DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. will pay a penalty of up to $165 million to the U.S. government for moving too slowly on a recall and failing to give accurate recall information.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that the civil penalty is the second-largest in its 54-year history. Only the fine Takata paid for faulty air bag inflators was higher.

The agency said Ford was too slow to recall vehicles with faulty rearview cameras, and it failed to give the agency complete information, which is required by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Ford agreed to a consent order with the agency that includes a payment of $65 million, and $45 million in spending to comply with the law. Another $55 million will be deferred.

“Timely and accurate recalls are critical to keeping everyone safe on our roads,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said. “When manufacturers fail to prioritize the safety of the American public and meet their obligations under federal law, NHTSA will hold them accountable.”

Under the order, an independent third party will oversee the automaker’s recall performance obligations for at least three years, and Ford has to cooperate with the monitor.

Ford also has to review all recalls over the last three years to make sure enough vehicles have been recalled, and file new recalls if necessary.

The company also must review and change its recall decision-making process, improving the way it analyzes data to find safety defects in its vehicles. It also has to invest in technology so it can trace parts by vehicle identification numbers.

Ford says it will invest the $45 million into advanced data analytics, a new document system, and a new testing lab.

“We appreciate the opportunity to resolve this matter with NHTSA and remain committed to continuously improving safety,” Ford said in a statement.

Under the law, an automaker has to notify NHTSA by filing a defect report within five working days of finding out that a line of vehicles has a safety defect.

The problematic recall of more than 620,000 vehicles in the U.S., over 700,000 in North America, came in September of 2020 for rear-view cameras that can fail on several 2020 models, including the F-Series pickup, the top selling vehicle in the U.S.

In agency documents, NHTSA said Ford found warranty claims about the faulty cameras from February through April of 2020, and the matter was brought to a Ford committee in May of that year.

In July of 2020, NHTSA contacted Ford about complaints it had received about failing cameras, and during an August 2020, meeting with NHTSA, Ford showed data for many 2020 models with high camera failure rates.

The company did the recall on Sept. 23, 2020, and about a year later NHTSA began investigating whether the recall was done quickly enough or included enough vehicles.

In 2022 and 2024, Ford did two more recalls for the same problem, adding about 24,000 vehicles to the first camera recall.

In the consent order, NHTSA said its investigation found that Ford violated multiple parts of the law by moving too slowly to recall vehicles with faulty cameras, giving the agency inaccurate or incomplete information, and failing to turn in required quarterly reports about additional recalls.

The order said that Ford disagreed with its assertions.

For several years, high warranty and recall costs have dinged Ford’s profits, but the company says it’s working to fix the issues.

The penalty doesn’t end conflicts between Ford and NHTSA.

Earlier this year the agency opened an investigation into a Ford SUV recall repair that doesn’t fix gasoline leaks that can cause engine fires. Investigators wrote in an April 25 letter to Ford that they have “significant safety concerns” about a March 8 recall of nearly 43,000 Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs.

Ford said in documents that fuel injectors can crack, allowing gas or vapor to leak near hot engine parts, potentially causing fires and injuries. But the fix is to add a drain tube to send the gas away from hot surfaces and software that cuts off the fuel supply if it detects a leak.

In the letter, the agency’s Office of Defects Investigation wrote that based on its review of the recall fix, it “believes that the remedy program does not address the root cause of the issue and does not proactively call for the replacement of defective fuel injectors prior to their failure.”

Ford said that it has a strong recall process and is committed to complying with the law, but it can always improve. It said it has learned from the camera recall.

“We look forward to working with NHTSA and the independent third party to implement further enhancements,” Ford said.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visited the Detroit Economic Club (DEC) on Thursday. The crowd of mostly business leaders provided a more formal setting than the former president’s usual campaign rallies.

Trump told the crowd that, if elected, he wants to make interest rates on car loans fully deductible to promote buying. Currently, that benefit only exists for certain businesses and individuals who are self-employed.

The former president also vowed to lower the corporate tax rate by 6% if he returns to office.

“Cutting it from 21% all the way down to 15%,” says Trump, “but only for those who make their product in the USA.”

During his roughly two hours on stage, Trump talked a lot about wanting to introduce new tariffs for manufacturing abroad. However, he did not offer much detail on what those numbers could look like.

Detroit remark

Trump sprinkled in a number of jabs at his political opponents throughout his speech. At one point, he took aim at the city of Detroit while criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris.

“You want to know the truth?” Trump said. “It will be like Detroit. Our whole country will end up being like Detroit if she’s your president. You’re going to have a mess on your hands.”

That comment sparked backlash from a number of Michiganders, including Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. He responded to Trump in a social media post, saying: “Crime is down and our population is growing. Lots of cities should be like Detroit. And we did it all without Trump’s help.”

While outside perceptions of Detroit are often fueled by memories of automotive bailouts and a 2013 bankruptcy filing, the city’s recovery over the last decade is a point of pride for many locals. Last year, violent crime fell to its lowest level since 1966 and the population rose for the first time since 1957.

In a statement to WDET, Trump’s campaign commented its stance that poverty and violent crime rates are too high in the city — adding that the auto industry isn’t what it once was.

“As President Trump emphasized in his speech, his policies will usher in a new era of economic success and stability for Detroit, helping the city reach its fullest potential,” said Victoria LaCivita, Trump’s Michigan communications director.

“This guy is calling us ugly and then asking us out on a date.”

-Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel

With the Presidential Election less than a month away, Democrats from around the state have jumped on the opportunity to defend Detroit.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called the city, “the epitome of ‘grit,’ defined by winners willing to get their hands dirty to build up their city and create their communities,” via social media.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Dana Nessel questioned the wording of Trump’s remark, posting: “This guy is calling us ugly and then asking us out on a date.”

Auto industry

Republican vice presidential pick JD Vance was recently non-committal on whether the Republican ticket would honor the $500 million in government money earmarked to help General Motors’ Lansing plant transition to electric vehicle production.

That came after Trump made remarks about revoking some of the money promised to businesses under the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act during past campaign stops. However, Trump did not mention this topic at the DEC and it remains unclear where Trump and Vance stand on GM’s Lansing factory.

Donald Trump did frequently tell the audience he wants to repeal a so-called nationwide “EV mandate.” While the Biden Administration has legislated future guidelines on tailpipe emissions, there are no federal-level laws to outright ban the sale of gas vehicles.

Read more:

• Metro Detroiters lay out the issues and candidates shaping their vote
• Vance, Republicans stress voting during Eastern Market stop in Detroit
• Harris rallies supporters in Redford Township, Flint

The latest polling continues to show a statistical dead-heat in the presidential race across political battleground states like Michigan.

Surveys also reveal the chief concern for most voters remains the state of the economy and the high cost of living.

Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have each touted their vision for the economy during recent campaign stops in Michigan.

At a town hall in Warren last Friday, former Trump claimed he would use a combination of tariffs and corporate tax breaks to protect U.S. jobs.

“You have to elect a person with business talent and common sense, and this whole thing is going to turn around very quickly,” Trump said.

Trump also made a stop at FALK, a manufacturing company in West Michigan, to promote his economic recovery plan. Harris counters that Trump’s tax plan could push the economy towards a recession.

At a recent town hall in Oakland County with Oprah Winfrey, Harris said she will work to stop what she calls “price gouging” by companies, and provide loans for small business start-ups and first-time home buyers.

One of the signature accomplishments of Trump’s term was the U.S. Mexico-Canada trade agreement that replaced NAFTA — a deal United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain says is bad for autoworkers.

“Donald Trump wants to spin this that he fixed NAFTA. He didn’t fix anything. He made it worse,” Fain said. “The deficits and the trade imbalance grew worse under Trump’s NAFTA.”

A report by the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that the yearly trade deficit increased by about $200 billion from 2016 to 2020.

In a statement released last Thursday, Harris said she wanted a full review of the deal when it comes up in 2026.

Drumming up union support

Winning over auto workers — and union members — has been a top priority for both Harris and Trump during the 2024 election cycle.

Many unions — including the United Auto Workers — have endorsed Harris, though strong support for Trump by the Teamsters’ rank-and-file likely led to the leadership deciding not to make an endorsement. The inaction has been celebrated as a win for the Trump campaign.

Trump — and other Republicans — have referred to federal environmental rules surrounding fuel economy standards as an “electric vehicle mandate”.

That’s something that rankles Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters.

“Well, let’s be clear, there’s not a mandate on electric vehicles. People will be free to choose the vehicles that they would like, but we also have to make electric vehicles because we are in global competition for the next generation of vehicles and the future of the auto industry, which is electric,” Peters said.

A study from J.D. Power and Associates found EV sales make up about 9% of all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S.

And a recent report from NPR showed that the Americans who are most skeptical about the environmental benefits of EVs, also tend to be the people who worry the least about the climate.

Trump has stated that EVs will kill the American auto industry — though he did soften his stance a bit after being supported by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. During Friday’s town hall event, Trump vowed to increase the use of oil and gas reserves and levy heavy tariffs on foreign products to help drive energy costs down.

On this episode of the Detroit Evening Report, we discuss recent honors given to the city of Detroit for two “blight to beauty” projects in the city; a new tentative deal between UAW and Ford for Tool and Dye workers at the automaker’s River Rouge complex and more.

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From blight to beauty

The city of Detroit has received multiple awards for excellence in design for two “blight to beauty” projects — the new Jason Hargrove Transit Center and the redesign of Roosevelt Park in front of the Michigan Central Station. Roosevelt Park received the 2024 President’s award from Keep Michigan Beautiful. And the Hargrove Transit Center received the Best Regional Project from the Engineering News Record.

UAW, Ford make tentative deal 

UAW Local 600’s Tool and Die unit at Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge plant has reached a tentative agreement with the automaker. The union announced Thursday that it secured a deal that will strengthen job security by protecting against the impacts of advancements in 3D printing. The deal also eliminates a wage disparity for skilled trades. Roughly 500 UAW members still need to vote to ratify the deal, which if approved, could set a new standard for skilled trades at Ford, the union said.

“The members at the Rouge Complex understand the power of strength in numbers,” said UAW Vice President Chuck Browning in a statement. “They stuck together and showed Ford that they were willing to stand up if necessary to win what they deserve.”

Detroit Fire hosts leadership roundtable

The Detroit Fire Department held a Fire Leadership Roundtable for departments across metro Detroit and Windsor. The event was designed to build partnerships, discuss best practices and encourage training collaborations and resource sharing between departments. Detroit Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms says the event opened up lines of communication between fire and emergency response departments and helped build strong relationships.

Detroit/Metro Black Tech Talent Survey results

The Detroit Regional Chamber  and Mich Auto are hosting a virtual event at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, to unveil the findings from the Detroit/Metro Black Tech Talent survey conducted this fall. The survey assessed the recruitment and retention of Black tech talent in the city. The chamber will share the results of the survey and moderate a panel of industry leaders and innovators to discuss strategies for building a more inclusive tech ecosystem. Visit the Detroit Regional Chamber website for more information and to register.

‘Girls in the Graveyard’ at Elmwood Cemetery

The Outlier Collective is hosting “Girls in the Graveyard” a celebration of Detroit women at Elmwood Cemetery, on Saturday, Oct. 19. Guests will experience a guided tour of the women buried at the cemetery with Elmwood’s Director of Education Amy Elliot Bragg, followed by treats provided by Sister Pie. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased in advance at Eventbrite.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The United Auto Workers plans to hold strike authorization votes at as many as 28 Stellantis local chapters in the next couple weeks.

Stellantis has rolled back a planned restart of production at a Jeep factory in Belvidere, Illinois. The commitment — which the union said it won in last year’s contract — was also supposed to include an auto parts hub and a new battery plant.

The UAW has also filed unfair labor practice charges against the automaker with the National Labor Relations Board.

The union says Stellantis has failed to keep workers updated on changes to product commitments. That includes shifting production of the Dodge Durango SUV from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario.

UAW workers launched a strike against all three automakers for six weeks during contract negotiations.

Union President Shawn Fain says automakers will be held accountable for violations of that contract.

““This is about enforcing a contract for all of us, we all sacrifice something to win these product and investment commitments,” Fain said in a video to members on Tuesday.

“We all — every plant — are at risk if the company can violate these agreements.”

In a statement, Stellantis says it doesn’t believe it has violated any part of the agreement.

“The commitments we made during 2023 negotiations span the life of the four-year, 7.5-month agreement, so it is not surprising that they haven’t been fully realized in the first year. And to be clear, Shawn Fain’s claim that the company has confirmed plans for the Dodge Durango is simply not true.”

The conflict with the UAW comes at a tumultuous time for the automaker, which builds Jeeps, Ram pickups, Chryslers and others.

Last week, the Stellantis National Dealer Council sent an open letter to CEO Carlos Tavares criticizing the automaker for degradation of the company’s brands.

After record profits last year, sales in 2024 have been sluggish. Though the automaker took “exception” to the letter and says sales improved over the summer.

The Dealer Council and the UAW agree there are issues with Stellantis leadership.

“We aren’t the problem. The market isn’t the problem. Carlos Tavares is the problem,” Fain said.

Read more: 

• Fain, UAW rally in Warren after Stellantis announces mass layoffs at truck plant
• Looking back at the automotive labor movement in 2023
• UAW continues organizing efforts at non-union factories in the South

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s road safety agency wants the auto industry to design new vehicles including i ncreasingly large SUVs and pickup trucks so they reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it’s proposing a new rule setting testing and performance requirements to minimize the risk of pedestrian head injuries.

The rule would cover all passenger vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, but it’s is aimed largely at big SUVs and pickups, which have grown in size and hood height over the years, causing blind spots for drivers.

NHTSA said pedestrian deaths increased 57% from 2013 to 2022, from 4,779 to 7,522. The agency says the rule would save 67 lives per year.

Data show that nearly half of all pedestrian deaths when hit by the front of a vehicle are most common for SUVs and trucks.

The proposed rule, required by Congress in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, would set test procedures to simulate head-to-hood impact as well as requirements to reduce the risk of head injuries. Human-like head dummies that simulate children and adults would be used in testing, NHTSA said in a prepared statement.

“We have a crisis of roadway deaths, and it’s even worse among vulnerable road users like pedestrians,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said in the statement. “This proposed rule will ensure that vehicles will be designed to protect those inside and outside from serious injury or death.”

Messages were left Monday seeking comment from automakers and the industry’s main trade association.

The infrastructure law required NHTSA to make U.S. regulations match a global pedestrian safety rule, with a regulation that would focus on vehicles made uniquely for the U.S. market.

Through August, SUVs and trucks of all sizes accounted for almost 79% of new vehicles sales in the U.S., according to Motorintelligence.com.

Last year, an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found that vehicles with higher, more vertical front ends raise risks for pedestrians. The research arm of the insurance industry found that pickups, SUVs and vans with a hood height greater than 40 inches are about 45% more likely to cause deaths in pedestrian crashes than cars and other vehicles with a hood height of 30 inches or less and a sloping profile.

The authors also questioned whether wider pillars holding up roofs of the larger vehicles make it harder for drivers to spot people walking near the corners of vehicles.

Consumer Reports found in 2021 that elevated vehicle hoods also obstructed driver views of pedestrians crossing before them.

The magazine and website found that pickup truck hood heights have risen 11% since 2000. The hood of a 2017 Ford F-250 heavy-duty pickup was 55 inches off the ground, as tall as the roofs of some cars.

Consumer Reports said it measured visibility for 15 new vehicles, including full-size trucks. Due to height and long hoods, it found that front blind spots in some trucks were 11 feet longer than some sedans and 7 feet longer than many popular SUVs.

Automakers and the public can comment on the proposal for 60 days, after which NHTSA will draw up a final regulation.

By Tom Krisher.

Local 283 President Steve Hicks says they are asking for union security, seniority rights and an increase in pay.

“Since the pandemic, inflation is sky high from 2019 in double digits, and has cut into the spendable income of our members here,” Hicks told WDET. “So we need to get [a] percentage that’s a lot higher than what they are offering, which is 3% per year.”

Hicks says the union sent several emails asking to bargain over the last offer made by Marathon, but were denied.

In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Marathon officials said they were “disappointed” that union members decided to go on strike, saying the company has met with union leadership regularly for the last nine months to reach a new labor agreement.

“The company has negotiated in good faith, but the union thus far has been unwilling to agree to acceptable terms for an agreement and, instead, has decided to engage in a strike in support of its bargaining positions,” the statement read. “We are fully prepared and have implemented plans to continue safely operating the facility with trained and qualified Marathon employees, and a safe and orderly handover to these experienced team members has been completed.”

The Michigan Department of Transportation is lifting some restrictions for transporting certain hazardous substances across the Ambassador Bridge this fall.

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MDOT will ease restrictions on transporting fuels and materials for batteries beginning Oct. 29. The bridge’s owners requested the looser restrictions, saying it can respond quickly to a fire or spill. 

MDOT commissioned a technical study  in June 2021 to evaluate the risks associated with transporting restricted materials on the Ambassador Bridge from Porter Street in Detroit to Canada, the state reported. MDOT subsequently collected more than 80 letters from elected officials, business owners and community members, many expressing support for the looser restrictions.

Restricted materials will only be transported during off-peak hours, under the supervision of vehicle escorts, according to the state.

Other headlines for Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024:

• The city of Detroit is holding informational sessions this month to teach local nonprofits how to apply for grants to expand or improve their programs.
• Detroit is also offering free estate planning workshops to residents during the month of September.
• The Brightmoor Artisans Collective is recruiting volunteers for its Beautification Day event Saturday, Sept. 7. 
• The Paradise Wellness Academy is hosting a free Community Health Education series this month, featuring live cooking demonstrations and tips for preparing nutritious meals, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Sept. 12, 19 and 26. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.