Over 1.2 Million GM, Ford Vehicles Face Regulatory Review as Brake and Engine Issues Emerge

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened investigations into multiple product lines at General Motors and Ford Motor Company following reports of brake failures and other issues.

Ford Maverick Models Affected

According to documents filed by NHTSA on Monday, the agency will investigate an estimated 82,040 2024 Ford Maverick hybrid pickups, with the Office of Defects Investigation receiving reports of "intermittent loss of anti-lock braking and regenerative braking, accompanied by certain fault codes leading to crash events," the documents said.

The documents also noted that the petitioner had made multiple repair attempts and that the 2024 model year "was improperly excluded from the relevant Ford brake control software recall." Ford has long been dealing with recall issues, with recall counts reaching 137 through November 2025 since last year.

NHTSA to Investigate Over 1 Million GM Models

Separately, the agency will also investigate an estimated 1,164,820 2023-2026 Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon models, as well as 2024-2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, and Chevrolet Blazer, Equinox EV, Traverse, and Cruise Origin vehicles.

The investigation will also affect the GMC Acadia and 2025-2026 Cadillac Celestiq and Optiq models. It also impacts Honda Motor Company's 2024-2026 Acura ZDX and 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 may experience spindle fractures in the eBoost system, the report said.

GM stated in the report that "in spindle fracture events, anti-lock braking, stability control, and traction control remain functional until the vehicle comes to a complete stop," but NHTSA's ODI said the reports it received "claim immediate loss of brake assist functionality, rather than only after the vehicle has come to a complete stop."

Engine Failures

In a separate investigation, NHTSA said it received reports of engine failures in multiple 2021-2026 GM models equipped with L87 engines following a recall. That recall was issued in April of last year, affecting 597,630 trucks and SUVs in the U.S., requiring oil viscosity replacement or engine replacement.

"ODI has received 499 complaints alleging post-recall engine failures in vehicles affected by recall 25V-274, of which 473 involved oil viscosity replacement and 26 involved complete engine replacement," NHTSA documents said, while GM received 6,953 complaints related to that recall.