Laguna Hills, CA – May 28, 2019 – Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2019 Ranger pickup trucks because the transmission may unexpectedly switch to a different gear from what the shift lever indicates, and if the parking brake is not applied before exiting the truck, the vehicle may roll. As many as 2,534 vehicles may be affected by these issues.
The Defect
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report on this matter, the fasteners attaching the transmission shifter cable bracket to the transmission may come loose, resulting in the vehicle being in a gear different from that which is indicated by the gearshift lever’s position. When the transmission gear does not match what is shown by the lever, the vehicle could move in an unexpected direction, including rolling away while in the Park position unless the parking brake is engaged before leaving the vehicle. These problems may increase the risk of injury or crashes affecting vehicle occupants, passersby and any autos in the vicinity.
Timeline of Events
Ford learned of the problem April 25, 2019 when two warranty reports indicated issues with vehicles not starting as well as rolling away while in Park. One report involved a vehicle in which the gear shifter was in the Park position while the instrument panel displayed Drive, resulting in the inability to start. In the other report, the vehicle did not start, did not register as being in Park and rolled when the shifter indicated Park. In both situations, the issue was attributed to loose or missing transmission shift cable bracket fasteners. Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group began an investigation upon learning of these reports.
Following a review of assembly plant records, it was discovered that a manual torque verification process had been temporarily substituted for the automated installation and torque verification for the shift cable bracket fasteners. This happened in vehicles produced between March 5 and March 13. The automaker conducted an audit of the 277 vehicles manufactured during this time frame and found four vehicles with improperly torqued transmission shift cable bracket fasteners.
Ford’s Field Review Committee approved a field action May 6. As of that date, the automaker was not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to these issues.
The Solution
A recall is expected to begin July 1, 2019. Ford will inform owners, instructing them to bring affected vehicles back to the dealership for repair. Dealers will inspect and tighten the transmission shift cable bracket fasteners as needed. They will also verify the proper transmission shift operation, at no cost to owners.
Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 19S15. Owners may also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to the NHTSA’s www.safercar.gov website. The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 19V366000.
