America’s second-largest automobile manufacturer, Ford Motor, said on Tuesday that it would recall 668,000 F-150 pickup trucks from the 2014 model year worldwide.
The recall was prompted because vehicles could unexpectedly downshift into first gear, leading to drivers losing control – with this fault causing at least one serious accident.
Extent of The Problem Revealed
Ford Motor told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that a loss of signal could cause a transmission downshift regardless of the speed of the vehicle.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said one owner _”_experienced an unexpected downshift causing his vehicle to crash into a concrete barrier and another vehicle, injuring both him and the driver of the other vehicle._”_
The Vehicles Being Recalled
The new Ford recall covers 552,00 vehicles in the US, and a little over 100,000 in the rest of the world.
Ford says there have been 300 warranty reports, 124 customer complaints, and 96 field reports concerning 482 vehicles related to the unexpected transmission downshifting problem.
The Ford F-Series
The Ford F-Series is a series of trucks manufactured by Ford Motor Company since 1948. It is one of the most popular vehicles in the US, selling over half-a-million vehicles every year.
The Ford F-series truck has been the best-selling vehicle in the US for over 4 decades. Ford Motor last issued a recall in 2016.
A Series of Headaches For Ford
The new recall from the automaker follows an investigation by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concerning the possible need for a recall of the 2014 model trucks.
Previously, Ford issued a recall in 2016 for 2011-2012 Ford F-150 vehicles.
The 2016 Recall
In 2016, Ford recalled 153,000 2011-2012 Ford F-150 vehicles with six-speed automatic transmissions after they were beset by a downward shift issue.
After a 2017 NHTSA investigation, Ford expanded that recall in 2019 to cover nearly 1.5 million F-150 trucks across North America.
A Warning Sign For Drivers
For some drivers of the recalled vehicles, there have been warning signs accompanying the downshift – with the fault illuminating the Malfunction Indicator Light.
The safety recall report says, “In some cases, the OSS signal could recover while driving and the vehicle will resume normal function; in other cases, the vehicle may need to be stopped and restarted to regain normal transmission operation.”
Ford Speak Out
In a statement released on Tuesday, Ford said it expects repairs for the impacted cars will be available in the third quarter of 2024.
The automaker, based in Dearborn, Michigan, said it is aware of 130 complaints made to the government, and 52 of those complaints alleging that rear wheels locked up or that drivers lost control of their vehicle.
Reimbursement Opportunities For Drivers
Ford dealers will update the powertrain control software of the recalled vehicles at no cost to owners. Impacted owners are set to be notified of this via letters sent in early July.
The recall safety report adds, “Owners who have paid to have these repairs completed at their own expense may be eligible for reimbursement, in accordance with the recall reimbursement plan on file with NHTSA.”
Resources For Drivers
The recall safety report says that those impacted by the recall can call Ford’s toll-free line at 1-866-436-7332.
Alternately, drivers who have paid to have these repairs completed at their own expense may be eligible for reimbursement.
