Ford recalls 1.5 million F-150 pickups for transmission 'whiplash' issues
The automaker also issued two smaller, yet still important recalls at the same time.
Ford is a big fan of announcing multiple recalls at once, rip-the-bandage-off style. It issued three new recalls Wednesday, one of which covers more than 1 million of its trucks . Let's take a look at all three.
Recall the first: Transmission downshifts and 'whiplash'
Ford's first recall, its biggest of the day, covers approximately 1.48 million examples of the 2011-2013 F-150 pickup. The vehicles carry build dates between April 2010 and November 2013, and all of them are equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions.
That six-speed automatic is at the center of this recall. The transmission output speed sensor might intermittently lose connection to the powertrain control module. If that happens, the transmission might shift down to first gear, which at certain speeds could mean a loss of vehicle control.
Ford has five accident reports that might be related to this problem. The automaker also received one report of "whiplash," which likely occurred when the vehicle lurched forward during the downshift. Thankfully, all it takes to remedy the issue is applying a software update to the powertrain control module, which Ford will handle at dealers.
Unintended first-gear downshifts can really catch you by surprise.
Recall the second: Wonky door latches
The second recall affects approximately 30,000 examples of the 2017-2019 Lincoln Continental in North America. All the vehicles were built at Ford's Flat Rock Assembly Plant between Nov. 30, 2015 and Nov. 14, 2018.
This recall comes from the door latch. In some cars, the door latch motor may only function intermittently, because silicon has built up and contaminated the assembly. If that happens, the door may not fully close, presenting the possibility that the door might open at speed, which could increase the risk of injury or collision. Ford isn't aware of any accidents related to this problem.
In this case, Lincoln technicians will remove and replace the door latch assemblies on all four doors for each affected vehicle.
Recall the third: Dude, where's my gauge cluster?
Today's final recall covers approximately 4,200 examples of the 2019 Ford Mustang , Lincoln Nautilus and Lincoln Navigator . All the vehicles in question have screens in place of the gauge cluster.
According to the automaker, some of these instrument panel cluster assemblies might be blank upon starting the vehicle. This isn't going to dramatically increase the risk of injury, but it's nice to, you know, see what's going on with the car when driving. Once again, Ford has no reports of injuries or crashes related to this defect.
Fixing the issue doesn't even involve replacing the clusters. Instead, Ford and Lincoln technicians will apply a software patch that should remedy the issue.
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