose. A vehicle that fails because of a defect built into it at the factory was, arguably, never fit for that purpose to begin with. And when the manufacturer has already filed a recall, it has effectively documented the defect for you.
That’s what makes recall-related cases distinct from an ordinary dispute with a dealer. You’re not starting from scratch trying to prove something was wrong. The manufacturer’s own recall filing does much of that work. The questions that remain: whether the defect actually showed up in your vehicle, what it cost you, and whether the “fix” truly fixed it are exactly the questions these cases turn on.
We litigate recall cases – that’s our focus
This is what we do. We are a California firm that focuses on litigating recall-related and warranty cases against major manufacturers, Ford very much included. We know how these defects manifest, how to read the manufacturer’s own recall filings, and how to build a case around a vehicle that actually failed, not just one that got a letter.
Because we litigate rather than simply send demand letters, we’re prepared to take these matters as far as they need to go. And given how many Fords are now on the road with admitted defects, knowing your rights before you accept a quiet repair-and-move-on can make a real difference.
Who this is for
This is for California Ford owners whose vehicles genuinely had a problem tied to a recall. That likely includes you if your Ford:
- Stalled, lost power, or wouldn’t start.
- Caught fire or had a fuel or fire-related warning.
- Lost its backup camera, screen, brakes, or other safety equipment.
- Went back to the dealer repeatedly for the same issue, or was “fixed” and failed again.
What You Should Do Right Now
- Know that accepting a recall repair doesn’t waive your rights if the defect already cost you time, money, or safety.
- Gather every repair order from every dealer visit right now; repair orders, dates, mileage, dealer notes, rentals or loaners. The paperwork is the proof.
- Calculate your total days out of service across all visits. Thirty cumulative days is a legal threshold that matters.
- Call us for a free case evaluation. The sooner you act, the more options you have. With offices in Sacramento, Temecula, and Beverly Hills, we handle Song-Beverly claims statewide across all of California. Because a lemon law claim is handled largely through documentation and remote filings, you never have to worry about driving to our office.
Fee Case Evaluation
Whether you purchased your vehicle at a dealership in San Diego, commute through Beverly Hills, or are dealing with a defective truck up in Sacramento, our firm represents clients statewide across every corner of California. We go after the manufacturer to pay our fees as part of your settlement when we win. Visit lemonbuyback.com to get started. California consumers only.
Chad David, Esquire, California Bar Number 327293.
Learn More About Attorney Chad David Here >>>
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this post does not create an attorney-client relationship. Results vary based on individual facts. Contact our office to discuss your situation.
