8.8

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,720
Average Mileage:
81,250 miles
Total Complaints:
12 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace transmission (8 reports)
  2. rebuild transmission (3 reports)
  3. not sure (1 reports)
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2008 Ford F-150:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.

problem #12

Sep 152020

F-150 5.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 189,000 miles

Have had to replace the transmission once and have a rebuild once.

- Patricia P., Seabeck, WA, US

problem #11

Oct 042018

F-150 XLT SuperCrew 5.4L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 131,476 miles

I bought an 2008 Ford F150 XLT SuperCrew at a used car dealer in Nevada. All vehicles supposedly pass an extensive multipoint inspection and are certified to be in excellent condition. Well eight months after purchase the Transmission totally fails and I'm stuck on the side of the road. No warning, no check engine light, nothing on the dash at all. It just won't go when I put it in gear. I pushed it into the Ford dealership about a mile away from breakdown. It took them a day to tell me the transmission is toast and needed to be replaced. Two weeks later they called and said it was done. I didn't have the truck back for a week before the thing starts shifting erratically, Transmission Fault comes on and I barely made it home.

The next morning I limp it to the Ford dealership that installed the transmission and explained the issue and he say he'll call me tomorrow. He finally called me back at 5:30pm the next day and tells me that his tech called in sick and he won't be able to get to my truck until the middle of next week (it's 5:30 Thursday at this time.

So I'm livid at this point. But they installed this tranny and they should fix it and stand behind the work and the parts they use. Anyway, 17 days later I get a call from the service department assistant manager. She tells me that the speed sensor is out and a wiring harness needs to be replaced but first I need to pay $450 for the diagnostic. I told them they were absolutely insane and I wasn't going to pay and to get me a manager. Truck is still not running and parked in my driveway.

- Paul C., Watsonville, US

problem #10

Dec 062013

F-150 XLT 5.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,746 miles

Bought my 2008 F150XLT Extended Crew cab new with 2279 miles on August 21,2008 from a local Ford dealer. Ran it with no problems, serviced and changed oil with recommended 5W20 Motorcraft oil and filter every 5K miles.

At around 81K miles I started to have a metal spinning sound and shaking whenever I towed a long distance but stopped when I shut it off. I took it in to be checked and no codes could be found and could not be duplicated when they tried to run it. The sound did not return until around 98K miles and it began to happen after running long distances and shook. It would stop when I put the car in park and turned the ignition off and did not happen again when it restarted.

At 100,700 miles the truck kept shaking and and tranny not shifting properly on hot summer days when it ran long distances. I took it to a local family transmission shop and after running several tests found the transmission needed to be overhauled and the Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Bank malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. I had all of this done at a cost of $1815. At around 102K miles the same issue occurred and I took it back to the same shop.

They replaced a part on the tranny planet and it worked well for a while. At 112K miles the truck did the same exact thing and the tranny needed to be overhauled which was done at a cost of $2K. On August 31, 2107 with 172K miles the exact same issues occurred and I was told by the local Ford dealer that the transmission was totally shot. I decided to have the tranny replaced at a cost of $3788. On September 11, 2017 I took it in again for the metal spinning noise and shaking until I turned the truck off. They could not find any codes or duplicate the issue.

Needless to say the same exact thing happened in Mid February of 2018 and now they say the VCT system is erratic and the root cause is excessive crankshaft end play causing the motor to shake due to low oil pressure to cylinder heads and the engine needs to be replaced. The dealership told me this particular motor is on back order for another 2 quarters and will run me $8800. The tech even said he is surprised I got that much mileage from this 5.4 liter engine. I am not paying any more money!

I have owned Fords for most of my life and this is the worse vehicle I have ever owned. I have always serviced and changed the oil in all of my vehicles and have never had anything like this happen to me. It is obvious from the back order this is a major issue for this 5.4 liter engine and the tech's comments. I would love to be a part of a class action if there ever was one.

- Michael D B., Raeford, US

problem #9

Feb 152017

F-150 4.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,880 miles

Truck was not drivable until it was fixed because it would not go any where. I believe this was entirely too early with the amount of mileage for something like this to go wrong.

- Bobby B., Houston, US

problem #8

Jul 222016

F-150 XLT SuperCrew 5.4L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 132,654 miles

I have never hauled any heavy loads or pulled any type of trailer. One day 21-Jul-2016, it was running/working fine as far as I could tell, the next day 22-Jul-2016, it had no reverse and sounded like it was falling completely apart in first gear (in DRIVE gear - automatic). See picture, metal galore. replaced with remanufactured transmission from RockAuto.com. (haven't completely finished yet to give any updates on new one, it's all back together, still thinking on replacing fluid cooler and transmission thermostat before adding fluid and putting into service). More later...

- Michael C., Oklahoma City, OK, US

problem #7

Dec 102015

F-150 V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 27,000 miles

I can't believe and either could the transmission repair man that at 27,000 miles, and never towing a thing or driving carelessly, wear out a transmission. We heard numerous noises in the engine and the gears were acting up so we drove two miles slowly to get it home. Once in the driveway, it wouldn't go into any gear, not even neutral to get it in the street. It was towed to the transmission shop and we decided to put in a new transmission and not a rebuilt so we will see how long this one lasts.

I have had numerous cars in my lifetime and only once did I have to replace a transmission and it was in a very old car with high mileage. What a great thing to happen in the month of December - $3,000 later.

- hatecarproblems, Lincoln, CA, US

problem #6

Sep 182013

F-150 5.4L Efi

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

I am second owner and I personally know the original owner. Neither of us have ever hauled any loads, pulled any size trailer or abused truck in any way. The truck has pretty much just been a back and forth vehicle to and from work its entire life and majority of the now 100k miles has been freeway mileage.

I first noticed the issue at around 60k miles the transmission would do a hesitate type rev up high then shift into gear only if you were driving really slow like under 20 and staying that way throw our small country town main road. then slowly this progressed it stayed that way until around 100k when it finally started missing shifts would go bat sh*t crazy on the freeway if you drove about 65 and let off gas it would buck like an engine misfire or as if i had a trailer that the brakes were engaging and disengaging rapidly on. T

hen eventually I caved in and took it to the dealer to have a new tranny put in at around $3,400. I could imagine if one had this truck with the initial signs at 60k and used it to tow or haul or tried to drive it rough it would have failed at a lot sooner. Especially being that the initial signs of this issue would only occur if you were doing an extremely low acceleration and cruise to 20 MPH and I mean just taking your foot off brake and barely any throttle. If i did a normal acceleration to 20 MPH it would not do the high rev then shift into 3rd.

So If you buy one of these trucks used on your test drive make sure you do a from a complete stop accelerate to 20mph and cruise threw the gears with very minimal throttle application to see if it wants to rev up high before shifting into any gear.

- Steve S., Fresno, CA, US

problem #5

Nov 042014

F-150 FX2 5.4L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 118,000 miles

I bought a Ford F-150 to last at least 300k miles, but the have the complete transmission go at 118k? Sticker was $37k, and you think you would have a better investment than that? What kind of quality is that? Transmission shop told me they see this a lot in the F150's and the parts are very thin and made to only last 100k or cover the warranty. After they rebuilt it that gave me a warranty of 100k miles with the new parts. Then told me it is the same transmission they put in the Mustang.

Built Ford tough? With a car transmission?

- ut00081, Winston Salem, NC, US

problem #4

Jan 252015

F-150 XL V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 32,552 miles

I use my truck for light hauling (tree limbs, grass clippings, and shrubbery trimmings). Most miles have been highway miles 2008 Ford F-150 with 32552 miles. The warning light came on stating Transmission Faulty, the check engine light came on, and the OD light started flashing. I haven't had it fixed and don't know whether to take it to dealership, an independent auto repair shop, or a transmission repair shop. The truck is very low mileage and looks great but I don't have much money in the truck so I would hate to put thousands in a transmission. What are the options as you can probably tell I know very little about mechanics.

- Gary M., Joplin, MO, US

problem #3

Jan 282012

F-150 V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 28,000 miles

After only 28,000 transmission failed. Bought truck in June 2008 and transmission failed in Jan 2012. Now in September 2014 after only 61,000 miles the transmission has failed again. First time covered by mfg warranty. This time it is not and extended warranty expired in June 2014. No coverage. Ford unwilling to consider after warranty compensation to help pay for the repair.

- kllw, Irving, TX, US

problem #2

Oct 152011

F-150 FX2 5.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,175 miles

I hope my complaint can be useful to prevent about new models

thanks to AutoBeef

- zunyeki, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

problem #1

Nov 192010

F-150 FX4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles

all my life I have driven, bought and leased Ford vehicles. With my last Ford purchase (most recent or never again that is up to Ford) I was disappointed, no down right pissed off to replace a transmission after 62,000 miles. If that is the quality that is accepted by Ford, than I dont want it. They can have this one back and I will look to another manufacturer for every purchase from here on out. I will also be sure to tell family and friends. Shame on your Ford!

- Joe C., Holly Springs, NC, US