Josh Halliburton HAL 1.91%▲ joined Ford F -0.46%▼ Motor Co. in January to help improve its shaky quality record. Within months it was clear how big a challenge he faced. In May, the auto giant recalled some Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators after reports of fires while vehicles were parked. In June, it recalled roughly 49,000 Mustang Mach-E electric SUVs over concerns that the battery could overheat and cause the vehicle to lose power. In the first seven months of the year, Ford had 46 separate safety recalls on 6.8 million vehicles, more than any other U.S. auto maker. “That’s not good enough,” said Mr. Halliburton, Ford’s newly hired executive director of quality. “We want to be a quality leader.” An auto maker once touted for its quality record—“Quality is Job 1” was its slogan for much of the 1980s and 1990s—is betting that Mr. Halliburton can help restore […]