F-150 Rear Axle Recalls on 2021–2025 Max Tow Trucks, Explained

Is your F-150’s rear clicking the axle hub bolt?

A clicking rear wheel on a 2021–2025 F-150 has a documented cause on one setup: the Trailer Tow Max Duty package with the 9.75-inch heavy-duty rear axle. Ford has filed two safety recalls, 23S65 and 25S82, for its rear axle hub bolt.

The short answer: two recalls, one axle

Ford estimated only 1–2% of recalled trucks would fail, but a failure can mean lost drive or a truck that won’t hold in Park.

Start here if you got a recall letter

• Clicking, or holding a letter? Check the build-date table below.
• No Max Tow package? These recalls don’t apply; see our guide to F-150 problems by model year.
• Already paid for a repair? Jump to the reimbursement section.

ℹ️ Safety Note: The rear axle shaft and hub carry drive and help the truck hold in Park. Set the parking brake every time and have a Ford dealer inspect any clicking or rattling rear wheel. This article explains symptoms and coverage, not repairs.

Clicking vs. rattling: what each noise means

Ford’s recall filings describe two warning sounds, and each marks a different stage.

A click usually means the bolt is working loose

A clicking noise is what owners may hear as the hub bolt loosens. At that point the bolt is still there, but it no longer stops the hub shifting on the axle shaft.

A rattle in the center cap usually means it has broken

A rattle usually means the bolt has broken. Ford’s report notes that “the bolt head will be contained within the wheel center cap.”

A clunk as you stop has other causes; see our guide to an F-150 clunk when stopping.

Why one loose bolt can strip the whole hub

The hub bolt doesn’t hold the wheel on; its job is to stop the hub and axle shaft shifting against each other.

How fretting and corrosion eat the splines

🔍 Why It Happens: With the bolt loose or broken, the hub splines and axle-shaft splines make tiny repeated movements. Ford calls this fretting. The rubbing sheds metal particles that, in a corrosive environment, corrode, expand and speed up the wear until the splines strip.

Why the wheel won’t come off — but the truck can lose drive

Ford’s dealer instructions state that losing the hub bolt won’t make the wheel separate. The risk is stripped splines. In 4×2 the truck can lose drive (it will still move in 4×4, if equipped), and Park may not hold unless the parking brake is set.

Which F-150s are covered, by build date

Your F-150 is covered only if it has the Max Tow package and the 9.75-inch heavy-duty ¾-float axle, and it was built inside one of these windows.

Max Tow + 9.75-inch axle: the condition that matters

Model year alone doesn’t decide it. Ford says these trucks weren’t built in VIN order, so check yours with our Recall & VIN Lookup Helper.

Sources: Ford’s Part 573 reports for recall 23S65 and recall 25S82. The 22B34 row comes from Ford’s 23S65 dealer bulletin. Checked September 29, 2026.

2021–2023 trucks (23S65)

Covers 54,509 (2021), 47,886 (2022) and 10,570 (2023) trucks.

2023–2025 trucks (25S82)

Covers 44,922 (2023), 38,144 (2024) and 20,108 (2025) trucks. For a 2023, the build date decides which campaign applies.

Trucks built after May 2025

Ford introduced a revised axle shaft in May 2025; neither campaign covers later builds.

What Ford’s recall documents actually say

The paper trail runs from a service program to two federal recalls.

From a 2022 service program to two safety recalls

Before the recalls, Ford handled failures under Customer Satisfaction Program 22B34 (supplement dated July 7, 2023). Recall 23V896 followed on December 22, 2023, and final-remedy letters were mailed May 9, 2025. After counting 194 stripped-spline warranty claims on later builds, Ford filed 25V512 on August 8, 2025.

What dealers are told to replace

Ford’s dealer instructions for recall 23S65 tell technicians to replace both sides, not just the noisy one.

📋 On the Record: Both recalls replace the recalled left (ML3W-4725-C) and right (ML3W-4234-C) rear axle shaft assemblies free of charge. Ford’s 25S82 filing describes the replacements as using revised spline geometry and fasteners. Neither campaign showed a closure in the NHTSA filings we reviewed on September 29, 2026.

What the fix costs you — and when Ford pays

Covered trucks get the axle repair free; outside the campaigns, costs are less clear.

Inside a recall: $0 for both axle assemblies

💵 What It Costs: Covered by 23S65 or 25S82: $0, parts and labour, at a Ford or Lincoln dealer. Get a written quote that splits parts from labour.

💵 On these numbers: Costs shown are typical ranges, not quotes. Labour rates vary sharply by region and between dealer and independent shops, and parts pricing moves. Use these to judge whether a quote is in the right neighbourhood, not to predict your invoice.

Already paid? Reimbursement rules

Ford applies its general reimbursement plan. For 23S65, eligibility was estimated to end February 23, 2024, and refunds cover rear axle shaft and hub assembly costs. The 25S82 filing we reviewed didn’t state an end date.

Parts delays: what owners have reported

Final 23S65 parts were promised for the first quarter of 2025. For 25S82, NHTSA’s record shows owner letters mailed August 22, 2025, yet owner forum threads into early 2026 describe dealers still waiting on parts. Ask your dealer for a parts ETA in writing.

Not covered but symptomatic

Ask a Ford dealer to inspect both hub bolts, photograph any loose or broken one, and cite 25S82 as the related campaign when asking about warranty or goodwill help.

What to do until your axles are replaced

The interim steps are simple, and Ford itself recommends the first one.

Set the parking brake every time

Ford’s recall FAQ for 23S65 owners tells them to use the electronic parking brake and see a dealer if the rear-wheel center cap clicks or rattles. Set it every time, even though it applies automatically in some conditions. We cover a separate Park-related campaign for some 2021 trucks in our 2021 F-150 park pawl recall guide.

What to ask the dealer

✅ Do This: Ask the service advisor to:

1. Check OASIS for 23S65 and 25S82 on your VIN.
2. Inspect both rear wheel-end hub bolts and the hub splines.
3. If a bolt is loose or broken, replace both rear axle shaft assemblies under the recall.

F-150 rear axle recall: common questions

Your next step

Enter your 17-digit VIN in NHTSA’s recall lookup and look for 23S65 or 25S82. If either is open, book the repair and set the parking brake until it’s done. If neither appears but your truck clicks, a dealer inspection is still the right call.