Over 550,000 pickup trucks manufactured by Ford are being recalled in the United States due to a potential issue with their transmissions. These trucks have been found to be downshifting to first gear without warning, regardless of the speed they are traveling at.
Ford’s F-150 pickups from the 2014 model year are subject to a recall. These pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the United States.
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According to documents posted by U.S. safety regulators on Tuesday, Ford has stated that the downshifting can result in the loss of control for drivers of the trucks, thereby elevating the risk of an accident.
In March, U.S. auto safety regulators initiated an investigation into over 540,000 Ford pickup trucks from 2014 following complaints that they can suddenly shift down to a lower gear, posing a potential crash hazard. As a result, the automaker has issued recalls for these vehicles.
According to official documents, a disruption in the transmission speed sensor signal and the powertrain control computer is the root cause of the issue. Additionally, potential factors such as corrosion and connector pin malfunctions may also contribute to the problem.
In early July, owners will receive letters notifying them that dealers will update the powertrain control software at no cost. This update will significantly improve the performance of their vehicles.
Ford announced on Tuesday that repairs should be ready for owners in the third quarter of this year. Participating dealerships will offer mobile service or pickup and delivery options for convenience.
According to documents posted on Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford has acknowledged 396 warranty and field reports and 124 customer complaints regarding the issue, which has impacted a total of 482 trucks.
According to Ford, there have been 130 complaints to the government regarding their trucks, with 52 of them stating that the rear wheels locked up or that drivers lost control of the vehicle. Out of these complaints, two people reported injuries while one reported a crash that could have been caused by the issue.
According to Ford’s statement, drivers would be able to notice a malfunction indicator light on the dashboard before the trucks downshift. While in some cases, the signals could be restored while the trucks are still moving and can be driven normally, in other cases, drivers may have to stop and restart the engine to ensure that the transmissions are working accurately.
According to the company, the issue is anticipated to affect less than 1% of the vehicles that have been recalled.
In March, NHTSA initiated an investigation into sudden downshifts in the automatic transmissions of the trucks, following several complaints.
The agency is currently investigating whether the trucks in question ought to have been encompassed in the previous recalls that addressed the issue.
In 2016, Ford initiated the recall of trucks and various other vehicles manufactured between 2011-2012. Later, in 2019, two more recalls were added, specifically for pickups made from 2011-2013. Altogether, around 1.5 million vehicles were affected by these recalls.
According to the company, they are collaborating with NHTSA to assist with the investigation.
If you have any queries regarding the recall, you can contact Ford’s customer service team at (866) 436-7332. Kindly note that the recall number for this particular issue is “24S37.”
If you’re a vehicle owner, you can reach out to NHTSA’s safety hotline at (888) 327-4236 or toll-free at 1-800-424-9153. You can also visit www.nhtsa.gov to access more information regarding safety concerns.
Previous F-150 recalls
In January, Ford issued a recall of almost 113,000 F-150 pickup trucks due to fears that the rear axle hub could snap off. This issue could result in the truck losing power or even rolling away while in park.
In July 2023, the automaker issued a recall for approximately 870,000 F-150 pickup trucks due to a defective parking brake. The brake had the potential to activate on its own, which could result in the driver losing control of the vehicle.
