Ford is recalling 944 vehicles that might have a screw loose. Well, really it’s a bolt but the result is that affected vehicles could roll away even though they’re in “Park”. The problem stems from personnel assembling the transmissions in question who may have simply left a loose bolt in the gearbox.
We actually heard about this issue and alerted you to it before the recall broke. At the time, we didn’t have details on how Ford came to learn of the problem though. Now, we know that the first associated case happened back in December 2022.
On the 30th of that month, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group identified a related warranty repair on a 2022 Ford Explorer. That vehicle went to the dealer with transmission-related failures and just 29 miles on the odometer. The dealer found a loose bolt in the transmission housing.
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At the time, it seemed like an individual incident but then on January 11th of this year, assembly plant personnel reported two Bronco models rolling forward despite the gear selector being in park. Ford quickly recognized that a quality assurance procedure on affected transmission units might have inadvertently left a loose bolt in the housing.
As such, it initiated a stop sale on vehicles with suspected affected transmissions. The only symptoms reported other than potential roll-away are a check engine light and or noise from the transmission housing.
Of the 944 cars in the recall, Ford told Carscoops that more than 600 haven’t even been sold to customers yet. That total group includes Lincoln Aviators, Ford Broncos, F-150 pickup trucks, Mustangs, and Explorers built no earlier than November 9th, 2022 with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Those who do own one of the affected vehicles should receive word from Ford on or after February 27th, 2023.
Those who are unsure of whether or not their vehicle is included in the recall can call the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 or visit NHTSA.gov to input their VIN number. Additionally, they can contact their local dealer. The recall number is 23S06. Ford says it’s not aware of any instances of injury related to the recall.
