Ford has announced a safety recall for around 144,000 F-150 trucks in Canada due to an issue with the gearshift that could affect the driver’s control. The problem affects certain vehicles with six-speed automatic transmissions produced between 2015 and 2017. In the United States, nearly 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, which can result in a signal problem from a transmission sensor. This can lead to an unexpected downshift to a lower gear while the vehicle is in motion, potentially causing a brief reduction in wheel speed and rear tire sliding until the vehicle slows down.
Two injuries and one accident possibly linked to this problem have been reported. Ford has stated that dealers can update the vehicles’ Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software to resolve the issue. Alternatively, if a vehicle previously showed specific diagnostic trouble codes related to the sensor, Ford will replace the transmission lead frame at no cost.
To check if their F-150 is affected, drivers can input their Vehicle Identification Number on Ford’s recall webpage.