Ford has issued a number of major safety recalls for some model years of the Ford F-150 pickup truck. The recalls concern software problems with the transmission, abrupt gear shifts and failures with the lighting system that could pose safety risks for drivers and others on the road. Drivers are urged to check on the status of their car and have any necessary repairs done as soon as possible.
The Ford F-150 is one of the best-selling pickup trucks in the United States, with millions of vehicles on the road today. They are popular, so those recalls affect many owners across the country.
Recall 26S45: Unexpected Downshifting in 2014 Models
One of the newest recalls involves certain 2014 Ford F-150 trucks and is designated 26S45. The problem, according to Ford, is related to software and could cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift down into first gear while the vehicle is being driven. Downshifting like that can lead to loss of control, especially on the highway. Ford will send software updates to dealers to fix the issue and make the vehicle safer.
26C28: Headlight Issue in 2018-2020 Trucks (Recall)
Another big recall is Recall 26C28. That’s for some 2018-2020 F-150s. The problem is the daytime running lights (DRLs) may not dim when the high beams are on, so they remain at full brightness.
This failure can lead to visibility problems for drivers coming from the opposite direction and can compromise overall road safety when driving at night. Ford has come up with a repair solution to address the problem.
Transmission issue affects nearly 1.4 million vehicles
Ford is still working to fix a widely reported transmission issue affecting about 1.4 million F-150 trucks from the 2015-2017 model years. In these vehicles, electrical deterioration of the transmission system could lead to an unintended downshift into second gear.
Not all affected trucks will have this problem, but Ford recommends owners check if their vehicle is part of the recall campaign.
How to Check If Your Truck Is Affected
Owners can quickly check if their truck is included in an active recall by looking up the 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). You can usually find the VIN on the driver’s side windshield, inside the door jamb on the driver’s side of the truck, or on the registration documents.
Drivers can then enter their VIN on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall lookup site or on Ford’s official recall page. Active recall notifications are also provided to FordPass app users via the service dashboard.
What Owners Should Do Next
If your Ford F-150 is under recall, please contact an authorized Ford dealer to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Ford provides all recall-related inspections, repairs and software updates free of charge. In certain instances, some owners may also be eligible for reimbursement for related repairs they previously paid for.
