Ford Recalls 740,000 Trucks and SUVs That May Roll Away While in Park: TDS

      The interior of the 2021 Ford F-150.

      Ford

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      Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s morning news roundup bringing you the biggest automotive headlines from across the globe.

      The Downshift condenses news items into a few sentences and includes links for further reading. Here’s your report for Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

      🧑‍🔧 Ford is recalling 741,195 vehicles in the United States, including specific 2018-2021 Ford Explorer, Expedition, and F-150, as well as Lincoln Aviator and Navigator models, due to a transmission issue that could impair the parking pawl, risking vehicle rollaway unless the parking brake is applied. To address this, Ford will update the Powertrain Control Modules in the affected vehicles and inspect the parking system for any damage, replacing any faulty parts as needed. In the meantime, be sure to use the parking brake consistently. [Associated Press, NHTSA]

      🍁 A spokesperson from Slate stated plainly that the young company “does not have plans to offer vehicles for sale in Canada,” providing no additional information. The Slate electric pickup is set to launch in the U.S. starting at $24,950, excluding destination fees. [Automotive News]

      🏭 Volkswagen is considering spinning off its automotive components division in Germany from its main automaking business, which would enable it to close German factories that it typically couldn't due to the so-called “Volkswagen Law,” granting the state of Lower Saxony 20% voting rights in the company’s general meetings. [Reuters]

      ⚡ Ferrari and BMW are part of a trend among automakers switching from copper to aluminum for wiring, as aluminum is currently more affordable due to rising copper prices driven by demand from data centers. Chinese manufacturers and Tesla have also made this transition in recent years. An added advantage of aluminum is its lighter weight compared to copper, which is particularly crucial for electric vehicles. [Reuters]

      🦅 Nissan has joined the trend of special-edition models with its America 250 package for the Frontier pickup, announcing it will produce 2,500 units featuring stars-and-stripes accents on the truck’s large tailgate badging. [Nissan]

      💸 Speaking of Nissan, if you’re in the market for a new car under $20,000, your choices have nearly vanished, unless you can find one of the remaining 2025 Versa S models still available. The S trim, which includes a manual transmission, has been discontinued, pushing the price of the subcompact sedan above $20,000. [CarsDirect]

      🔧 Stellantis has prolonged a previously scheduled production halt for the Fiat 500 at its Turin plant due to a shortage of components. [Reuters]

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