Ford Motor announced that they are recalling 552,188 of its 2014 F-150 vehicles in the U.S., due to an issue which may lead the vehicle to unexpectedly downshift into the first gear, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday.
A loss of signal between the transmission output shaft speed sensor and the powertrain control module can cause a downshift, regardless of vehicle speed and lead to a loss of vehicle control, the regulator said.
Ford says in document posted on Tuesday by U.S. safety regulators that the downshifting can cause drivers to lose control of the trucks, increasing the risk of a crash.
Documents say the problem is caused by a lost signal between a transmission speed sensor and the powertrain control computer. There also could be corrosion and problems with connector pins.
As a remedy dealers will update the powertrain control software at no cost to owners, who will be notified by letters in early July.
Ford says in documents posted Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it has 396 warranty and field reports and 124 customer complaints about the problem, covering 482 trucks.
The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker says it knows of 130 complaints to the government, with 52 alleging that rear wheels locked up or that drivers lost control of the trucks. Two of the complainants reported injuries and one reported a crash that could have been caused by the problem, Ford said.
