The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) started a preliminary investigation for 1.3 million F-150 Ford pickup trucks because many Ford customers reported unwanted gear transitions which could lead to wheel lock-up conditions.

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The NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation investigates 138 complaints from users about their F-150 trucks automatically shifting to lower gears while the vehicles travel at highway speeds without warning. Vehicle safe operations were endangered by sudden gear downshifts which reportedly led to quick braking.

Certain complaints document how the vehicle back wheels momentarily experienced locking or seizing or skidding events during gear shift transitions. A reduction in driver control due to this issue would boost the odds of vehicle crashes and injuries as per NHTSA.

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The examination started on Friday and analyses Ford F-150 automotive series spanning from 2015 to 2017. NHTSA works to establish the seriousness of any possible defect and analyse its safety connection.

During the investigation no accidents or fires have proven to stem from the documented gear shift difficulty. The possibility of losing control when speeding creates substantial security issues despite other safety considerations.

Ford's F-150 F-150 model faces possible recall due to this investigation which focuses on its popular products. The collaboration between Ford and NHTSA must include reporting all complaints and available potential solutions.

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F-150 owners together with the automotive industry will closely monitor the investigation results because this assessment could deliver major consequences for the safety of Ford vehicles and for the business of Ford as a whole.