More than 1,500 2022 Ford F-150 Raptors have been recalled for a problem with their lug nut torque that could result in their wheels falling off, posing the risk of a crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall Sept. 8, which affects 2022 Raptors with 37-inch tires built from April 19 to Aug. 11, 2022. A document submitted by Ford says the problem was discovered when a technician noticed improper wheel lug torque on a prototype 2023 Raptor. An investigation traced the problem to a new automated lug nut machine on the production line, which was incorrectly set to 125 pound-feet of torque rather than the intended 147.5 lb-ft.
The setting has been corrected on the production line, but it forced Ford to audit trucks it had already built. A subsequent inspection of 477 vehicles determined 236 had “low residual torque,” forcing Ford to recall all Raptors built between the lug nut machine’s installation and the problem’s discovery. Ford says up to 1,519 trucks may be affected, though it says it is unaware of any crashes caused by the issue.
Notification letters will be sent to owners soon, which will instruct owners to visit a local Ford dealer to have the problem corrected. This will involve having the lug nuts tightened for free. Alternatively, Raptor owners with their own torque wrenches can save themselves a trip by simply tightening their own lugs to spec.
Regardless of how it’s done, it’s simply crucial that it be done as soon as possible—and definitely before doing any further off-roading. Wouldn’t want to part with your 37-inch tires while landing from a jump in the dunes, or halfway up a mountain for that matter.
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