More than 740,000 Fords must undergo inspection in the US.
A transmission defect led Ford to recall more than 740,000 vehicles in the United States due to the risk of unintentional displacement
A new safety campaign puts Ford under the microscope in the United States. The manufacturer announced the recall of more than 740,000 vehicles after detecting a failure in an automatic transmission component that, under certain conditions, can prevent the car from remaining completely stopped when the driver selects the Park position.
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The move involves several of the brand's best-selling trucks and SUVs, as well as two Lincoln models.
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The inconvenience represents a risk because the vehicle could move unexpectedly if the parking brake is not activated, increasing the chances of an accident.
The origin of the problem
Ford's technical investigation determined that the defect is related to a spacer plate located inside the valve body of the automatic transmission. This component can limit the flow of fluid to the valve responsible for the parking mechanism.
When this occurs, the parking pawl may activate momentarily while the vehicle is still in motion during some gear changes. With use, this situation can generate wear or internal damage to the system that keeps the vehicle stationary when the Park position is selected.
If the mechanism is affected, there is a possibility that the car will not remain stopped completely, especially when the driver does not use the parking brake.
Models included in the recall
The review campaign corresponds to vehicles manufactured between 2017 and 2021 equipped with certain automatic transmissions and the electronic park-by-wire system.
In total, the campaign reaches approximately 313,147 Explorer units, 246,202 Expedition, 82,570 F-150, 59,079 Navigator and 40,197 Aviator, far exceeding the 740,000 vehicles distributed in North America.
The security system does not always prevent risk
Affected vehicles have a feature known as “Rollaway Detection,” designed to detect any unexpected movement when the transmission remains in the Park position. If it identifies a shift, the system automatically applies the electronic parking brake.
However, Ford's review concluded that that protection may stop working after the vehicle is turned off for a period of time. When the control module stops monitoring movement, there is a possibility that the car may move unintentionally under certain circumstances.