Ford Motor Company has issued a recall for certain 2025 Ford Ranger trucks due to a potential problem with the passenger airbag system. According to the automaker, a manufacturing error could prevent the airbag from deploying properly in the event of a collision, creating an increased risk of injury for passengers.
While the issue affects only a limited number of vehicles, Ford is taking immediate action to ensure compliance with federal safety standards and to protect customer safety.
The Issue: Faulty Instrument Panel Scoring
The concern originates from the instrument panel (IP) assembly—specifically the laser scoring process used on the underside of the IP topper. The scoring defines the precise way the airbag deploys through the dashboard surface.
Ford discovered that the supplier, Yanfeng (YF), had unintentionally altered the laser scoring parameters during production. This seemingly small change resulted in a deviation from the approved design, affecting the scoring pattern in certain 2025 Ford Ranger vehicles.
This flaw may cause the passenger airbag to deploy more slowly or not fully deploy at all, especially during cold-temperature conditions or low-output deployments. During internal safety testing, Ford observed that in some cases, the airbag cushion failed to completely exit the panel surface, creating a potential hazard and violating Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 208, which govern occupant crash protection performance.
Timeline of Events
The airbag concern was identified and escalated through Ford’s quality and safety review process over the course of several weeks:
- September 10, 2025: Supplier Yanfeng notifies Ford of an unintended change to the laser scoring process.
- September 18, 2025: Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) launches a detailed investigation into the issue.
- September 9, 2025: The supplier revises the laser scoring process to match the original specifications and validates the fix.
- October 3, 2025: Ford’s Field Review Committee reviews the findings, confirms non-compliance with FMVSS 208, and authorizes a field action.
Although Ford is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or customer complaints linked to the problem, the company has decided to act out of caution and replace affected components.
What Ford Owners Need to Know
Owners of affected 2025 Ford Ranger trucks will be contacted directly by Ford. Here’s what you should know about the recall:
- Recall Number: 25C54
- NHTSA Campaign ID: 25V-678
- Remedy: Ford dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly.
- Notification Schedule:
- Interim owner letters were mailed on October 24, 2025, to inform customers of the issue.
- Final remedy letters will be mailed once replacement parts are available and the repair process begins.
