Dearborn, MI – April 16, 2022 – Ford (NYSE:F) issued a recall for 47,084 vehicles over a transmission defect that could cause the vehicle to suddenly shift to neutral while in motion, increasing the risk of a crash.
The recall includes 2021 Ford F-150 pickup trucks.
Recall summary
During normal driving, it is important for the transmission to remain in gear as much as possible so that the driver can maintain control over the vehicle while it is in motion.
The transmission in the affected vehicles can shift to neutral on its own while driving due to a software error in the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), which acts as the “brain” of the car, as reported.
The component involved in this recall is the PCM/ECM Calibration Software with multiple part numbers, including ML3A-14C204-BGA and ML3A-14C204-BKA.
Recall risks
Drivers will be unable to accelerate when the car is in neutral to avoid sudden hazards.
The neutral state also prevents the engine from assisting the brakes in slowing the vehicle down, augmenting the risk of an accident.
For more information on risks, please visit the following article on a BMW recall due to the same issue.
Warning signs
A warning light in the shape of a wrench will activate on the dashboard when the problem occurs. This will be followed by the transmission shifting into neutral gear, followed by attempts to shift to Park if the vehicle is traveling slower than 2 miles per hour.
Once the vehicle comes to a complete stop, the shifter will automatically engage Park mode.
Safety tips
Drivers can temporarily regain use of the transmission by switching the engine off and on again.
Other Ford F-150 recalls
There have been at least two F-150 transmission recalls for earlier year-models.
More than 1.2 million Ford F-150 vehicles spanning the 2011 to 2013 model years were recalled in February 2019 for a similar PCM problem, as reported.
Another recall for the same model-years was issued in June 2019 over the same issue, covering more than 107,000 vehicles.
The repair
Dealers will inspect the PCM on affected vehicles and perform a software update free of charge. Customers who have paid for previous repairs of the component involved will be reimbursed accordingly.
Affected owners will be notified by May 6, 2022.
Is your vehicle part of this recall?
More than 47,000 vehicles are included in this Ford truck recall. To do a Ford recall check, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
