10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 23 / 3
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 25 / 1
- Average Mileage:
- 72,449 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Sudden downshift into low gear, feels like first gear. Rear wheels lock and slide. Speedometer displays 0, and odometer displays 0, digital gauges in the center go blank. This is followed with a loss of power. Coasting to a safe place, turn off the ignition, restart and have gauges back, driving with normal shift points. This has occurred 5 times in the past 14 days. And this truck is not a daily driver, so this is occurring each time the vehicle is operated. We only use this truck for driving in the city, we are terrified of driving on any interstate or highway or at any speed above 40 miles per hour due to the locking up of the rear wheels. There is no photo documentation due to the rapid onset of the downshift. I fear this vehicle will be involved in a crash.
- Hixson, TN, USA
Two problems: I) from a stop, such as following traffic control device instruction like at a traffic light, yield (before merging onto a highway), stop sign, parking spot, etc, the truck attempts to start moving forward in 5th gear. The truck does not move forward unless shifted to neutral or park and then back into drive. Truck will not accelerate from a stopped position in 5th gear. II) more concerning is that the truck decides to downshift inappropriately (e.g. it should upshift or stay in gear, but downshifts erratically calling). This leads to stopping short and causes the truck to buck. It results in almost total loss of control of the vehicle and presents a horrible risk to driver, passengers, and others on the road. Had to pull off side of road over a curb causing property damage and almost a heart attack! I have 68,000 miles on a truck that should last for at least double that. The truck has been babied and well-maintained since it was purchased. This is sad that Ford won't accept responsibility for using a faulty transmission with known issues. Ref: Molded leadframe issue including tsb 13-6-8
- Verona, NJ, USA
Traveling at various speeds (30-70 mph), transmission shifts from upper gears (3rd-6th) immediately down to 1st gear, failing to downshift through the gears in between. Wrench icon appears on display. Display also shows dashes instead of numbers and the speedometer drops to zero although still moving forward. Rear tires break traction. Crash potential is high due to loss of control of vehicle, especially on wet roads. This has been occurring over the last several months. At first it just seemed like a random hard shift (2nd to 1st when accelerating) perhaps once a month - easily forgettable. In the last two weeks however, it's happened 4 times at speeds over 30 mph and once at 70 on an interstate highway. The truck is too dangerous to operate and is will be sidelined until repaired. Scan tool showed P0722 (output shaft speed sensor). The only fix is to replace the leadframe connector (P/N: al3Z-7G276-D) in the transmission. This applies to the 6R80 transmission. Signs/symptoms are identical to the 2016 recall of 2011-2012 F-150's. it seems Ford extended the free replacement warranty for 10 years/150,000 miles for effected vehicles. Unfortunately, I've just passed the 150K mark, so if the recall is expanded, I'm already outside the mileage limit, so I'll be stuck with the bill.
- Gulf Breeze, FL, USA
Started on the interstate and got up to about 65 mph and truck shifted to 1st gear and began to skid and hop and was all over the road, (luckily no traffic was close to me) got control of the truck and came to a stop. No check engine lights or anything out of the ordinary on dash panel. Continued on my way at a very slow speed until I got to an exit to turn around and get back home. When getting back home again no check engine lights
- Ashland, KY, USA
When accelerating to get on the interstate the transmission started to shift up and down at random, so I slowed to almost a stop and all shifts were fine after that
- Ashland, KY, USA
In October transmission had a couple of hard shifts.
- Ashland, KY, USA
Sudden downshift of automatic transmission to first gear at 55 mph consumer stated molded lead frame was replaced and repaired.
- Middletown, PA, USA
Traveling at 70 mph on the highway the transmission shifted into 1st gear causing the rear tires to skid and the rear of the vehicle to loose traction. This lasted a few seconds before it shifted back into 6th gear and I was able to maintain control. Slowed to stop at a red light and vehicle shifted into first gear at about 20 mph then jerked forward when coming to a complete stop. The next day while making a left turn on a city street the transmission shifted to neutral causing me to stall into approaching traffic. Checking other complaints this appears to be an issue with the "lead frame module" with these transmissions. Took the vehicle to the dealer who replaced the module but also had to replace the transmission valve body which was apparently damaged in the erratic shifting. I have had the vehicle for 5 years and 4 months, which is 4 months over the warranty date. The vehicle has only 50,000 miles on it which is 10,000 under the mileage warranty on the drivetrain. I had to pay a significant amount for the transmission repairs. This issue is a definite safety hazard which could cause loss of control of the vehicle.
- Leander, TX, USA
Several issues spanning 5 months and becoming more frequent: 1. randomly from a stop F-150 will not shift out of 1st gear for 5+ seconds while revving RPM at 5,000+. 2. the wrench warning light indicator will display on dash pane and speedometer will read 0 mph while I am driving speeds of 45 mph. Tachometer will work as normal. To correct I have to pull over and restart my vehicle. 3. latest scenario 12/30/18 while highway driving my F-150 will hard downshift to a low gear and toggle between high and low gears causing violent jerking experiences producing very dangerous traffic scenarios.
- Heath, TX, USA
2 instances occurred: 1/ the vehicle was in motion on a regular street road. Speed was around 30 mph. The gear suddenly shifted to first gear and felt like the vehicle 'looked up'. it was a brutal stop. After stopping, the vehicle restarted and drove normally 2/ few weeks later, but with very low mileage completed since the first event, the car gears shifted from 2nd to 5th. The vehicle just turned, entering a car park at low speed. After stopping completely the vehicle, it restated normally. The issue however repeated few minutes later, gears again shifting from 2 to 5.
- Roswell, GA, USA
Transmission would shift from 6th gear to 1st for no reason locking up the rear wheels.
- Denton, TX, USA
While driving the vehicle it will downshift from higher gears and then no longer shifts or registers speed - wrench light will illuminate on dash. The speedometer will also drop down to zero and no longer register any speed even though the truck is moving. The digital display will display dashes and the air bag light indicator will stay lite. When you unbuckle the seat belt the indicator light will not illuminate. Took it in to have battery tested and had 100% charge but reading indicated a bad battery so had it replaced but issue still presented itself an hour later. Issue occurs intermittently and without warning. Took it to mechanic and they had it for two days and unable to replicate situation. Also took it to dealer and was told they couldn't do anything if the issue never presented itself while they had the truck. Asked if issue was ever presented at that facility or any known issues and was told no. Issue has occurred on four separate occasions over the last 20 days.
- Las Vegas, NV, USA
Vehicle downshifted from 6th gear to 3rd gear at 55 mph. After this happened, the vehicle would not shift out of 3rd gear. Shut off vehicle and let sit for 2 hours and then drove home, no issue. Called dealership to report issue. On the way to the dealership, vehicle downshifted from 5th gear to 2nd gear, locking up rear wheels. Vehicle did this 3 more times during the trip to the dealership. Vehicle is at dealership now.
- Browns Summit, NC, USA
While driving down the interstate our truck shut down stopped working. We coasted to the side of the interstate and re-started the vehicle. No warning lights, nothing the vehicle engine shut off. There was a wrench that appeared. We took the vehicle to a repair shop to determine what the code of issue indicated an issue. No code was detected. We were told that perhaps it was bad fuel. We purchased a fuel cleaner. Again, we traveled down the interstate and again the vehicle shut down without warning. We took it to the shop to find out that the bracket holding the entire drive shaft was broken. We replaced the part. Still the vehicle downshifted for no reason. We again took it to a repair shop and finally a code appeared. The code indicated that the transmission control switch was in error. This is a very dangerous issue. We called Ford Motor Company and there is no recall at this time. A very dangerous sit-in 2, 1. the drive shaft could have seized the rear wheels, thereby causing an accident. 2. the transmission control switch indicated that the engine shuts down with no warning. Please be aware that both of these situations could have caused a fatal accident, yet Ford Motor Company refuses to provide assistance, send out a warning to others that may be effected. This is irresponsible on the Ford Motor Company to provide no indication or warning to people that own these vehicles. 2011 and 2012 have been recalled. Please have your vehicles checked for both issues. The code that finally resulted in our further insistence P.1780-00 for your and any passengers safety. Please have your vehicle inspected.
- Alexandria, VA, USA
Was traveling at 60 mph and transmission down shifted to 3rd gear and rear wheels locked up.
- Quakertown, PA, USA
Transmission shifts erratically from 1st to 5th around 5 -10 mph on highway and sometimes sticks in 1st gear or starts out in 5th gear when shifting to drive. Have to come to complete stop and shift to neutral or reverse in order to reset gear.
- Aiken, SC, USA
An unexpected downshift from 5th gear to 1st gear causing the vehicle to slow down suddenly and without warning when driving at speeds between 45 and 65 mph on the highway. The rear tires lock up momentarily, causing skidding. The transmission shifts erratically and randomly through gears 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1st. The truck will go days without another incident, but then multiple times in one day. Reprogramming of the computer module at the Ford dealership did not resolve the problem.
- Bemus Point, NY, USA
While at hwy speed, automatic transmission went from 6th gear to 1st gear. While stationary going to accelerate, vehicle started in 4th. Vehicle is 2013 Ford F-150. 2011 and 2012 Ford F-150 pickup trucks were recalled for same issue. Dealership"... found fault with output shaft speed sensor signal. Causing transmission to into limp mode due not reading the correct speed. To correct issue removed transmission fluid pan and removed main control valve body and replaced molded lead frame containing speed sensor. Also set PCM/tcm to latest calibration and cleared dtc's post road test."
- Fort Worth, TX, USA
Truck erratically shifted to first gear while traveling at 55mph causing rear wheels to lock up as if I slammed on my brakes. There is a large wrench icon on the display which causes the speedometer to read 0 mph while the vehicle is in motion and odometer reading is dashes "-------.--" truck will also get stuck in first gear while accelerating from a stop which nearly caused me to be involved in an accident because I could not accelerate as I was expecting to. Truck will also get stuck in fifth gear while at a stop. Dashes and wrench clear when truck is shut down and restarted. Erratic behavior is completely random and makes me feel completely unsafe driving my vehicle.
- Mililani, HI, USA
- Powell, TN, USA