Ford Is Recalling Select 2020 Ranger, F-150, And Expedition Models To Fix A Broken Gearshift Clip
Ford issued a safety recall for selected 2020 models of the Ranger, F-150, and Expedition SUV. Affected vehicles include the 2020 Ford Ranger and F-150 equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The safety recall also includes the 2020 Ford Expedition with the police package and 10-speed automatic gearbox.
However, the safety recall does not include particular units equipped with a rotary gearshift lever. According to Ford, the problem is due to a faulty clip that locks the gearshift cable to the transmission. If the clip is broken or not properly seated, users might find it tricky to select the proper gear or the gearshift may present a different gear state contrary to what's indicated.
For instance, there's a huge possibility of being in Park when, in fact, the vehicle is in Neutral or Reverse. The erring clip may also allow the driver to shift to Park and remove the ignition key without the transmission being in the locked 'Park' position. If you failed to apply the parking brake at this point, the vehicle can move or roll unintentionally, which is not a good thing if you're parked on a downhill slope.
Ford said the safety recall affects a total of 55,158 vehicles in the United States, 12,090 in Canada, and around 681 units in Mexico. The recall includes:
- All 2020 Ford Rangers built at the Michigan Assembly Plant from Feb. 28 to March 18, 2020
- All 2020 Ford F-150 trucks built at the Dearborn Truck Plant from Feb. 18 to March 19, 2020
- Ford F-150 trucks built at the Kansas City Assembly Plant from Feb. 21 to March 19, 2020
- All 2020 Ford Expedition SUVs built at the Kentucky Truck Plant from March 3 to 19, 2020
The reference number for this latest Ford recall is 20S18. The American carmaker is not aware of any accident reports or injuries related to this problem. Affected vehicles are encouraged to visit certified Ford dealers to diagnose and rectify the issue, which involves inspecting the shift cable locking clip to make sure it's properly seated to avoid gear issues with the automatic transmission.
Ford's latest 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission has seen its fair share of criticism. The carmaker has already issued a series of Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) regarding this 10-speed gearbox including TSB 18-2079 and TSB 18-2274. Previous issues involve a faulty pin that prevents the transmission from responding to movements of the shift lever.