Ford is recalling nearly 1.4 million F-150 pickups: here’s why
20 April 15:07
The American automaker Ford has announced a large-scale recall of approximately 1.4 million F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. market. The recall is due to a technical defect that causes the automatic transmission to suddenly shift into a lower gear while the vehicle is in motion.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" citing Reuters.
The decision was made following an investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The regulator confirmed the risk of accidents due to the transmission’s malfunction.
The nature of the problem and the risks
The recall applies to 2015–2017 model year vehicles equipped with the 6R80 6-speed automatic transmission.
Key findings of the investigation:
- Technical cause: Over time, heat and vibration cause electrical connections to wear out, resulting in a loss of signal from the gear range sensor.
- Consequences: Receiving incorrect signals causes the system to suddenly shift into first gear, regardless of the vehicle’s current speed.
- Incident statistics: Ford is currently aware of one crash and two injuries potentially related to this defect.
The company’s dealers will perform a free software update for the powertrain control module to resolve the issue.
Investigation History
The first safety inspections of Ford pickups began back in March of last year following numerous complaints from owners. This year, the NHTSA expanded its investigation, which ultimately forced the automaker to take such a significant step. The F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S., so this recall has a significant impact on the market and the brand’s reputation.
