Ford recalls 870,000 F-150 trucks for unexpected parking brake application

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN Business

New York (CNN) — Ford has recalled more than 870,000 of its full-sized F-150 trucks because the electronic parking brake could engage unexpectedly at any time, including while the vehicle is being driven. That could cause a loss of control and possibly a crash.

The recall, posted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall website earlier this month, applies to some 2021 through 2023 model year F-150 trucks with single-pipe exhaust systems. Ford will begin mailing recall notices to owners around September 11.

In some of the trucks, a wiring harness can rub against the rear axle housing, gradually wearing away insulating material on the wires. Corrosion on the axle housing could make this problem worse, according to documents on the NHTSA website.

Owners will be advised to bring their trucks to a Ford dealer. The dealer will install a protective tie strap and tape wrap to the wiring harness and will also replace the wiring harness, if needed. The work will be performed at no cost to the owner.

Ford (F) opened an investigation into this issue in late February following a number of complaints of unintended parking brake application in 2021 model year trucks. The trucks had chafing on wiring harnesses involved in the parking brake, and the wear had gone through through abrasion-resistant tape on the harnesses.

So far, Ford is aware of 299 instances of the parking brake activating unintentionally and 19 of those incidents occurred while the vehicle was being driven. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries resulting from this problem, according to the documents.

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