Ford F-150 experienced downshifting on a highway post-recall service, marking the start of further issues.
Rewritten Article:
Riding the Shifting Sands: Why buying used vehicles can be a bumpy ride
Curtis Mabee's brand-new ride in his Ford F-150 turned into a nightmare as he wormed his way onto the highway. The pickup began downshifting without warnings, with cars zipping past and blaring horns, Mabee felt his truck struggling against him. He decided to turn back to Thor Motors Orillia, the same Ford dealership he had visited just weeks before for a safety recall service, to address this confusing issue.
Stuck in First Gear: Transmission trouble could spell trouble on the road
Two months before Mabee brought home his rebuilt 2014 SuperCrew F-150 with close to 300,000 kilometres on its odometer, Ford issued a safety recall, citing a transmission problem. But Mabee didn't know about the recall when he bought the truck from Norfolk Fine Cars in Orillia for $10,622 all in.
In a July 1, 2024 letter to 2014 F-150 owners, Ford warned of an intermittent failure of the output shaft speed sensor in the transmission, which might result in an unintended downshift to first gear. The company also warned that sudden downshifts could cause the vehicle to lose control and increase the risk of a crash.
Thor Motors, Mabee says, had advised him that the service would take the whole day, and he was surprised to receive a text message just 17 minutes later notifying him the truck was ready. When Mabee reported the downshifting problem to the dealership after returning, he asked for a service manager to accompany him on a test drive.
"It stalled on him right when it hit first gear," Mabee explained. "He said, 'Yep, it's doing exactly what it was recalled for.'"
At first, both Thor Motors and Ford pointed fingers at each other. The manufacturer told Mabee to go back to the dealership, while the dealership advised him to escalate his concerns with the manufacturer. But then the case took an unexpected turn.
Passing the Buck: The stalemate between manufacturer and dealership
Thor Motors notified Ford of Canada about the problems with Mabee's truck soon after the initial safety recall service seemed to go awry. On October 24, 2024, Kenneth Britt, a service manager at the dealership, wrote to Ford's technical support staff.
"After completing recall 24S37, the transmission is downshifting erratically while driving," Britt wrote. "I road tested the vehicle with the customer and the concern happens at about 80 km/h, the transmission feels like its shifting into a neutral gear ... and then back up again without any throttle application."
Britt noted that the truck wasn't 'throwing any codes,' when running a digital analysis. Thor Motors gave Mabee a loaner, a Ford Bronco, while its mechanics continued to troubleshoot and seek help from Ford.
Thor Motors told Mabee that his truck needed a whole new transmission, which would cost about $8,700 – almost as much as he originally paid for the vehicle. Mabee, who hasn't worked in three years due to disability, didn't have that kind of money. The issue dragged on for five months.
On March 4, Thor's service manager wrote Ford again.
"The concern is a result of the program installed during the 24S37 recall. We feel the vehicle requires a transmission. The SSSC and the customer assistance centre have offered no assistance with the repair costs. We need assistance in determining what happened during the recall update. We have installed a known good lead frame and valve body and the concern is not resolved."
When I reached out to Thor Motors and Ford Canada on Mabee's behalf, both companies said there was nothing more they could do to help.
When I emailed Thor Motors' General Manager Nathan Brown some followup questions about a written statement he sent me, a Ford spokesperson got back to me instead.
"This transmission concern is not related in any way to the recall, which was performed fully and correctly," Matt Drennan-Scace wrote in an email. "These concerns suggest there may be additional wear and tear, or damage, to the transmission based on vehicle age, mileage, and how it has been driven and serviced."
Emails from both Thor Motors and Ford noted that the truck had not been serviced at any Ford dealership in Canada since 2017, until Mabee scheduled the safety recall service last October.
"Based on the information available, all service technicians agree that this vehicle likely requires a transmission replacement," Drennan-Scace wrote. "Thor Motors went above and beyond the scope of this recall to try and address these concerns at no cost to the customer."
A Spooky Past: Hidden dangers lurking in used vehicles
Six months after reporting the spontaneous downshifting problem with his Ford F-150, Mabee's truck is still sitting in the parking lot Thor Motors in Orillia. He's still driving the dealership's loaner.
Was Ford right? Could Mabee's problem have been an issue since he bought the truck in August? Using the truck's VIN, I paid $79 for the vehicle's history from CARFAX – which revealed a troubled past. It showed me the truck had been regularly serviced since it first took to the road in June 2014.
But in 2021, an insurance company wrote off the pickup for $16,600 after a collision that resulted in "moderate damage" to its front and sides. The report also noted the truck had since been branded as "rebuilt." Norfolk Fine Cars confirmed the truck passed structural and safety inspections on Aug. 12, 2024, the day Mabee took it home.
But neither of these inspections, which are provincially mandated for all used vehicles that have been rebuilt after insurance declares them a write-off, act as a warranty or guarantee of the vehicle's condition.
A structural inspection assesses the vehicle's frame, while the safety check reviews components like brakes, suspension, airbags, headlights, and wipers. Gaetan Legace, owner of Gater's Auto Refinishing in Welland, Ont., which is provincially licensed to do this work, though did not do the inspection on Mabee's vehicle, explained.
"They won't tear apart the transmission," he said of a vehicle's transmission. "That's a bit of a grey area," added Rob Black, owner of BRD Motorsports in Orillia, which is also provincially licensed to perform safety inspections on used vehicles. He did not certify Mabee's truck.
"Obviously the transmission has to function," he said. "You want to make sure there's no cracks or damage to its mounting, and that its operation is okay. But (after an accident) some internal components could be hurt, and you wouldn't notice it until you put another 10 or 15 thousand kilometres on it. You just don't know. That's the problem with buying a used vehicle."
Both Legace and Black suggested Mabee's best bet would be to go with a used transmission which would likely run him no more than $1,000.
Legace urges consumers to purchase an extended warranty from the dealer, especially on used vehicles with high mileage. Mabee, who used to work for the Ministry of Transportation, and thought he had done all the homework he needed to ensure he got a reliable used truck, is worried.
"I've gotta funny feeling that I'm just going to be stuck with a piece of crap."
- The news of a transmission issue with 2014 Ford F-150 models, related to an intermittent failure of the output shaft speed sensor, was announced by Ford in a July 1, 2024 letter to owners.
- In the Canadian automotive industry, provincial regulations require safety and structural inspections for used vehicles that have been rebuilt following insurance declarations of write-offs, but these inspections do not act as a warranty or guarantee of the vehicle's condition.
- The finance sector can play a role in helping consumers when dealing with vehicle issues, as extended warranties on used vehicles with high mileage, as suggested by Gaetan Legace, owner of Gater's Auto Refinishing, can provide additional protection.
- sports: Mabee's aspirations of driving off-road adventures with his Ford F-150 have been put on hold due to the downshifting issue affecting his transmission, rendering it unsuitable for off-road sports activities.
