Ford announced a recall of more than 112,000 F-150 trucks, citing potential risks of vehicle roll away and loss of drive power due to rear axle issues.
This action is a response to a recent letter from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) outlining the potential dangers associated with certain models of the truck.
According to the NHTSA's letter to Ford Assistant Director Tom Single, the recall specifically targets F-150s from model years 2021-2023 equipped with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package and a 9.75-inch heavy duty axle with a 3/4 float axle design. The issue lies in the rear axle hub bolt, which may fatigue and break, leading to damage in the axle hub splines. This defect can cause the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly when parked without the parking brake engaged, or result in a sudden loss of drive power---both scenarios significantly increasing the risk of a crash.
The NHTSA advised owners of the affected models to be vigilant for symptoms of rear axle bolt breakage, which may include unusual clicking or rattling noises from the vehicle. Owners are encouraged to bring their trucks to a dealer for an interim repair if they notice these signs. Ford is expected to begin sending notification letters to owners in late January.
This recall comes at a financially challenging time for Ford, following a recent six-week long UAW strike that resulted in a substantial loss for the company. Ford CFO John Lawler revealed the strike led to a $1.7 billion decrease in profits, attributed to disruptions in the production of high-margin trucks and SUVs, which saw sales figures drop by approximately 100,000 units below the company's initial projections.
