Ford has announced a safety recall affecting around 144,000 F-150 trucks in Canada. The recall is a result of a gearshift issue that could affect the vehicle’s control. The problem specifically affects vehicles with six-speed automatic transmissions manufactured between 2015 and 2017. In the United States, almost 1.4 million vehicles are impacted, including some from the 2014 model year.
The issue stems from degraded electrical connections in the internal transmission lead frame, leading to a signal problem from a transmission sensor. This can result in an unexpected downshift to a lower gear while the vehicle is in motion. According to Ford, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report states that this issue may cause a brief reduction in wheel speed, potentially causing the rear tires to slide until the vehicle slows down.
Ford has reported two injuries and one accident that might be related to this problem. The automaker has offered a solution by updating the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software to resolve the issue. Alternatively, for vehicles showing specific diagnostic trouble codes linked to the sensor, Ford will replace the transmission lead frame at no cost.
F-150 owners can check if their vehicle is affected by entering their Vehicle Identification Number on Ford’s recall webpage.