Ford’s hopes of losing its title as the most recalled brand in America are quickly evaporating for 2023, as a new issue that could affect 870,701 units of the F-150 truck is the subject of a new campaign. In these vehicles, a wiring issue could lead the parking brake to turn on while the truck is driving.
In February, Ford initiated an investigation into a potential issue after receiving reports of unexpected parking brake application in model year 2021 F-150s. As of July 2023, the company has been notified of 918 warranty claims and three field reports that could be associated with this problem. Among these, 299 cases involve owners claiming that the parking brake activated unexpectedly, and 19 of them state that it occurred while the truck was in motion.
Despite this issue, the automaker has confirmed that there have been no accidents or injuries reported in connection with it. During its investigation, the cause of the unexpected braking was traced to damage in the wiring harness, which includes the rear electric parking brake circuits, among other components.
Read: Ford Yet Again Tops Recall Charts For First Half Of 2023
Ford says that the issue only impacts model year 2021-2023 F-150s with a single exhaust system. In these vehicles, the rear wiring harness bundle can come into contact with the rear axle housing, causing it to chafe.
If that happens, particularly in models whose rear axle housing has corrosion, the abrasion resistant tape and the circuit insulation can be worn through. Ultimately, that can expose the copper wiring, which can become grounded, causing the parking brake to turn on unexpectedly.
In order to remedy the issue, Ford has launched a recall campaign. It plans to start reaching out to owners on September 11, asking them to return their truck to a nearby Ford or Lincoln dealership, where it will be inspected.
If a technician finds that the harness as been worn away, something it only expects to happen in one percent of cases, they will replace it with a new one. Regardless of wear, all trucks will receive a protective tie strap and tape wrap to prevent this from happening in the future. All work will be completed at no cost to the owner.
