NHTSA Complaint #11708360 — 2019 FORD RANGER

The automatic transmission and related transmission control system malfunctioned. The vehicle experienced improper shifting and loss of gears, including a condition in which 4th gear is disabled due to a failsafe logic triggered by the transmission control module. The vehicle and all affected components are currently available for inspection upon request and are at a Ford-authorized dealership. This malfunction posed a safety risk because the vehicle was unable to shift normally or maintain consistent acceleration. The unpredictable shifting and loss of gears could create hazardous situations when merging, accelerating, or driving at highway speeds, potentially endangering the driver and others. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by a Ford dealership. After inspection and diagnostic testing, the dealership advised that the transmission requires replacement. The vehicle has been inspected by a Ford-authorized dealer. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer directly, police, or insurance representatives (UNKNOWN). Prior to the failure, warning messages and drivability symptoms were present. Specifically, the transmission control module detected an issue when attempting to shift into 4th gear, triggering a failsafe mode that disabled 4th gear for the remainder of the key cycle. These symptoms appeared before the full transmission failure and progressively worsened over time.