Almost 1.3 million of America’s most popular pickup trucks are under federal investigation over a transmission problem that drivers say can cause sudden, frightening gear changes.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has expanded a probe from last year into Ford F-150s for model years 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Drivers told regulators that their trucks could unexpectedly downshift ‘without warning or driver input’ while going at speed.
In some cases, they reported the rear wheels briefly locking up, a scenario that can cause loss of control, especially on highways or slick roads.
Among the hundreds of incidents, there are no injuries or fatalities recorded, the update on January 30 said.
Ford told regulators that the current transmission issue is different from a downshifting issue that led to the recall of model years 2011 through 2014. ‘We are working with NHTSA to support its investigation,’ a Ford spokesperson said.
For these 1.3 million newer trucks, Ford says the likely culprit is the degradation of an electrical connection to the transmission range sensor. That can cause the truck’s computer to receive incorrect signals about what gear the vehicle should be in.
The ‘worst case scenario’ is a downshift to second gear when travelling at speed, which could lead to the rear wheels locking up.
2015 Ford F150 trucks move along the production line. The 2015 model year is one of those under NHTSA probe.
Ford F-Series trucks are the bestselling vehicles in America. Photo shows new Ford F-150 pickups on the sales lot in April 2015 in Colma, California
Federal investigators found another potential issue with a signal loss to the sensor.
Should the affected vehicles find themselves reversing up an incline when the connection problems occur, ‘the vehicle may shift into neutral causing the vehicle to change directions and roll forward.’
This is the latest safety concern to surface around America’s bestselling truck.
Ford recalled 115,539 F-150s in September for a defect that could cause parts to detach in the car’s steering system.
The company said the problem ‘may result in a loss of steering, which could increase the risk of a crash.’ The issue affects model year 2020 through 2021 F-250, F-350, and F-450 trucks.
Ford is battling an ongoing problem with recalls. It has the dubious title of most recalls in three of the past four years.
In 2025, it broke the record for the number of recalls in a year – just halfway in.
The automotive giant issued 152 recalls total, almost double the previous record held by General Motors.
It faced several problems, including accessory battery defects, door handle issues, technical glitches, loose electrical connections, and door jams.
A newer Ford F-150 pickup truck. The bestselling vehicle has faced mounting scrutiny in recent years, with Ford Motor Company issuing a record number of recalls in 2025 amid repeated safety and quality concerns across its truck lineup
Ford CEO Jim Farley has launched an effort to end the company’s recall woes
Most of the recalled vehicles were built prior to 2023, before the company launched a major effort to fix its manufacturing issues.
Ford has previously told the Daily Mail that around half of its recalls are resolved through over-the-air updates that do not require a trip to the dealership.
The automotive giant issued 152 recalls total, almost double the previous record held by General Motors.
Despite the bad press, Ford’s F-Series of trucks held onto its crown as America’s bestselling vehicle overall, moving 801,525 units, according to Car and Driver.
