Ford has announced a safety recall for approximately 144,000 F-150 trucks in Canada, citing concerns over a gearshift issue that could affect driver control. The problem affects select vehicles with six-speed automatic transmissions manufactured between 2015 and 2017. In the United States, nearly 1.4 million vehicles are affected, including certain 2014 models.
The issue stems from degraded electrical connections within the internal transmission lead frame, leading to a signal problem from a transmission sensor. This could result in an unexpected downshift to a lower gear while the vehicle is in motion, potentially causing a brief reduction in wheel speed and, in certain scenarios, rear tire sliding until the vehicle slows down.
Two injuries and one potential accident linked to the problem have been reported to Ford. The automaker has proposed a solution wherein dealers can update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software to address the issue. Alternatively, for vehicles with specific diagnostic trouble codes related 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.