For the fifth time in five years, Ford is recalling vehicles. The culprit this time is the possibility of nearly three million cars rolling away after being shifted into park mode because of degrading transmission components.
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Ford Recall: Latest Defect Cause Unknown
According to a Ford recall report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a damaged bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission could degrade or detach in the affected vehicles. Ford said the cause of the defect is unknown.
A damaged or detached bushing could prevent the transmission from shifting into the intended gear, according to the report. That includes not fully engaging Park when selected by the driver, which could cause a vehicle to roll away if the parking brake isn’t used.
Ford reports 1,630 warranty claims for the issue, in addition to 233 complaints filed to the NHTSA. The company says it’s aware of four injury claims and at least six instances of property damage related to the issue.
Ford Recall: Owners Will Get Notification
To remedy the problem, Ford dealers will replace the under-hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing free of charge. Notification letters will be mailed to owners beginning June 27. Owners can also contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 and reference recall number 22S43.
Ford previously recalled 1.4 million vehicles worldwide over a shifter-cable issue. The automaker issued a recall in April over a similar issue and continued to hold talks with the NHTSA to monitor vehicles not included in that recall.
A few days before the potential roll away Ford recall, the carmaker also recalled 53,103 Bronco models for potentially faulty rear-door child safety locks. The manufacturer also recalled 48,924 models of the Mach-E for overheating concerns. A stop-order one the Mach-E was also issued.
Article Last Updated: August 8, 2023.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.