- 75,000 Ford employees stand to get a big quality bonus.
- Comes after the automaker issued 150+ recalls last year.
- Ford focused on initial quality instead of long term quality.
Ford issued 153 recalls last year and they’ve already established a commanding lead for 2026. On top of that, the automaker recently posted an $8.2 billion net loss due, in part, to a $500 million fuel injector recall.
While these glaring red flags should serve as a wakeup call, Ford is reportedly handing out huge bonuses for quality. Citing multiple people, Reuters is reporting that CEO Jim Farley told employees to expect company-wide bonuses of 130 percent.
More: Ford Recalled More Vehicles Than The Next 9 Brands Combined In 2025
The executive reportedly went on to explain these increased bonuses are due to improved initial vehicle quality, which is measured during the first 90 days of ownership. The metric has been made famous by JD Power and the company’s 2025 U.S. Initial Quality Study found Ford was ranked slightly below average with 193 problems per 100 vehicles.
That hardly feels like something to celebrate, but Ford secured four model-level awards for the Mustang, F-150, Super Duty, and Escape. Farley also reportedly claimed the company’s initial quality was the best it has been in a decade.
Needless to say, the decision to give out quality bonuses in the wake of a major recall crisis seems about as brilliant as spending billions on EVs that few people want. However, logic has largely been thrown out the window and the publication noted “bonuses at Ford are based on a set of metrics it establishes each year.”
Initial quality was apparently a big one for 2025 and it appears approximately 75,000 workers will benefit because of it. As for millions of Ford owners, they’ll get to spend some quality time at dealerships trying to get their vehicles fixed.
