Ford Recalls 2021 F-150s To Repair Driveshafts, Steering Gear

pickups, Ford has recalled 2021 F-150 pickups this week.

First In Series Of Recalls

In the first series of recalls, Ford recalled 200,000 Transit Connect vans to fix a faulty transmission bushing. The bushing controls the position of the gearshift lever. Because there is a fault, it is possible to place the van into Park, but the transmission will not be in the same position.

The result is that the van could roll, and a crash could result, though Ford has heard of no crashes or injuries related to the problem. This problem follows an earlier recall of Transit vans to repair a warped rear wheel flange.

In the Super Duty recall, the automaker recalled F-350/F450s equipped with left-hand fifth-wheel trailer hitches. The trailer hitches may crack, causing a trailer to become loose and detach while being towed. Again, Ford has heard of no crashes or injuries related to this problem.

Ford Adds Two F-150 Recalls

Now, Ford has added two recalls for its 2021 F-150 pickup line. In the first recall, the automaker has recalled more than 4,430 F-150 pickups for a problem with driveshafts.

The two-piece driveshaft was not correctly assembled. The driveshaft can come apart, resulting in a sudden loss of power or, if parked, the pickup might roll unless the parking brake is applied. In either instance, there is the possibility of a crash.

Ford will notify F-150 owners beginning June 14. Dealer technicians will replace the driveshaft free of charge.

For more information, owners can contact Ford Customer Service at 866-436-7332. Or owners can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. Owners may also contact the agency's website at www.nhtsa.gov. Ford's identifier for this recall is 21S25, while the NHTSA number is 21V328.

The second recall involves 220 Ford F-150 pickups for a problem with the steering gear. According to the NHTSA, the pickups affected by this recall may have steering gear with internal damage. The damage could result in either difficulty steering or an inability to rotate the steering wheel while driving.

Ford has advised the affected vehicles' owners not to drive their pickups until the repair is complete. Vehicles will be towed in for service. Dealers technicians will then inspect, remove, and replace the steering gear. The repair is free of charge.

Ford expects to notify owners of impacted vehicles this month. Again, for more information, owners can contact Ford Customer Service at 866-436-7332 and ask about recall 21S28.

Or, owners can contact the NHTSA at 888-327-4236, referring to recall number 21V407. Owners may also contact the agency through its website at www.nhtsa.gov.

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971 when an otherwise normal news editor said, "You're our new car editor," and dumped about 27 pounds of auto stuff on my desk. I was in heaven as I have been a gearhead from my early days. As a teen, I spent the usual number of misspent hours hanging out at gas stations Shell and Texaco (a big thing in my youth) and working on cars. From there on, it was a straight line to my first column for the paper, "You Auto Know," an enterprise that I handled faithfully for 32 years. Not too many people know that I also handled computer documentation for a good part of my living while writing YAN. My best writing, though, was always in cars. My work has appeared in venues including Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. You can follow me on: Twitter or Facebook.