Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than 741,000 vehicles in the United States after determining that a transmission issue could damage the vehicles’ park systems, raising the risk of a crash or injury, the company disclosed in a report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall, first reported by The Associated Press, covers certain Ford F-150, Lincoln Aviator, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition vehicles with model years between 2018 and 2021.
According to the NHTSA report, impacted vehicles may experience temporary engagement of their transmission parking pawl while the vehicle is in motion when certain shifts are commanded by the transmission, potentially damaging park system components.
If transmission park system damage occurs, the ability of the transmission park feature to hold the vehicle if the parking brake is not applied may be affected. Unintended movement in “park” increases the risk of a crash or injury, according to the report.
Federal regulators said Ford is aware of 24 allegations of property damage and nine alleged injuries, with two of those being allegations of emotional injuries, related to the issue.
Vehicle owners will be notified by mail and told to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have their vehicle’s Powertrain Control Module updated to the latest level software. Dealers will also inspect the vehicle’s transmission for park system damage and replace damaged transmission components as needed, with no cost to owners.
According to an interim mailing notice cited by Reuters, Ford will begin sending owners letters about the potential safety risk on Aug. 3, with a full remedy not expected until April 2027.
Vehicle owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236, for more information.
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