ON TUESDAY, JUNE 25, FORD ANNOUNCED a concerning issue with its 2014 F-150 model and recalled 668,000 pickup trucks worldwide as a result (although we are yet to confirm that Australian owners have been notified). The recall impacts around 552,000 vehicles in the United States. In short, the potentially dangerous problem is related to a sensor in the transmission that could cause unexpected downshifts to first gear at any speed.
The report from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explains the 2014 Ford F-150 recall in greater detail. The trucks equipped with the 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission utilize an output shaft speed sensor that could randomly lose signal with the pickup’s powertrain control module (PCM). When the sensor loses signal, it could cause the Ford truck to downshift into first gear, posing a potentially dangerous situation, especially at high speeds.
If this recall sounds familiar, that’s because this is the same issue that was found in Ford F-150 models from 2013, of which 107,857 vehicles were recalled (including some Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators), all equipped with the 6R80 transmission.
Fortunately, the fix is fairly simple. Affected vehicles will be required to visit a nearby Ford dealership for a PCM software upgrade, which has reportedly been proven to resolve the issue.
Ford first began to investigate the problem in February 2024, which led to a survey from the NHTSA being sent to 86 2014 Ford F-150 owners who already reported issues. Further investigations unveiled 300 warranty reports with 96 field reports, plus 124 customer complaints regarding unexpected downshifts. Forty complaints reportedly involved the loss of control or the truck’s rear wheels locking up. Ford acknowledges two vehicle owners who filled out the questionnaire and reported injuries, and one who stated the issue caused an accident.
According to Ford, the number of affected vehicles is expected to be less than one percent of the total recalled trucks. The automaker also states that 2014 F-150 owners might see a warning light illuminate on the dash before the truck downshifts.
Owners of affected 2014 Ford F-150 models will begin receiving notifications on July 1, but the software update will not be available until the third quarter of 2024. No indication has been given as to when Australian owners can expect a software update.