In addition, over 21,000 Escapes and 17,000 Super Duties are also recalled this month for a faulty digital instrument cluster.
Ford recalls are not uncommon these days. After the brand was recognized as the most recalled brand this year, the Blue Oval announced some more cases at the beginning of the second half of 2023. This time, it affects the 2021-2023 F-150 with issues regarding a sudden activation of the parking brake while the vehicle is in motion.
As you may expect, the issue attracted the National Highway Traffic Safety Advisor (NHTSA) and Ford‘s attention, leading to an immediate investigation. And while this problem only affects F-150s with the single exhaust pipe system, that still accounts for over 870,000 trucks.
The problem apparently occurs due to the wiring harness sometimes touching the rear axle housing, causing the insulation to deteriorate and expose the wiring underneath. As a result, it leads to a short circuit where the F-150’s electrical system can go haywire. The NHTSA received more than 900 reports about similar cases, with 299 of them stating they had experienced unwanted parking brake activation and 19 of them turning on while on the move.
Needless to say, unwanted activation of the parking brake on a moving vehicle is seriously dangerous and could lead to a fatal accident. Fortunately, the manufacturer has not received any reports of fatal injuries or crashes related to the wiring issue yet. Ford F-150 owners will get notified via email by mid-September to take their trucks to a local dealership for further inspection. The manufacturer will address the issue by replacing worn-out wiring harnesses with plastic protective. Meanwhile, trucks with no damage on their harness will be installed with a protective tie strap and tape wrap.
Unfortunately, the F150 pickup truck isn’t the only model recalled this month. The 2023 MY Ford Escape and F-Series Super Duty models have issues with their digital gauge cluster module leading to improper illumination. There are also recalls for a faulty anti-pinch safety window system for roughly 1,300 Super Duties to rub more salt into Ford’s wound.
Still, props to Ford for taking responsibility and putting ahead its users’ safety. Hopefully, it can learn from these issues and manufacture safer vehicles in the future.
