Ford’s Recall Problem Is So Bad That It’s Delaying New Vehicles

Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley is so fed up with being the most recalled automaker in America that he’s willing to lose money to fix what’s ballooned into a $4.8 billion a year problem.

For the foreseeable future, Farley says, the company will hold newly redesigned models for up to six weeks to perform extra quality checks that go beyond the extensive tests Ford undertakes in its factories.

Over time, the automaker hopes to reduce warranty reserves that have more than doubled in five years. In the short term, however, it means Ford will take a revenue hit by ...