Ford issues recall for certain F-150 pickup trucks due to transmission downshifting problem
Ford is recalling 668,000 decade-old F-150 series trucks, including 95,174 in Canada, due to transmission problems that can cause the vehicle to unexpectedly shift into first gear.
The downshifting in some 2014 vehicles is caused by “a loss of signal between the transmission output shaft speed sensor and the powertrain control module,” resulting in the transmission downshifting into first gear regardless of speed, according to a document from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“Unexpected downshifting into first gear may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash,” the document states.
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software at no cost, as per the NHTSA. Notification letters should be sent out by July 1.
Transport Canada issued its recall notice on June 14, as indicated in its database.
Ford initiated an investigation into reports of transmission downshifting on the model on Feb. 8, 2024. The company noted that the issue was observed in F-150 vehicles equipped with a 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission.
Related Stories
Ford reported the issue to NHTSA on Feb. 21, with the organization launching an investigation on March 27.
F-150 vehicles from 2011 and 2012 had previously been recalled for the same issue in 2018, following reports of unexpected transmission downshifting.
Transport Canada also looked into the problem in vehicles not covered by the recall, according to documents.
“Reports of unexpected downshifts are less frequent for 2014 MY F-150 vehicles compared to the previously recalled 2011-2013 MY F-150 vehicles,” NHTSA explained.
By April, Ford had received 300 warranty reports and 142 customer complaints concerning 482 vehicles related to transmission downshifting, with 40 cases involving rear-wheel lock-up or loss of vehicle control linked to the issue.
Two complaints mentioned injuries caused by the malfunction, while one resulted in an accident.
One vehicle owner stated that the downshift caused his truck to “crash into a concrete barrier and another vehicle, injuring both him and the other driver.”
Ford’s F-series pickup truck has been the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. for over 40 years.
In 2016, the manufacturer recalled 153,000 Ford F-150 vehicles from the 2011-2012 lineup due to the transmission downshift problem with six-speed automatic transmissions.
NHTSA began investigating the issue in December 2017, leading Ford to expand the recall in February 2019 to include 1.48 million F-150 trucks, including 2013 models.
There was a separate recall for 107,000 F-150 trucks from the 2013 series due to issues with the fix.
Reuters contributed to this article.
