More Than 1.2 Million GM, Ford Vehicles Face Regulatory Scrutiny After Brake Failures and Engine Problems Surface

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched probes into multiple model lines of General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM), as well as a probe into Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) vehicles after reports of brake failures and other issues emerged.

Ford’s Maverick Units Affected

According to NHTSA filings on Monday, the agency will probe an estimated 82,040 units of the 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid pickup truck as the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received reports of “intermittent loss of antilock and regenerative braking associated with certain fault codes that led to a collision event,” the filing said.

The filing also states that the petitioner had conducted repairs on multiple occasions and that the MY 2024 was “improperly
excluded from related Ford brake-control software recalls.” Ford has grappled with recall woes for some time now, with last year’s recall tally reaching 137 by November 2025.

NHTSA To Probe More Than 1 Million GM Vehicles

On the other hand, the agency is also launching a probe into an estimated 1,164,820 units of the 2023-2026 Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon, as well as the 2024-2026 Buick Enclave, Envision and the Chevrolet
Blazer and Equinox EVs, as well as the Traverse and Cruise Origin.

The probe will also affect the GMC Acadia and the 2025-2026 Cadillac Celestiq and Optiq units. It also affects Honda Motor Co. Ltd.‘s (NYSE:HMC) 2024-2026 Acura ZDX and the 2024-2026 Honda Prologue EVs.

The issue stems from the company’s e-boost brake-by-wire system, which replaces hydraulic systems with electronic sensors and actuators and could suffer from spindle fractures in the eBoost system, the report said.

GM, in the report, said that in the “event of a spindle fracture, anti-lock brakes (ABS), stability control, and traction control remain functional until the vehicle comes to a complete stop,” but NHTSA’s ODI says it received reports that “allege an immediate loss of brake assist functionality as opposed to the loss occurring after the vehicle comes to a complete stop.”

Engine Failure

In a separate investigation, NHTSA said it received reports of engine failure post-recall on multiple 2021-2026 GM Models equipped with the L87 engine. The recall, which affected 597,630 trucks and SUVs in the U.S. and warranted an oil viscosity change or engine replacement, was issued in April last year.

“ODI has received 499 complaints alleging post-remedy engine failure in vehicles subject to Recall 25V-274, 473 of which involved an oil viscosity change and 26 a complete engine replacement,” the NHTSA filing said, while GM received 6,953 complaints related to the recall.

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