Due to the possibility of the gearboxes abruptly downshifting to first gear regardless of the speed of the trucks, Ford is recalling over 550,000 pickup trucks in the United States.
Some 2014 model year F-150 pickups are included in the recall. The best-selling automobiles in the United States are Ford’s F-Series trucks.
According to Ford, downshifting can lead to drivers losing control of their vehicles, which raises the possibility of an accident, according to papers released by US safety authorities on Tuesday.
The recalls follow the US auto safety authorities’ investigation into accusations in March of over 540,000 Ford pickup vehicles from 2014 having the ability to suddenly change into a lower gear, which raises the possibility of a collision.
According to documents, the issue arises from a signal loss between the powertrain control computer and a gearbox speed sensor. Corrosion and connecting pin issues are other possible causes.
Early in July, owners will get letters from dealers informing them that the powertrain control software would be updated at no cost to them.
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Ford stated that it anticipates having the fixes ready by the third quarter of this year in a statement on Tuesday. Owners at participating dealers will have the option of using pickup and delivery or mobile service.
Ford states that it has 396 warranty and field reports, 124 customer complaints, and 482 trucks with the issue, according to records released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday.
According to the Dearborn, Michigan-based carmaker, the government has received 130 complaints, of which 52 claim that the trucks’ back wheels locked up or that the drivers lost control of the vehicles. According to Ford, one complaint claimed a collision that may have been brought on by the issue, while two others reported injuries.
According to Ford, there was a failure alert light on the dashboard that drivers could notice prior to the vehicles downshifting. There are instances where trucks can be driven regularly and signals can be restored while they are in motion. In other situations, in order for the gearboxes to function correctly, drivers might need to stop and start the engine.
Less than 1% of the recalled cars are anticipated to have the issue, according to the manufacturer.
According to NHTSA, reports of abrupt downshifts in the vehicles’ automated gearboxes prompted the agency to launch an inquiry in March.
The investigation by the government is focused on whether those vehicles ought to have been covered by earlier recalls due to the issue.
Ford began to recall trucks and other vehicles from the 2011 and 2012 model years in 2016. Two further recalls involving pickup trucks from the 2011 to 2013 model years were announced by Ford in 2019. Approximately 1.5 million cars were included in the recalls.
According to the corporation, it is assisting the NHTSA with the inquiry.