Ford

Reasons to avoid

1. In November 2024, Ford agreed to a $165 million penalty with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the second-largest auto safety fine in the agency's history. The penalty followed a multi-year investigation finding that Ford delayed filing a recall for defective rearview cameras on F-150s and Explorers and submitted inaccurate recall reports.nhtsa.gov2024-11-14
2. Ford is a member of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which lobbied against EPA greenhouse gas emission standards for model years 2027-2032 and has supported rolling back Biden-era clean vehicle rules. The lobbying contributed to a 2026 EPA proposal to delay emissions compliance deadlines by two years, weakening standards Ford's own lobbying group called for.citizen.org2024-03-14
3. A 2024 shareholder proxy filing flagged that Ford has not provided independent evidence its EV battery supply chain is free of child labor, despite cobalt sourcing from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where at least 15% of cobalt workers are estimated to be children. Ford's third-party audits use a body on whose board Ford employees sit, raising concerns about conflicts of interest.sec.gov2024-01-01
4. A 2024 class action alleged Ford knew as early as 2016 about a defect in 1.0L EcoBoost engines found in 2016-2021 model year vehicles that could cause catastrophic engine failure without warning. Plaintiffs claim Ford failed to adequately address the issue despite awareness of the oil-drive belt tensioner flaw for years before issuing a recall.atlantanewsfirst.com2024-09-03