Ford recalling nearly 1.4 million F-150 pickup trucks over unexpected downshift issue

(NewsNation) — Ford Motor Company is recalling nearly 1.4 million of its F-150 pickup trucks due to a gearshift issue, according to federal regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a notice alerting customers to signal-loss issues “between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module” that could cause the vehicle to abruptly downshift to second gear, potentially resulting in a loss of vehicle control.

The recall applies to six-speed F-150 vehicles that were produced between March 12, 2014, and August 18, 2017, according to the recall report.

Ford is aware of 444 warranty claims, 121 field reports, 105 customer service reports, two injuries and one accident “potentially related” to the gearshift issue, the report states.

The company will send out letters to affected customers starting April 27, according to the report. Owners may take their cars to Ford or Lincoln dealers to have the issue remedied free of charge.

For questions, owners of affected F-150s can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. The NHTSA recall number is 26V237.