Dearborn, MI – February 11, 2019 – Ford (NYSE:F) has recalled 1,263,051 F-150 trucks that may suddenly downshift to first gear, possibly causing the driver to lose control of the truck, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes 2011-2013 Ford F-150 trucks with six-speed automatic transmission.
Recall summary
The recall concerns issues with Ford’s Powertrain Control Module (PCM) which is the car’s brain, responsible for over 100 elements, including changing gears in an automatic transmission. The module needs information from an Output Shaft Speed (OSS) sensor to know how fast the car is going, and thus which gear to use. The recalled vehicles may intermittently lose the signal between this sensor and the PCM, potentially resulting in the car unexpectedly shifting into first gear. This may cause it to suddenly slow down or the rear tires to slide or lock, increasing the risk of a crash.
Other F-150 recalls and causes
Previously, Ford recalled several F-150 models with a particular automatic transmission, including the 2011 and 2012 F-150, for the same issue. This action expands that recall to include all 2011-2013 F-150s with six-speed automatic transmission.
“Various causal factors” may be to blame for the defect, including “contamination, power short to ground, connector corrosion, connector pin swaging, and incorrect outputs from the OSS sensor.” In the previous recall, Ford blamed the problem on a manufacturing error by a molded lead frame supplier which caused the circuit carrying the OSS sensor signal to break.
Safety concerns and complaints
Sudden downshifting may increase the risk of an accident that can hurt the drivers and other people on or off the road. In fact, an investigation into the Ford transmission downshifting issue uncovered 10 crashes and three injuries caused by this defect.
Over 1,000 complaints were logged by the distressed F-150 owners to both NHTSA and Ford and there were “many instances” where the issue caused drivers to swerve out of their lanes or off the road.
One of them said when the gears changed without warning, “it [felt] like you got hit from behind, causing you to slam your head and body on the seat.” Another one said that its 2013 F-150 would lose power, stall or shift on its own, “leaving the truck a wreck waiting to happen at any time.”
Warning signs
Downshifting in these instances typically happened without warning. Besides the gear switch, drivers may notice problems with their speedometers, erratic gear shifting, and the transmission stuck in one gear. Most drivers who complained reported that they were able to continue driving after stopping and restarting the car.
The repair
Dealers will reprogram the recalled Ford F-150’s PCM, free of charge. The repair is currently available.
Is your vehicle part of this recall?
As of July 29, 2020 – the last date for which information is available – 756,000 vehicles in this Ford truck recall have been repaired. To see if your F-150 is amongst those that still need to be fixed, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle recall lookup tool.
Note: February 8, 2021
We have noticed a large number of readers are interested in this recall. For that reason, we have rewritten it to include the best, most up-to-date information.
