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There’s a new Super Duty line coming to the Ford stable for 2020, and a recall coming to owners who bought the earlier version.
On Friday, Ford Motor Company issued a recall of certain 2017-2019 F-250, F-350, and F-450 pickups to fix tailgates that might fly open at inopportune moments. The callback has been a long time coming.
According to Ford, the recall affects only those trucks with an electric release switch on the tailgate handle. The culprit? The very thing that breeds life itself: water.
“In affected vehicles with an electric tailgate latch-release switch mounted in the tailgate handle, water entering the electrical wiring system may cause a short circuit, resulting in unintended switch activation and release of the tailgate latches,” the automaker states. “This could cause the tailgate to open unintentionally, whether the vehicle is in motion or stationary. This condition may result in the loss of unrestrained cargo, increasing the risk of a crash.”
Obviously, trucks with only manual tailgate handles are not included in the recall. Adding electricity to a mechanism or feature that previously lacked such modernity is fraught with danger. Just ask my friend, whose F-150’s power running boards didn’t last long in the harsh conditions of the salt belt. Fixed boards would have averted those trips to the dealer.
In the case of the unlatching tailgates, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was all over the issue by October of 2018, launching an investigation into 2017 model-year Ford trucks with electrically-actuated tailgates. That probe included the F-150, too. At the time, it seemed a recall was only a matter of time.
While Ford claims it’s unaware of any accidents or injuries stemming from the potential fault, dropping your tailgate at highway speeds with a full bed of junk could spell disaster for motorists in other vehicles. The recall, which seeks to modify the trucks’ tailgate frame wiring harnesses and install a new tailgate release switch, impacts some 231,664 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories and 29,953 in Canada.
If you’re thinking that Ford is the only automaker to grapple with wonky power tailgates, think again. In the summer of 2018, Fiat Chrysler recalled 1.1 million Ram trucks for tailgates with a mind of their own.
[Image: Chris Tonn/TTAC]
“The name is Bond. Jimmy Joe Bob Bond.”
/automatic tailgate as defensive measure
This made me laugh. A lot.
Built Ford Proud!
Let’s cut our way to profitability.
I remember back in the old days, pickup trucks bouncing along the back roads when occasionally the tailgate would pop open. Somehow the universe is still here.
“If it ain’t broke, over-engineer it until it is!”
I’ll tell you what the Super Duty trucks need to be recalled for.
Their retina-searing, blinding, God awful, glare inducing nightmare fuel feckin’ headlights.
The person at the DOT that signed off on these abominations should be strapped to a chair, their eyes held open, eye drops applied, and sat 100 feet away from the headlights on low beam.
I envision their face, melting, after 2 or 3 minutes like in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I totally agree. Way too much light coming at you on a two lane highway.
There actually is a recall open for the LED headlight trucks being too bright on low beam.
The running lights are supposed to switch off when the low beams come on and they don’t.
Ah, another uninformed internet user. Did you get lost while navigating to Jalopnik? For future reference, nobody at DOT does any sort of approving of headlamps.
https://www.truck-lite.com/content/news/sae-vs-dot-truth-about-lighting-regulations
Ahh yes, the usual weekly peppering of clickbait FORD BAD(!) articles to get the hate flowing and the idiots forming a circle to do what they do best with their fingers and palms. Comon guys, the first one reel’d you right in…youre slacking in this one. LMFAO.
They’re literally reporting on a recall.
Why is that bad?
Because it brings out $#!+birds like you
Awe! You don’t like the truth.
Be happy….TTAC conveniently did not report the recall involving the new MKExplorer that was announced with the Super Duty recall.
They care about you lol
A bad thing? Where? It’s literally free advertising of an awesome truck, top of the pickup truck food chain.
But us normal shoppers would get the basic truck, except probably 4wd and crew cab, maybe diesel and or STX package, but no Fancy Pants trim or excessive gadgetry. Who buys those anyway?
I did.
$10,000 worth of leather and features is 100X more valuable to me than a $10,000 diesel engine.
Congrats and thanks! It’ll be mine when it’s down to $12K. I can hardly wait.
Hope you like blue.
You can’t group the whole US together. i.e. California and Texas are completely opposite in automotive preferences.
I also am interested in a Lambo, but I am not going to buy one new or used. Does that make sense?
p.s. Prius V owner, will buy a used Chevy Volt if I need to replace my Corolla now.