- Ford is recalling 1.4 million F-150 trucks due to possible transmission defects.
- The six-speed transmission can unexpectedly downshift to second gear while the vehicle is moving.
- This recall impacts 2015-2017 production F-150s.
Ford has issued a recall of nearly 1.4 million F-150 pickups. The trucks may have a faulty six-speed automatic transmission that would inadvertently downshift from sixth to second gear.
This recall impacts 2015-2015 F-150 production, involving 1,392,935 vehicles. According to recall reportAffected F-150s may have a Transmission Range Sensor (TRS) that sends a faulty signal to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).
This occurs due to decreased electrical connections in the transmission cable frame, which is caused by thermal cycles and vibration. This can result in “momentary detection of incorrect TRS signal position by the PCM”, which can lead to unintentional downshifts, reduced wheel speed and loss of vehicle control.
Ford first became aware of the problem in October 2024. That’s when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided the automaker with a Vehicle Owner’s Questionnaire (VOQ) that might be related to unintentional downshifts.
Until February 2025, Ford was investigating the issue, but in March of that year, NHTSA opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on the issue. In January 2026, the agency upgraded the PE to Technical Analysis and gave Ford an additional VOQ.
The automaker continued to investigate the issue until April 7, when it approved the recall. As of April 2, Ford was aware of 444 warranty claims, 121 field reports, 105 customer service reports, and 316 VOQs. He is aware of two injuries and one accident that are potentially related to this problem.
Ford will fix this problem by updating the PCM calibration. The new software includes “additional time for the control system to recognize failed or failing TRS hardware before commanding a downshift during this unique downshift command error.” If affected vehicles display certain diagnostic trouble codes, Ford will also replace the main frame.
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Motorcycle Pickup1: Accidentally downshifting a transmission while driving is a frightening experience, especially if it occurs at highway speeds.
