If you’ve received one of those robo-calls saying “we’ve been trying to reach you about your truck” and you brushed it off, you might want to double check if you are a Ford F-150 owner.
The car manufacturer announced this morning that they would be recalling close to 900,000 Ford F-150 vehicles due to a serious issue with the truck’s electronic parking brake. A malfunction in the parking brake can cause the brake to activate on its own.
Though Ford says that the issue has not caused any serious accidents, the defect could potentially lead to serious injury or even death if the parking brake were to activate while driving. The recall is in effect for all Ford F-150 models sold from 2021 to 2023.
It isn’t uncommon for car manufacturers to issues recalls, but one like this with hundreds of thousands of vehicles being identified with a potential flaw in the electronic system is rather surprising. Ford has stated that the issue most likely stems from a wiring problem.
In the official safety recall report that Ford filed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the malfunctioning parking break issue is described as the following:
“The affected vehicles may experience an unintended activation of the electric parking brake while driving if the electric parking brake wiring is damaged and the circuit shorts to ground.
Damaged electric parking brake wiring may lead to inadvertent parking brake application while driving, potentially resulting in loss of control of the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash. In certain circumstances, the rear axle wiring harness bundle may contact the rear axle housing.
Over time, contact with the rear axle housing can cause the abrasion resistant tape and circuit insulation of the wiring harness assembly to wear, exposing the wiring.”
Pretty terrifying if you ask me, though Ford is adamant that no injuries or crashes have occurred as a result of the issue. If you happen to have bought a Ford F-150 truck in the past three years, you should be on the lookout for messaging from the manufacturer.
Owners are expected to receive letters that inform them of the electronic parking brake recall, as well as the solution to the problem starting on September 11th. Dealers should also be getting the information and notification around the same time.
And to just get on my soapbox for a second, doesn’t that seem like a pretty far ways away? What, F-150 drivers just need to keep driving their metal death traps for now, and hope that they are “Ford Tough” enough to handle it if their parking brake engages while they are driving down the interstate?
I would definitely be a little weary if I were riding around and rolling coal in a new F-150 right now, and if you are like me, you’ll probably want to call that Ford customer service number that’s included in the video above. Tell them Whiskey Riff sent you.
Actually, don’t tell them that…
It appears that Chevy owners are rejoicing in the potentially dangerous flaw within the Ford F-150, flooding news outlet posts about the recall with replies and comments like these:
FORD: Fix Or Repair Daily
— Jose Machado🇺🇸🇨🇺 (@JoseMac67851698) July 28, 2023
How to fix a Ford? Buy a Chevy.
— Sharon (@SharonUssishkin) July 28, 2023
How does that happen to the one of the biggest manufacturers in the world…
— GEN (@justaskgen) July 28, 2023
Not an ideal getaway vehicle.
— 𝕯𝖊𝖑 Ω (@DownWith710) July 28, 2023
The most recalled car brand in America. Congratulations Ford.
— Jeremy Duke (@BerryInformed) July 28, 2023
