Ford recalls hundreds of thousands of F-150 pickup trucks in Canada, U.S. over parking brake issue

A 2021 F-150 pickup truck at a Ford dealer in southeast Denver, Oct. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Ford is recalling hundreds of thousands of newer model Ford pickup trucks in Canada and the U.S. due to an issue with electric parking brakes.

South of the border, more than 870,000 F-150 trucks are covered in the recall, which is tied to a problem that results in parking brakes turning on unexpectedly – sometimes while the vehicle is in motion.

A spokesperson confirmed to CTVNews.ca that the recall also involves vehicles in Canada, but that the company did not have an estimate as to how many are impacted.

The issue involves a rear wiring bundle that can come in contact with the rear axle housing. The Associated Press reported that this can lead to wire chafing, causing a short circuit that can, in turn, activate the parking brake without any action from the driver.

The recall applies to 2021-23 models with single-exhaust systems. The company did not say how popular the vehicles are in Canada, but its F-Series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the U.S., the AP reported.

It's unclear whether anyone has been injured due to the issue in the U.S. or Canada, but the AP reported that Ford has had 918 warranty claims and three field reports of wire chafing.

About one-third of those involved the parking brake being turned on, and in 19 cases, this happened while the trucks were on the road.

Canadian drivers are told to watch for a few signs.

"A parking brake warning light and cluster message should be present if the customer begins experiencing this issue," Ford Canada said in an email.

"If a warning light or message is present, the customer should visit a local dealership for repair."

Those looking for more information can contact Ford's customer service team at 1-800-565-3673 in Canada, and 1-866-436-7332 in the U.S.

With files from The Associated Press