Shortly after buying this truck used, it started shifting hard from first to second. After having the transmission recall done, it got worse. Had it back to the dealer three times and they finally said there wasn't anything they could do. I took the truck to a tranny shop and had the fluid and filter changed. It still shifts hard from first to second but not as often. The guy that did the service said it's common and has seen lots of f150's do this. The only fix is changing the valve body but it's no guarantee. After some research, it seems there's lots of common problems with F-150's that Ford doesn't fix. For the best selling truck in the world, that's pretty disappointing.

Update from Nov 9, 2021: Finally took the truck to another dealership where they found the problem. A bad shift solenoid and plastic spacer block. (I think between the valve body and pump) seems to have fixed the problem. Still a little hard between 1st and 2nd but it's very rare a it's definitely not as bad as it used to be.

When this vehicle was under warranty it was taken to a ford Dealership to check out a ' slack movement or bump" when first driving off. Seems there was a fix for this that Ford completed free of charge. Had no further problems until around 80,000 miles when it felt like transmission was not shifting out of gear to a higher gear around 35 to 45 mph. At same time gas mileage was going down. I attributed this to transmission not shifting to a higher gear properly at the right time. Transmission has gotten consistently more problematic especially hard shifting in the lower gears. Had transmission fluid and filter changed at 102,560 miles. Still a problem with hard shifting and slamming into gear at lower gears but at higher speeds i.e. 35 to 45 mph shifting appears to be smoother.Now checking out cost benefit of having transmission repaired or replaced or trading for a newer truck.

I bought my truck in 2011 brand new, (8 miles) on it. Within the first 3 months I took it in for a hard shift from first to second. The Ford dealership said they knew exactly what the problem was just by me telling them I had a hard shift. Under warranty,They repaired my truck by installing,(mind you this is their words) a boot on the drive shaft, and I never figured out what or where the hell it was if they did anything. For the next several months hard shift seemed to be gone. Then it started again in 2014 and is still doing it. I have researched recalls and know fixes but have found none. I know if I take it back to Ford before I know what the hell it is they will just feed me a line of horseshit and charge me out the wazoo and fix nothing. now 2016 and I am having the same hard shift yet again...Shocking!!! Does anyone have the answer?

Shifting from 1-2 gear at low speeds, like in a parking lot, it will shift so hard that it feels like the damn drive shaft fell out. I grew up on Fords. Particularly an F150 with a 302 which is the equivalent of the 5.0 I currently have. So.....what the crap is this? Transmission seems somewhat weak compared to other vehicles. I drove the 2007 GMC Serria Z71 with the 5.3 in it and it shifted great had no problems, just both this F150 used so I thought I had made a bad deal until I say that a lot of people have the same issue....anybody have any ideas what is causing this or if it can be fixed? Will it eventually tare up my truck?

While slowly accelerating in a parking lot feathering the throttle, the truck will shift violently from 1st gear to 2nd. It has happened several times. I have learned to avoid it by using the manual mode while traveling inside of parking lots or at low speed. By violently, like others have said, its like being in a fender bender. It has also shifted hard from 3rd to 4th at about 40mph getting onto the interstate with moderate acceleration. I could have sworn that I was going to need a new tranny after that one. Scared the crap out of me. Sounded and felt like a bomb went off under the truck.

I took it in the the local dealership and they played dumb about it. Said they couldn't duplicate the event. I have read hundreds of complaints from 2011 to 2013 150 owners all over the country with the same problem. I know its speculation, but it sounds like Ford knows of the problem but won't admit it because its probably a software issue and isn't worth spending the money to come up with a fix for old trucks. Pretty shameful.

Ours is just like everyone else. Jerks really hard when shifting, like someone hit you from behind. We have taken it in twice now and one man told us it was the chain slipping, which is, of course, out of warranty. The truck has been doing this ever since we have had it and should not have anything to do with warranty. It is a Ford problem. When you pay that much money for a vehicle you don't expect things like this to happen and if they do Ford should fix it. We have had a ford truck sitting in our driveway for 60 yrs.. We don't know how to buy another brand of truck, the thought makes me ill. Ford needs to step up and fix this.

down shift very hard, down shift to low gear on interstate

The biggest agravation is I went to several different dealers with the transmission issue to be told that the information on line to have the transmission programmed was incorrect. One service tech laughed and said cant believe the internet. Went to a transmission shop was told thats just how those 6 speed autos shift drive it until it breaks the new will do the same that Ford has no fix for the issue. Now i have spent $2,998.00 to get rebuilt when it broke.