Crash Hazard: Ford Recalls 1.4 Million F-150 Trucks in North America

Ford said a problem in the transmission system can result in an ‘unintended downshift into first gear’ while driving.

Ford is recalling more than 1.2 million F-150s in the U.S. and another 221,000 in Canada. A fault in the transmission may increase crash risk. The automaker today announced that select 2011-2013 Ford F-150 trucks with six-speed automatic transmissions may suddenly downshift into first gear while driving.

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The issue relates to “an intermittent loss of the transmission output speed sensor signal to the powertrain control module.” According to Ford, five incidents have been tied to the problem, with one report of whiplash as a result.

In 2016, Ford recalled more than 150,000 F-150s for the same issue. In 2017, the  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation to expand that recall by 1.4 million vehicles, according to Reuters.

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That investigation is still ongoing. But the NHTSA said the sudden downshift “can cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly and without warning [and] can also cause the rear tires to skid or lock up, increasing the risk of a crash.”

Owners should check out Ford’s recall page and use reference number 19S07.