According to a brief article in USA Today’s Drive-On column, Ford will recall certain 2011 F-150 pickups and 2012 F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 heavy-duty trucks (HDs) due to transmissions that can be shifted out of "park" without pressing the brake pedal. No mention was made of how many pick-ups and heavy duty trucks this will affect.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the problem with the brake/shift interlock poses the risk of a crash, or injury to a pedestrian, and violates federal safety regulations.
Beginning next week, Ford will notify owners of trucks with specific build dates (“The recall affects F-150s built from Sept. 9, 2011 through Sept. 22, 2011, and HDs built from Sept. 12 through Sept. 22, 2011.”). The dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any faulty interlock switches. Build dates are coded on labels on the driver side door pillar.
For additional information, consumers may call the Ford Customer Center on 1-866-436-7332 or NHTSA's safety hotline on 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). Also, see http://www.nhtsa.gov
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