Ford is recalling nearly 273,000 pickups and SUVs in North America after regulators flagged a defect that could allow the vehicles to roll away even when drivers believe they are safely in Park. The campaign, which centers on a software problem in the electronic shifter system, affects some of the company’s most visible models and underscores how a single coding error can become a serious safety risk. Owners are being urged to act quickly to prevent what investigators describe as a clear hazard in driveways, parking lots, and low-speed situations.
The recall adds fresh scrutiny to Ford’s quality record at a time when complex electronics are increasingly responsible for basic functions like gear selection and parking. While the company says the fix is straightforward, the scale of the action, covering almost 273,000 vehicles, highlights how widely the flawed software was deployed across its lineup.
What is behind the rollaway risk and which vehicles are affected?
At the center of the problem is a software issue that can prevent the transmission from fully engaging Park even when the driver has selected it, leaving the vehicle free to move if the parking brake is not set. Investigators describe how affected vehicles may display the correct gear on the dash while the internal mechanism has not locked, a mismatch that can lead to unexpected motion on even slight inclines. Federal safety officials have documented similar failures in other brands, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall database, accessible through the agency’s main recalls portal, shows a growing share of campaigns now trace back to software logic rather than broken hardware.
Ford’s own documentation indicates that almost 273,000 vehicles are covered, a figure that has been repeated across multiple summaries of the defect. A separate consumer-focused brief notes that the recall spans several model lines, including newer electric and internal combustion trucks, and that the issue can appear without warning during normal use. That same overview highlights the inclusion of the 2022 F-150 Lightning BEV, underscoring that the problem is not limited to traditional powertrains but also touches Ford’s flagship battery-electric pickup.
How the defect plays out on the road and what owners should do
In practical terms, the risk emerges in the moments when drivers are most likely to let their guard down, such as stepping out to unload groceries or walking around to help a child out of the back seat. Technical summaries of the campaign explain that the software glitch can interfere with the proper Park function, so the truck or SUV may still be in a drive gear even though the selector and instrument panel say otherwise. One detailed analysis of the case notes that affected vehicles can behave as if they are in neutral, which is why the software issues prevent proper Park function and create a potentially deadly rollaway scenario.
Regulators and safety advocates stress that the danger is not theoretical, pointing to past incidents in which vehicles with similar faults have struck pedestrians, property, or other cars after drivers walked away. Coverage of the current action repeatedly describes how Ford recalls nearly 273,000 vehicles over rollaway risk because even low-speed movement can be catastrophic if a child or bystander is in the path. Owners are being advised to use the mechanical parking brake every time they park until the software is updated, and to schedule repairs promptly once parts and appointments are available.
Ford’s broader quality challenges and what this recall signals
The rollaway campaign does not exist in isolation. Industry trackers note that Ford Recalls 272,000-Plus Vehicles for Rollaway Risk on top of other recent safety actions, reinforcing concerns about the company’s software validation process. One breakdown of the situation characterizes it as a massive recall for vehicles that cannot reliably stay in Park, noting that it is just a software update in terms of the fix but a major headache for owners who must schedule service and live with the risk in the meantime. Another summary frames the action under the banner of Ford Recalls 272000 Vehicles Over Rollaway Risk, underscoring how the same underlying defect is being described with slightly different totals as more precise counts emerge.
There is also a pattern of repeated interventions on similar systems. A separate analysis of Ford’s safety record notes that the company has again had to address problems with trucks and SUVs over a Park-related safety issue, asking pointedly Which Vehicles Are Affected and highlighting how these models, taken together, represent a large share of Ford’s most profitable lineup. Earlier safety campaigns have targeted other risks, such as when Ford recalls hybrid SUVs that may stall and potentially cause a crash in fast-moving traffic, suggesting that the company is still working through a backlog of quality issues across both conventional and electrified vehicles. For consumers, the message is clear: checking for open campaigns using official tools and staying current on software updates is now as essential to safety as maintaining brakes or tires.
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