Ford has recalled 552,188 F-150 pickups from the 2014 model year because they can unexpectedly shift into first gear at any speed. A sudden downshift into first could cause a sudden loss of speed and contribute to an accident.
Ford tells the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the Powertrain Control Module can lose track of a signal telling how fast the vehicle travels, causing it to shift into first gear.
Dealers will update the module’s calibration to prevent the trucks from downshifting if the module loses track of the speed signal. The update will also cause a malfunction light to appear on the dashboard, alerting drivers to have the truck inspected if the signal is lost.
By law, dealers never charge for recall repairs.
Automakers recall many cars to fix safety defects, sometimes more than once. While automakers try to reach every owner to ask them to bring the vehicle in for repair, they rarely reach them all. Millions of vehicles on American roads need free recall repairs. To find out if your car is one of them, check the easy VIN tool at our recall center.
