Ford recalls F-150 pickups for steering shaft problem

Ford on Tuesday recalled thousands of its new F-150 pickups in North America because of a faulty steering shaft that could cause drivers of the trucks to lose control.

Ford Motor Company issued the recall of 12,328 2015-model Ford F-150 trucks, citing an upper I-shaft "that might have been riveted improperly, potentially causing it to separate."

In that case, the driver could unexpectedly lose control of the aluminum-bodied truck's steering, increasing the risk of a crash, the second-largest US automaker said.

Ford said it knew of no accidents or injuries related to the defect, but was aware of one report of loss of steering "believed to be related to this condition."

Affected trucks include certain 2015 F-150 vehicles built in March at plants in Kansas City, Missouri, and Dearborn, Michigan. Only 5,606 of the recalled trucks are in the hands of customers, the company said.

Ford has been ramping up production of the brand-new pickup to meet solid demand. US sales of the F-150 jumped 8.0 percent in April, according to the company.