Ford is recalling certain F-150 pickup trucks with a part that could break and cause the vehicles to roll away when parked.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that the truck’s rear axle hub bolt can break and damage the splines on the axle hub.
“Damaged axle hub splines can cause the vehicle to move when parked without the parking brake applied, or cause a loss of engine power,” NHTSA Leader Alex Ansley wrote in a letter to Ford. “Both situations can add up to the threat of an accident. “
The recall affects more than 112,000 2021-2023 model year trucks with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package and a 9. 75-inch heavy-duty axle with a 3/4 floating axle design.
A “clicking or rattling noise” could indicate problems with the rear axle bolt, and owners can take their trucks to a Ford dealer for a repair, NHTSA said.
Ford spokeswoman Maria Buczkowski said the automaker would provide more information about the “final solution” to the problem soon and that in the meantime drivers can use their truck’s electronic parking brake.
As of Dec. 2, there had been 376 warranty reports about damaged rear axle bolts and bare hub splines affecting the vehicle’s engine strength or parking condition, Ford said.
The Dearborn, Michigan-based company said it is not aware of any injuries or injuries similar to the issue.
In March, Ford recalled about 220,000 F-150s due to faulty wiper arms.