Some Ford Maverick and Bronco Sport examples could have a problem with their front lower control arm ball joints.
Among the hundreds of thousands of Ford Maverick trucks and Bronco Sport SUVs Ford has sold over the past few years, some 4,653 examples now being under recall may not sound like a huge issue, on its face. In terms of sheer volume, that’s a fair assessment, but those owners of 2022-2026 Mavericks or Bronco Sports will want to pay attention to this recall campaign. This notice comes with a “Do Not Drive” warning from Ford.
According to what the automaker told the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) on May 27, the front lower control arm ball joints on these 4,600-odd vehicles may have been incorrectly installed or repaired at the factory. Due to that process error, the ball joint may only be partially engaged to the knuckle as it should be. The ball joint may then be able to separate from the rest of the assembly, potentially causing the driver to lose control while driving and increasing the risk of a crash.
Specifically, this recall impacts 2,357 2022-2026 Maverick compact trucks built between March 5, 2021 and March 25, 2026. The remaining 2,296 2021-2026 Ford Bronco Sports were built between March 11, 2020 and April 28, 2026.
Ford’s investigation into the issue points to operator error at the assembly plant
After Ford’s Critical Concern Group started reviewing the issue on May 12, after the automaker’s chassis team identified a warranty claim for a Bronco Sport that came in after just a month on the road with a misaligned left front wheel, the safety body concluded the most likely culprit was an operator improperly assembling the front left control arm ball joint. Some vehicles built before June 1, 2025 may have been shipped without the front lower control arm ball stud inserted into the wheel knuckle before a critical pinch bolt that holds the two pieces together. Vehicles built after that date may have been flagged for in-plant repair to ensure the bolt is secure, but never had the repair done before leaving the plant.
To-date, Ford says it is aware of three potential warranty claims — all of which are Bronco Sports — related to the problem. There are no claims of accidents or injuries, fortunately, but the company is nonetheless recalling this population of Bronco Sport SUVs and closely related Maverick trucks to sort out the issue.
What’s the fix and when is it happening?
For the immediate future, the critical component of this recall campaign is the instruction that owners do not drive their vehicles. While that is an obvious and major inconvenience, Ford is jumping on notifying owners to the problem immediately. Bronco Sport and Maverick owners in the recall population should receive a notification by Friday, June 5, if they haven’t gotten one already. VINs are also already searchable through Ford’s recall website (recall number 26S36) or the NHTSA’s online portal (recall number 26V-340).
Ford dealers should work with customers to either send someone out to inspect vehicles at the owner’s location, or tow them in for service. Technicians will then inspect the front lower control arm ball joint to ensure it is securely attached to the wheel knuckle on both sides of the vehicle. If either isn’t properly attached, they will repair it, free of charge.
