Last week, Ford announced four separate safety recalls affecting nearly 100,000 F-150 trucks and Transit vans in North America, about 90,000 of which are located in the U.S. alone.
The first of four recalls deals with approximately 73,000 Ford Transit vans equipped with the trailer tow module, due to water getting into the module.
The water intrusion can wreak havoc on the trailer tow module, causing wiring corrosion and damage to the module itself. If this happens, the affected vans can lead to loss of heater/air conditioning controls and multimedia systems (including radio and SYNC infotainment), as well as rapid turn signal flashing, electrical short and a burning smell. If left unfixed, the risk of fire is increased.
About 65,000 model year 2015-2017 Transit vans in the U.S. are affected by this issue. In order to fix the problem, dealers will disable the module and add a drainage hole in the driver’s door stepwell and integrate a fuse in the wiring harness at no cost to the consumer.
No injuries have been reported, although two vehicle fires in Canada have been linked to the recall. In the meantime, Ford suggests leaving the affected vans parked outdoors.
Ford also issued a safety recall for 15,000 2018 F-150 trucks with the 3.3-liter engine and 6-speed transmission with column-mounted shift lever.
The recall is due to faulty transmission shifts when quickly shifting from Park to Drive. The problem can lead to unintended vehicle movement, loss of PRNDL gear indication in the instrument cluster and the momentary engagement of Reverse operation in Drive and Neutral operation in Reverse.
The affected vehicles include 2018 F-150 trucks built at both Dearborn and Kansas City assembly plants, with 12,429 trucks located in the U.S.
Dealers will fix the issue by reprogramming the powertrain control module with the latest level calibration software at no cost. While no accidents or injuries have been reported, it would be smart to shift carefully and deliberately until the issue is fixed.
Another safety recall has been issued for the 2018 model year F-150, this time for models equipped with the 3.5-liter powertrain, over premature engine failure.
The recall is because of faulty cylinder heads with lack of proper camshaft lubrication, which can lead to engine failure and loss of motive power while driving. The risk of accident and/or injury is increased if left unfixed.
Only 30 model year 2018 F-150 trucks in North America are involved, and Ford is unaware of any affected vehicles leaving dealership hands.
To fix the issue, the affected trucks will be transported to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to replace the engine. No accidents or injuries have been associated with this recall.
Finally, Ford also recalled 15,000 2017 F-150 trucks with the 10-speed automatic transmission over more shifting issues.
Thanks to an unattached pin in the transmission shift linkage to the transmission, the transmission gear can not shift when the driver moves the shifter. The transmission ends up staying in the same gear as when the pin fell out, causing unintended vehicle movement. The truck can also be turned off and the key removed when not in Park, increasing the risk of an accident.
About 12,000 model year 2017 F-150 trucks in the U.S. are involved. Ford is unaware of any injuries or accidents related to this issue.
Dealers will fix the problem by removing the roll pin and replacing it with an updated part. In the meantime, be sure to engage the parking brake whenever shifting the truck into Park.
To check if the truck or van you drive is affected by any of these safety issues, click here and search through all open recalls related to your vehicle.
This story was written by Joanna Tavares and first appeared on nydailynews.com
