The case was brought by the family of Melvin and Voncile Hill, a Georgia couple.

Who was driving their farm's 2002 Ford F-250 Super Duty truck?

Mr. Butler said the truck rolled over after the right front tire blew out. He went on to say that the Hills were crushed inside the truck.

The $1.7 billion verdict is thought to be one of the largest in Georgia history, and it is huge for an accident-related lawsuit involving an auto manufacturer.

The Georgia jury awarded plaintiffs Kim and Adam Hill, the children of the couple who died in the crash, on Thursday.

Mr. Butler claimed $24 million in compensatory damages. According to Mr. Butler, the jury assigned Ford 70% of the blame in the case.

For years, Ford executives have worked to address costly quality and warranty issues with their vehicles.

This includes making this a priority under the current CEO, Jim Farley.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, the company has issued 49 recalls this year, the most of any automaker.

"We're spending more time and effort upfront to ensure everything is done correctly to avoid quality issues later in the development process," Mr. Halliburton said.

He added that he expects Ford's warranty issues to improve next year, but that it may take two to three years to see the most significant results.