Dearborn, MI — May 28, 2016 — Some Ford drivers could experience a jarring gear change, according to a press release from the manufacturer’s official site. That source announced a new recall meant to fix a software issue that may cause unwanted transmission shifts. This was one of a series of five Ford recalls (three for safety and two for safety compliance) that will affect cars across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The shifting issue represents the largest of these recalls, with 201,900 vehicles potentially affected and total model years ranging between 2011 and 2012. The four models in question (the Ford F-150, Expedition and Mustang as well as the Lincoln Navigator) will have a 6R80 transmission.
Because of problems with an included sensor, the press release stated, vehicles could suddenly change speed and possibly lose control. Though there are no injuries or fatalities attributed to this fault, there have been three reports of accidents.
The remedy described in this statement varies slightly depending on whether or not the dealer finds diagnostic trouble codes in the vehicle’s affected control modules. Both cases involve updating the control software as necessary.
This is similar to another major recall related to shifting issues from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. In that case, the automaker recalled a total of 811,586 vehicles to address shifting systems that were confusing users.
While the models themselves did not suffer any equipment failure, a statement from that company did mention 41 injuries that may come from the difficult transmission lever. Drivers were at a possible risk if they exited these vehicles before fully parking them.
After the latest FCA enhancements, affected vehicles in this recall will reportedly automatically halt a vehicle to prevent any unintended movements. These vehicles already contain some warning systems, including chimes, to alert the driver when the car is not in park while the doors are open.
