GM and Ford worked together on a ten-speed automatic transmission which has, so far, proven to be reliable and likable.
Not so much Ford’s home-grown six-speed automatic, a conventional and conservative transmission. Around 1.5 million Ford pickups with that slushbox are being recalled because they can, without warning, suddenly slam down into first gear, throwing passengers forward as though they’d been in a collision. And, indeed, there have been five collisions so far from the sudden loss of control and engine-braking (which doesn’t activate the brake lights); there’s been at least one charge of whiplash as well. The recall covers 2011-13 Ford F-150 pickups.
The company also announced a recall of 27,000 2017-19 Lincoln Continentals whose doors may suddenly swing open while driving, and 4,200 2019 Ford Mustangs, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Navigators whose gauges may blank out while the video starts up.
The author of Dodge Viper, Jeep’s Go-Anywhere Vehicles, and The Rise and Reinvention of Chrysler Minivans, David Zatz has been writing about cars and trucks since the early 1990s; he also writes on organizational development and business at toolpack.info and covers Mac statistics software at macstats.org. His latest book, for kids, is Meet the Jeep.
David has been quoted by the New York Times, the Daily Telegraph, the Detroit News, and USA Today. You can reach him by using our contact form (preferred) or by calling (313) 766-2304.
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