May 5, 2017
When a Ford vehicle features an unintended issue, the manufacturer may need to issue a major recall to make sure that drivers are not at risk. Though the severity of the issue may vary, the recall is designed to maximize customer safety and to ensure that future instances of such an issue are avoided. One such issue that may require recalling is a vehicle that is unable to stand immobile on its own. Though it does not happen often, Ford recently had to recall over 52,000 F-250 pickups because of that exact issue. When drivers put their vehicle in park, unintended movement can spell catastrophe.
In Ford's latest recall, drivers were urged to exercise caution as the company described the issue. Trucks that were built between 2015 and 2017 were unable to keep still, even in parking mode. This means that if drivers were not careful, the cars would drift off and wheel backwards or forwards, potentially resulting in a collision that may damage the vehicle and any passengers inside. Statistics show that the vast majority of the recalled trucks were in the United States, where a whopping 48,000 are scheduled for recall, with the rest up in Canada. The speedy recall hopes to address the issue immediately in order to avoid further damage to the vehicles.
In the meanwhile, drivers are strongly encouraged to use the parking brake. Though it will not solve the problem in the long-term, it may be enough to stop the truck from drifting off until a dealer is able to fix it. Drivers are also strongly encouraged to keep their eyes on the vehicle in order to make sure that it does not move. Planning ahead and exercising caution is the best way to ensure that the vehicle does not become damaged before it has the opportunity to be serviced as necessary.
Experts believe that the central problem lies within the transmission system of the truck. If the park rod actuating plate is damaged or warped, the transmission may not be able to put itself into park. This means that even though the gear selector's position may be secure, the truck itself may still move because of the damage to the transition. For the vehicle to stay in a comfortable park position, the pawl needs to be appropriately engaged. When the driver moves the shifter to the P position, the stick engages the necessary pin that moves the rest of the system into place, which locks the transmission shaft and stops it from moving any further. The rocking motion that drivers may feel after they put their vehicle in park is the transmission system bouncing against the pawl.
