Dive Brief:
- Ford Motor Co. has recalled over 355,000 F-Series trucks for instrument panel cluster displays that may fail at startup due to a software error, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- The recalled trucks include the 2025 F-150 and 2025-2026 model year F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty pickups. All of the recalled vehicles are estimated to have the defect.
- Dealers will update the instrument panel cluster software, free of charge, and are expected to mail notification letters to vehicle owners on Sept. 2. Ford directed dealers to repair any affected vehicles brought in for service even if the customer had not received a letter.
Dive Insight:
The software defect leads to a blank instrument panel display upon startup, so warning lights and other vital vehicle information is unreadable in certain conditions, increasing the likelihood of a crash, according to the recall report. The condition can occur when the engine is restarted at a specific point after being turned off, per Ford’s notice to dealers.
On May 9, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) received reports of blank instrument cluster screens on some 2025 F-150 pickups. The clusters were sourced from Michigan-based Tier 1 supplier Visteon.
From May through August, Ford’s CCRG reviewed Visteon’s identification of a “memory protection fault” as a potential cause of the error. During the sleep sequence of the instrument panel cluster, a controller area network wake-up interrupt — which is used in embedded software to turn off networked devices to conserve power — can occur within too short a timeframe, leading to a memory fault. The NHTSA’s Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance also discussed the issue.
Ford’s CCRG analyzed the connected vehicle data as well, which showed that 65% of the vehicles it surveyed had ignition cycle events that could lead to a blank instrument cluster display. Ford’s investigators also concluded that the likelihood of the problem would increase as the vehicle ages, leading to Ford’s CCRG approving the recall on Aug. 15.
As of June 26, Ford has received 95 warranty claims potentially related to this concern. The first warranty claim came to the company on Jan. 30, 2025. Ford also identified a vehicle owner questionnaire received by the NHTSA that’s potentially related to this concern.
The recalled instrument panel cluster software was introduced into the production line on May 14, 2024, and taken out on July 22, 2025. The updated software will have the memory protection feature disabled, according to the recall report.
Ford has issued 109 recalls since the start of the year, potentially extending to over 7.8 million vehicles, according to NHTSA data. In August, the automaker recalled 103,000 F-150 pickups for rear axle hub bolts that could break. Ford also issued a separate recall last month for 312,000 pickup and SUV models for a loss of electronic power brake assist.
