Ford recalling nation’s top-selling pickup over defect that can increase crash risk

DETROIT – More than 550,000 Ford pickup trucks are being recalled because of a problem with their transmissions that can cause the vehicles to unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of how fast the truck is traveling.

Ford said the downshifting can increase the risk of a crash, according to documents posted online this week by the federal government. The recall involves F-150 pickups from the 2014 model year, potentially more than 552,000 trucks.

Ford’s F-Series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the United States.

The problem occurs when a sensor that detects the transmissions speed experiences a failure, interrupting signals to the vehicle’s powertrain control module. That has the potential to cause an unintended downshift.

The problem can “cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed,” the documents said. “Unexpectedly downshifting into first gear may result in a loss of vehicle control.”

Ford plans to notify owners by mail with instructions to take their trucks to a Ford or Lincoln dealer for updates and repairs. There will be no charge for this service.

Vehicle owners who have paid to have repairs completed at their own expense may be eligible for reimbursement, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

In a statement Tuesday, Ford said it expects repairs to be available in the third quarter of this year. Owners will be able to use mobile service or pickup and delivery at participating dealers, The Associated Press said.