Ford Motor Co. will begin the new year mailing recall notices to 184,698 owners of certain 2021-22 Ford F-150 pickups, warning the driveshaft may fracture and prevent wheels from turning properly — increasing crash risk, according to a filing with federal regulators.

The driveshaft, which transfers torque to other parts of the vehicle, may become fractured in affected trucks, Ford said.

Ford notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Dec. 16 that thermal and acoustic insulators on the underbody of the F-150s "may loosen and contact with the aluminum driveshaft," which may fracture because of heat buildup or other damage.

A fractured driveshaft may result in loss of power while driving, unintended vehicle movement while the vehicle is in park if the parking brake is not applied, and may result in secondary damage to surrounding components, Ford said.

A broken driveshaft may also drag on the road, which may cause loss of vehicle control and risk of injury or crash, Ford said.

27 reports of fractured driveshafts

An explanation submitted to safety regulators said the problem is caused by inadequate adhesion of the insulators to the vehicle underbody, which results in loosening and sagging of the insulators.

As of Dec. 7, Ford had received 27 reports of fractured aluminum driveshafts possibly related to sagging underbody insulators on the F-150s, the automaker said.

Ford reported to safety regulators that 10% of the trucks built from Jan. 10, 2020, to Nov. 20, 2021, may be affected by the recall.

Drivers may notice a loose underbody insulator, or they may hear a rattling, clicking or clunking noise due to a loose underbody insulator making contact with the driveshaft, Ford said.

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The vehicles were not produced in VIN order, and Ford suggested that consumers call Ford’s toll-free line 866-436-7332 to see whether their vehicle may be affected.

Warranty claims

The automaker said owner notification letters were expected to be mailed Jan. 31 to Feb. 4. Dealers were notified Dec. 21. Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft as needed and fully attach underbody insulators, Ford said.

Ford said it initiated an investigation on July 1 after reports of inadequate underbody insulator adhesion on 2021 F-150 vehicles based on warranty claims of insulators coming loose.

Warranty claims at the time described sagging of one or both insulators, Ford said.

On Sept. 16, Ford's Critical Concern Review Group was notified of seven reports of driveshaft damage on 2021 F-150 vehicles, likely caused by underbody insulator contact.

On Dec. 9, Ford’s Field Review Committee approved a field action. Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition.

The trucks are built at the Dearborn Truck Plant and the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri. The component manufacturer is identified as Lydall Thermal/Acoustical Inc. of Hamptonville, North Carolina.

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Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid. Read more on Ford and sign up for our autos newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford F-150 recall: Some 2021-22 pickup driveshafts may fracture