Ford New Zealand has recalled the Ranger and Everest for an software fault that may cause their transmissions to shift into ‘park’ at low speeds.
The recall affects vehicles fitted with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder Bi-Turbo engine and ‘e-Shifter’ gear selector, amounting to 1240 local models and 4841 in Australia.
Ford has narrowed the problem down to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, which may limit the alternator’s charging output under certain circumstances.
“Due to a software issue, under certain circumstances, if the battery level drops below a critical threshold, the transmission may shift into park when the vehicle is travelling at speeds below 6km/h,” according to Ford Australia’s recall notice.
“This may cause a sudden stop without the rear brake lamps illuminating as intended.”
No parts need to be replaced to fix the issue, just an update to the PCM software, a Ford NZ spokesperson said in a statement.
There have been no reported incidents of a Ranger or Everest changing gear into ‘park’ at low speeds in New Zealand.
Ford NZ has begun directly contacting the owners of the affected vehicles with instructions on resolving the issue.
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