The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began a probe into a transmission issue that could affect as many as 1.3 million Ford F-150 trucks from model years 2015 through 2017. The investigation began after the agency received more than 135 complaints.
NHTSA’s opened an investigation into 1.3 million Ford F-150 pickups from model years 2015 to 2017.
NHTSA is looking into repeated complaints from vehicle owners about the pickups downshifting a gear and then having the rear wheels lock up temporarily. The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation elected to begin an investigation after receiving 138 complaints about the issue.
“This unrequested transmission downshift would cause unexpected rapid vehicle deceleration,” NHSTA wrote in the report.
“Certain consumer complaints additionally allege that the vehicle’s rear wheels temporarily lock, seize, and/or skid during the downshift resulting in a loss of vehicle control increasing the risk for crash and injury.”
None of the incidents have resulted in crashes, injuries or deaths, according to NHTSA.
What happens
The accounts vary, but drivers experienced everything from a simple downshift slowing the truck down to shaking and lurching prior to the downshift and then the rear wheels locking up. Diagnoses ranged from a slipped transmission clutch to a complete failure of the transmission.
Ford has faced a number of issues with recalls and other repairs, the company spending more than $800 million nn warranty costs last year.
“The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle decelerated to 40 MPH, and an abnormal sound was coming from the transmission,” according to one complaint. “No warning lights were illuminated.
“The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.”
A quick review of the mileages by Headlight.News showed it could happen at any point in the life of the vehicle, with mileage recorded by the vehicle ranging from 38,000 to more than 80,000.
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Tough time
Ford has struggled with quality issues for years. CEO Jim Farley’s repeatedly tried to tackle the problem. It’s plague many new vehicle launches recently, but the automaker appeared to be making progress in 2024 but by the end of the year, the automaker once again led the industry in recalls.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has been attempting to improve Ford quality since taking on the CEO’s role late in 2020.
Not only has the company led in recalls since 2021, it was slapped with one of the biggest fines in automotive history last fall — $165 million — for dragging its heels on resolving a 2020 recall of more than 700,000 vehicles.
NHTSA levied its second-largest penalty ever because the automaker moved too slowly to make repairs involving about 700,000 SUVs, pickups and vans. The Detroit automaker also failed to provide information about the problem to the safety agency, as required by law.
All told, Ford may have to pay as much as $165 million in penalties, though $55 million of that is, for now, being deferred. The fine stands as the second largest in NHTSA’s 54-year history.
New sheriff
After talking about change for years, Farley made a change in December, moving then-quality chief, Jim Baumbick, who held the job since late 2022 to a new job. He moved from his role as Vice President, Product Development Operations and Quality to head up the company’s electric vehicle programs.
However, as of now, the company hasn’t announced Baumbick’s replacement. Not only are the recalls harmful to the company’s reputation, they also cost a lot of money to resolve.
The company paid our more than $800 million in warranty costs in 2024.
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