Half A Million F-150 Pickup Trucks Could Grenade Their Gearboxes For No Reason

Key Takeaways

Ford is recalling more than 500,000 MY2014 F-150s due to an issue that causes the transmission to shift into first gear unexpectedly.
The problem stems from the transmission Output Shaft Speed sensor experiencing intermittent signal loss from the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).
Solved by updating the PCM calibration at Ford or Lincoln dealerships.

Ford is recalling more than half a million examples of the 2014 F-150 due to a problematic sensor that could cause the automatic transmission to shift into first gear regardless of the travel speed.

According to the Safety Recall Report, the transmission Output Shaft Speed (OSS) sensor could experience intermittent signal loss to the Powertrain Control Module. Should this occur, the transmission may shift into first gear without warning. Of course, this could have devastating consequences, especially when traveling at high speed. The recall concerns 552,188 examples built for MY2014.

Base MSRP: $36,875
Base Trim Engine: 5.0-liter V8
Base Trim Horsepower: 400 hp
Base Trim Torque: 410 lb-ft
Base Trim Transmission: 10-Speed Automatic
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined): 17/25/20 mpg
Base Trim Curb Weight: 4,530 lbs
Towing Capacity: from 5,000 lbs

Increased Risk Of A Crash

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the defect could cause the vehicle to lose control, increasing the risk of a crash. Traveling at highway speeds (55-60 mph), a sudden downshift into first gear could cause the rear end to step out, which would be difficult to rectify with minimal control over the truck.

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Even at lower speeds, this could also cause significant damage to the mechanical components. There’s a chance of over-revving, which could destroy the engine. As we’ve seen, the damage from unintentionally shifting into first (known as ‘money-shifting’) can be catastrophic. One individual was faced with a $42,000 repair bill after mistakenly putting his GR Corolla in first gear.

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione interior, gear lever

Why Money Shifting Is The Worst Thing You Never Want To Experience

Money shifting is something that hurts your ego and your pocket.

A Relatively Easy Fix

Ford says owners will be aware if the fault rears its ugly head. Sometimes, the Malfunction Indicator Light will alert drivers to an issue. The Blue Oval notes that the OSS sensor could recover, allowing the vehicle to drive without issue. Sometimes, the F-150 will need to be stopped and started to operate as expected. The automaker says several factors may cause the problem, including “contamination, power short to ground, connector corrosion, connector pin swaging, and incorrect outputs from the OSS sensor.”

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Owners of affected 2014 Ford F-150s will be notified by mail between July 1 and 5. Thankfully, the remedy for this problem is relatively simple. Customers will take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln dealership for the PCM calibration to be updated. This is one of several recalls the Dearborn-based automaker has issued this year. Ford is trying to improve quality control issues and has recently implemented a new AI-assisted system to pick up defects on the production line. It’s worth noting that the automaker has had the most recalls of any automaker for three years in a row.