Corrective action
224 Ford campaigns, 51 GM campaigns
Vehicle recall campaigns filed, 2025 + 2026 (partial). Each campaign counts once.
Source: NHTSA records in AutoStatsIQ, within the stated model-year coverage.
Ford vs GM
Are more recalls a sign of more action?
A recall is a defect on the record and a plan to address it. Counting recalls alone cannot tell us which manufacturer does more for its customers. Six views of the evidence, from software fixes to engine failures.
Reports received in
2025 + 2026 (partial). Complaints through Oct 29, 2026; recalls through Oct 28, 2026. Model years 2015 onward. This comparison uses its own period; saved vehicle filters do not apply.
01 / Recall counts
Ford files 4.4 times as many recalls. The complaint gap is much smaller.
Ford has 1.2 times as many owner complaints in the same reporting period. More campaigns can mean more problems, more corrective action, or both.
2025 + 2026 (partial). Model years 2015 onward. Complaints through Oct 29, 2026; recalls through Oct 28, 2026. Source: sigmon.net/autostatsiq/investigations/ford-vs-gm/
Owner experience
23,653 Ford complaints, 20,057 GM complaints
Distinct complaints received, 2025 + 2026 (partial). These are owner reports, not verified defects.
Ford
23,653
General Motors
20,057
Source: NHTSA records in AutoStatsIQ, within the stated model-year coverage.
106Ford complaints per campaign
393GM complaints per campaign
This ratio is a question worth investigating, not a measure of ignored defects. Complaints and recalls are not matched to the same issue, and campaigns differ enormously in size.
The consumer perspective: a manufacturer should not automatically look worse for putting more defects on the record. A campaign is announced action, not proof that every repair is complete or effective.
02 / Software & OTA
84 Ford recalls use software remedies. 16 explicitly offer an OTA option.
The way a defect is fixed matters to an owner. A software fix may avoid replacing parts; an over-the-air option may avoid a dealer visit. They are not the same thing.
2025 + 2026 (partial). Model years 2015 onward. Complaints through Oct 29, 2026; recalls through Oct 28, 2026. Source: sigmon.net/autostatsiq/investigations/ford-vs-gm/
Remedy type
Software remedies account for 37.5% of Ford campaigns
2025 + 2026 (partial). Classified from corrective-action text; software can be combined with a physical repair.
Ford
84
General Motors
15
Source: NHTSA corrective-action text; AutoStatsIQ remedy classification.
Repair delivery
16 Ford and 8 GM campaigns mention over-the-air remedies
2025 + 2026 (partial). An OTA option is not a count of completed driveway repairs.
Ford
16
General Motors
8
Share of all campaigns: Ford 7.1%; GM 15.7%. Both manufacturers offer OTA remedies.
Source: explicit OTA wording in NHTSA remedy text. Availability can vary by vehicle and phase.
A real convenience benefit. Ford's 25V-315 camera recall offers a dealer or OTA software update, with phased availability by model and year.
A simple fix can address a serious risk. Ford's 25V-488 brake-assist recall also offers OTA. GM's 25V-148 transmission recall uses dealer software to address wheel lock-up.
Even after excluding software-classified remedies, the record contains 140 Ford campaigns and 36 GM campaigns. The recall gap is not just software. A low-effort remedy is not evidence of a low-risk defect.
03 / Complaint heatmaps
8,501 GM engine complaints put the recall count in perspective.
Engine and cooling issues appear in 42.4% of GM complaints and 27.3% of Ford complaints. This is a comparison of reports, not failure rates.
2025 + 2026 (partial). Model years 2015 onward. Complaints through Oct 29, 2026; recalls through Oct 28, 2026. Source: sigmon.net/autostatsiq/investigations/ford-vs-gm/
Complaint mix
The component mix reveals what a headline count hides
2025 + 2026 (partial). One complaint can name several components; shares do not add to 100%. Powertrain is broader than transmission.
ComponentFordGeneral Motors
Engine and cooling27.3%42.4%
Powertrain27.8%22.5%
Electrical system12.1%17.0%
Brakes5.5%9.7%
Fuel system8.2%9.1%
Steering3.4%6.4%
Back-over prevention7.9%1.4%
Structure7.9%2.6%
Driver assistance3.3%5.5%
Airbags1.2%2.3%
LowerHigher share
Hover or focus the grid to explore.Source: NHTSA records in AutoStatsIQ, within the stated model-year coverage.
Engine reports over time
Follow the engine complaints month by month
2025 + 2026 (partial). Same color scale for both manufacturers. A dash means the month is not yet covered; the latest covered month may be incomplete.
Received inJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ford 2025331308419432398428527379259219174185
General Motors 2025528379414581548329341291242266321286
Ford 2026171200242232232290250241320211--
General Motors 2026470440426393305302292545463339--
LowerHigher count
Hover or focus the grid to explore.Source: NHTSA complaints, received date. Publicity and reporting delays can change the pattern.
Engine reports do not identify the L87 alone. These totals span all covered engines and model lines. A specific defect needs a specific case history.
04 / Reported harm
927 Ford reports and 748 GM reports describe a crash, fire, injury or death.
To assess the claim fairly, look at the evidence that could contradict it too. These flags describe reported outcomes, not the full seriousness of a failure.
2025 + 2026 (partial). Model years 2015 onward. Complaints through Oct 29, 2026; recalls through Oct 28, 2026. Source: sigmon.net/autostatsiq/investigations/ford-vs-gm/
Reported outcomes
Count each complaint once, even if it reports several outcomes
2025 + 2026 (partial). Crash, fire, injury or death reported to NHTSA.
Ford
927
General Motors
748
Source: NHTSA complaint flags. Allegations are not independently verified here.
Share of complaints
3.9% for Ford; 3.7% for GM
2025 + 2026 (partial). Percentage of each manufacturer's complaints, not percentage of vehicles.
Ford
3.92%
General Motors
3.73%
Source: same deduplicated complaints. No fleet or mileage denominator is available.
Reported harm. A crash or injury flag tells us an owner reported that outcome. It does not establish the defect caused it.
Potential harm and repair burden. An engine can fail at highway speed without a crash. This measure also does not capture repair cost, days without a vehicle or repeat breakdowns.
The selected data does not show more GM complaints with these reported outcomes overall. That does not resolve whether particular engine or transmission defects were addressed adequately.
05 / The L87 case
GM recalled the L87 engine. The scope and the remedy still drew scrutiny.
A closer look at the 6.2-liter V8 case is more informative than assuming that fewer recalls means fewer serious problems. This historical timeline is independent of the period selector.
2025 + 2026 (partial). Model years 2015 onward. Complaints through Oct 29, 2026; recalls through Oct 28, 2026. Source: sigmon.net/autostatsiq/investigations/ford-vs-gm/
Three earlier internal investigations closed
GM's filing records closures in February 2022, June 2023 and July 2024 based on the available safety field information. The chronology does not establish motive.
GM's Part 573 chronology, page 5NHTSA opens PE25001
GM's filing says it opened a product investigation following notification of NHTSA's investigation.
Read PE25001Recall 25V-274 enters the record
GM recalled 597,571 vehicles. The remedy calls for inspection and, as needed, engine repair or replacement; engines that pass receive higher-viscosity oil and related changes.
Read the recall and remedyFailures outside the recall's scope
NHTSA opens EA25007 after reports involving vehicles outside the covered production window.
Read EA25007Failures after the recall remedy
The opening summary for EA26005 cites 499 complaints to NHTSA alleging post-remedy engine failure and expands the investigation. This is a dated count, not a live total.
Read EA26005
06 / What it means
More documented action. Not a verdict on who cares more.
Ford's larger recall count is evidence of more campaigns addressing defects. Some offer a convenient OTA remedy. Whether Ford delivers better outcomes for consumers takes more than this count.
2025 + 2026 (partial). Model years 2015 onward. Complaints through Oct 29, 2026; recalls through Oct 28, 2026. Source: sigmon.net/autostatsiq/investigations/ford-vs-gm/
The data supports
- Ford has 224 recall campaigns against GM's 51 in the selected period.
- Ford has 84 software-classified remedies and 16 explicit OTA options; GM has 15 and 8.
- GM's engine complaint volume and L87 investigations deserve attention beyond its recall count.
The data does not establish
- That GM intentionally avoids recalls or Ford always acts sooner.
- Which manufacturer's vehicles fail more often per vehicle or mile.
- That software recalls are minor, that OTA is available to every affected owner, or that announced repairs are complete.
Apply the same standard to Ford. In November 2024, NHTSA found Ford's rearview-camera recall untimely and required changes to its recall processes. A high recall count is not, by itself, proof of proactive behavior. NHTSA's consent order announcement
Sources, definitions and the full comparison table
| Measure | Ford | General Motors |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle recall campaigns | 224 | 51 |
| Software remedies | 84 | 15 |
| Explicit OTA option | 16 | 8 |
| Owner complaints | 23,653 | 20,057 |
| Engine complaints | 6,448 | 8,501 |
| Powertrain complaints | 6,571 | 4,507 |
| Reports of harm | 927 | 748 |
Scope. Campaigns are distinct CAMPNO, vehicle type V, dated by report received date. Complaints are distinct ODINO, dated by NHTSA received date. Manufacturer groups follow the site's existing mappings. The source store covers model years 2015 and later; these are not all-model-year national totals.
Reporting windows. Recalls through Oct 28, 2026; complaints through Oct 29, 2026. The latest month and year can be incomplete. A zero means no reports in the extract; a dash in the monthly heatmap means the month is not yet covered.
Remedy classification. Fixed rules classify corrective-action text. Software can coexist with physical work. OTA requires explicit wording in the source; it is an option, not a completion rate. One VIN may be included in several campaigns.
Interpretation. Complaint counts are influenced by fleet size, vehicle age, mileage, publicity and reporting behavior. Counts and complaint shares are not failure rates. The complaint-per-campaign ratio does not link reports to defects, and a recall can address complaints received in earlier years.
Case study. Historical L87 chronology reviewed November 5, 2026. Investigation statuses and aggregate charts refresh with the data store; historical narrative and opening counts remain dated. Manufacturer field reports and NHTSA public complaints are different sources and are not added together.
Inspect the remedy examples in the source records
25V-315: Rearview camera display
The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.
Reported risk: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
25V-488: Power brake assistance
The EBB module software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S77.
Reported risk: An unexpected loss of power brake assist while driving can extend stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a loss of power brake assist while ADAS features are engaged can result in the vehicle not braking as expected, increasing the risk of a crash.
25V-148: Transmission wheel lock-up
Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242480630.
Reported risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
25V-274: L87 engine failure
Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.
Reported risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
For consumers: ask three questions. Was the defect acknowledged? Does the recall cover the affected vehicle? Does the remedy solve the problem? The recall leaderboard answers none of them on its own.