Investigation Launched into Ford F-150 Transmission Issues
The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation into the 2015-2017 Ford F-150 models due to a potential transmission defect. Reports suggest that the transmission might unexpectedly downshift at highway speeds, which could lead to a sudden rear-wheel lockup and subsequent loss of control.
Customer Complaints and Scope of Investigation
The investigation was prompted by 138 customer complaints and encompasses approximately 1,270,970 vehicles. Fortunately, the NHTSA has not received any reports of crashes, injuries, or fatalities connected to this potential problem.
Background on Ford’s 6R80 Transmission
The models in question are equipped with Ford’s 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission. In the previous year, Ford recalled 2014 F-150 models with the 6R80 transmission due to a software glitch that could cause a sudden downshift to first gear. Additionally, other SUVs with the same transmission have been recalled over similar issues. It remains unclear whether the current investigation involves the same problem, but the symptoms seem similar.
Transition to the 10R Transmission and GM’s Involvement
For the 2018 model year, Ford transitioned the F-150 to a new 10R 10-speed automatic transmission, developed in collaboration with GM. Interestingly, GM has recently recalled several vehicles equipped with the 10R transmission due to a control valve issue that could lead to harsh downshifts and wheel locking. Ford, however, has not issued any recalls for their vehicles equipped with the 10R transmission, and there are no ongoing NHTSA investigations related to these models. This suggests that the problem might be isolated to GM vehicles, as the recall is associated with a mechanical valve issue rather than a software problem as seen with the 6R80 recalls.
