Legacy automaker Ford’s (F) has had no shortage of problems over 2025, the kind of problems that require cars to be returned to dealerships in order to be fixed. Another such problem recently emerged that this time targeted close to 175,000 vehicles. But Ford investors took the whole matter in stride and sent shares up fractionally in Tuesday afternoon’s trading.
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The problem this time around, amazingly enough, is in the moonroof of several vehicles. Apparently, there is an issue with the wind deflector, specifically, the clips that keep it attached to the moonroof frame. If the deflector is not correctly attached, the wind can cause the deflector to detach from the frame. And, at highway speeds, this would essentially cause the wind deflector to become a small plastic missile that could “…increase…risk of a crash or road hazard.”
The vehicles included in this latest recall are F-150 pickups from 2021 to 2023, F-250, F-350, and F-450 pickups from 2022, Expeditions from 2021 to 2022, and Lincoln Navigators from the same time period. The failure may be preceded by an audible warning; if you hear the frame rattle or notice more wind in the vehicle than normal, yours may be about to fail. But, as usual, dealerships will inspect and repair the deflectors for free.
Mapping the TransAmerica Trail
Meanwhile, Ford got involved with Alphabet (GOOGL) to carry out a major project, one that will likely be welcome for off-road enthusiasts all over the United States. Ford and Google Maps got together to map the TransAmerica Trail, a trail that runs over 5,900 miles, from Oregon to North Carolina.
Google Maps put Street View cameras on a Ford Bronco, and sent the resulting beast down the trail, recording as it went down unpaved roads and a variety of terrain features. And now, the TransAmerica Trail is yours to follow, start to finish, without ever leaving your home thanks to Google Maps.
Is Ford Stock a Good Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on F stock based on two Buys, 10 Holds and two Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 25.41% rally in its share price over the past year, the average F price target of $12.06 per share implies 8.95% downside risk.
