Ford Motors said on Tuesday that it was recalling 668 000 F-150 pick-up trucks worldwide from the 2014 model year because vehicles can unexpectedly downshift into the first gear causing a loss of driver control or rear-wheel lockup.
A loss of signal can cause a transmission downshift, regardless of vehicle speed, the company told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Dealers will update the powertrain control module software in the trucks.
The Ford F-series pickup truck has been the best selling vehicle in the US for more than 40 years.
This is the latest recall by the automaker over the issue since 2016 and comes after NHTSA in March opened an investigation into whether 2014 model trucks needed to be recalled after receiving complaints about trucks unexpectedly downshifting without warning.
The new recall covers 552 000 vehicles in the US Ford said it is aware of 300 warranty reports, 96 field reports and 124 customer complaints covering 482 vehicles related to unexpected transmission downshifting on 2014 F-150 vehicles, including two injury reports and one crash that may be related to the recall issue.
NHTSA said one owner said he “experienced an unexpected downshift causing his vehicle to crash into a concrete barrier.”
Cape Times