550K 2014 Ford F-150 Models Recalled as Pickup Can Unexpectedly Shift Into First Gear

In affected 2014 Ford F-150 pickups, a loss of signal between the OSS sensor and PCM can cause them to downshift suddenly and unexpectedly.

It’s no secret that Ford has struggled with initial quality over the past few years, and in fact, The Blue Oval issued more recalls than any other automaker through the duration of 2023. Since then, CEO Jim Farley has recommitted to improving that particular metric in a variety of ways, chiefly, by conducting extensive quality checks on refreshed and redesigned models before shipping them to customers and dealers. However, older issues continue to pose problems for the automaker as well, and that’s now true of a large number of 2014 Ford F-150 pickups.

FoMoCo has now issued a recall – number 24S37 – impacting a whopping 552,188 2014 Ford F-150 pickups, in fact, which can reportedly shift into first gear while being driven at any speed – suddenly and unexpectedly. The culprit here is a potential loss of signal between the transmission output shaft speed sensor and the powertrain control module, which can lead to that particular problem occurring.

This intermittent OSS failure could obviously lead to a loss of vehicle control and a potential crash, particularly if it happens while the vehicle is traveling at higher speeds. Ford did find a variety of factors that contribute to this issue, including “contamination, power short to ground, connector corrosion, connector pin swaging, and incorrect outputs from the OSS sensor,” according to the automaker, and in some cases, the abrupt downshift to first can illuminate a Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL).

In other cases, the OSS signal may actually reestablish itself while impacted 2014 Ford F-150 pickups are in motion, and it will resume operating as normal, though in other cases, the vehicle may need to come to a stop and be restarted again to regain normal transmission function. In any event, Ford reviewed its manufacturing records and was able to trace the issue back to specific models that are equipped with the faulty PCM calibration.

Luckily, for owners of impacted 2014 Ford F-150 pickups, the fix is pretty simple – they only have to take their trucks to a dealer, who will be able to update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Letters are slated to be mailed to impacted owners starting July 1, 2024, but in the meantime, owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov for more information.

Photos: Ford

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.