Ford is recalling nearly 1.4 million F-150 pickup trucks in the United States after a transmission defect was linked to at least one crash and two injuries.
The recall, announced April 14 on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, covers 1,392,935 trucks built between 2015 and 2017. At the center of the problem is a signal failure between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module. When that connection breaks down, the truck can unexpectedly drop into second gear while moving, which can cause drivers to lose control.
Ford confirmed that by April 2 the company had tallied 444 warranty claims, 121 field reports, 105 customer service reports, and 316 formal complaints filed with the NHTSA in addition to the confirmed crash and injuries.
How the problem surfaced
The investigation did not start with Ford. On Oct. 30, 2024, the NHTSA reached out to the automaker about a pattern of complaints tied to unintended downshifts in 2015, 2016, and 2017 F-150 models equipped with the 6R80 transmission. Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group launched its own inquiry the following day.
In the months that followed, the review group traced the issue to electrical connections that had degraded over time as a result of heat cycling and vibration. The problem worsens with age and mileage, Ford noted, because high-mileage transmissions are prone to a wider range of failures as internal components wear down.
The NHTSA had actually opened a preliminary evaluation into the issue back in March 2025, and expanded that investigation earlier this year before the recall was formally announced.
What Ford is doing about it
The fix is a software update to the powertrain control module, which dealers will perform at no cost to owners. Ford began informing dealers about the recall on April 15. Letters to affected vehicle owners are expected to go out by April 27.
A permanent remedy is still in development. Ford said it expects to finalize that solution between July 13 and July 17, at which point another round of letters will go out to keep owners updated.
Owners with questions can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. The NHTSA has assigned this recall identification number 26V237000, and Ford’s internal reference is 26S28.
What owners should know
If you own a 2015, 2016, or 2017 F-150, this recall applies to you regardless of whether you have noticed anything unusual. The symptom to watch for is an abrupt, unexpected deceleration while driving, which would indicate the transmission has dropped into second gear without input from the driver.
The software update being offered now is a temporary measure designed to reduce the risk while Ford works on a more comprehensive fix. Dealers are already equipped to perform the update, so owners do not need to wait for a letter to make an appointment.
The recall is one of the larger ones Ford has issued in recent years in terms of vehicle count, and it follows a separate recall earlier in 2026 covering more than 840,000 vehicles across other models.
