Ford on Monday issued a recall for some Ford F-150 Lightning vehicles due to an issue in which the vehicle’s tire pressure monitoring system may be set to the wrong value. 

In affected trucks—2,886 Ford F-150 Lightnings in the U.S. and Canada, with 20-inch or 22-inch all-season tires—the pressure has been incorrectly set to 35 psi rather than 42 psi. Ford cautions that a low inflation pressure may lead to “poor handling and a possible loss of vehicle control.”

The remedy for the issue comes in the form of an update for the Body Control Module. Ford says that it can provide an immediate fix in about 20 minutes at dealerships, with an in-person update of that software. For an even more convenient fix, it will make that update part of an over-the-air software update in 30 days. 

FordPass app

FordPass app

Notification of dealers started Monday, with customers getting notification through email and the FordPass app starting today. 

The over-the-air fix is something that wouldn’t be possible in a wider range of electric vehicles, but Ford has embraced the ability to reprogram vehicle firmware as part of its so-called Power-Up updates in the Lightning and the Mustang Mach-E. So far Ford has used them primarily to add interface features and to correct safety issues—a recent Mach-E battery contactor issue, for example—but it does have the potential to boost range or performance in the future this way. 

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

But there’s an even simpler remedy for this one: In the meantime, just do it the old-fashioned way. Check your tire pressures, and make sure they match what’s on the Tire and Loading info label just inside the driver door jamb. Those show the correct pressure and keeping your tires at the correct pressure not only keeps handling safe but saves energy and extends range.

And even if you don’t yet have a Lightning, or an EV, the price of gas should convince you it’s a very good habit to follow.