I took my truck to the dealership for them to fix the transmission recall. Afterwards it started shifting funny and was not normal like before, I started getting codes like P0721 I took it back and they said it had nothing to do with what they did. I don't believe that - the truck was fine before. They finally looked at it again and said the recall had been stopped and they could do nothing anymore until it was reinstated. They also said I need a new transmission now. This is pissing me off.
2015 Ford F-150: complete transmission failure
31 of the 1,753 complaints about the 2015 Ford F-150 describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 31
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- typical mileage
- 104,000
- recalls
- 1
Complete transmission failure by model year
What owners say
The component is the 6R80 transmission; the transmission is not available for inspection as i purchased an entirely new unit through ford. After having ford service department technicians perform the recall service, my vehicle began shifting erratically over the course of a few weeks. When I reached back out to the service department I was told- "It will take time for the vehicle to go through a re-learn procedure." I was instructed to give it a few weeks. After about 2 weeks the vehicle began shifting erratically between 6th and 3rd gear at highway speeds. It would randomly hold gears and then skip multiple gears; these issues began and progressed drastically in a span of 2 days. After this issue occured i took the vehicle back to an authorized Ford service department only to be told that the vehicle would need a new transmission and that the update would force the vehicle to "clear/reset, the system after every shutdown." Furthermore the vehicle would only display an error or warning light momentarily before locking the transmission in gears 3-5. At which point the warning light would disappear, after the "limp" mode. Once in this "limp" mode the vehicle would again randomly downshift in 1st or 2nd gear and then jump to 6th.
2015 Ford F-150 Platinum, 6-speed automatic. Ford recall 26S28 (the federal safety agency campaign 26V‑237, PCM software update for unintended transmission downshift) was performed at All Star Ford, [XXX]. BEFORE the recall service, this truck ran smoothly, quietly, and flawlessly. AFTER the PCM update, the transmission developed severe jerking and hard downshifting that never existed before the recall work. The dealership has held my vehicle since XXX. The mandatory post-update reset drive was skipped after the first update; the recall has since been re-performed twice and the malfunction persists - it was directly caused by the recall calibration. On XXX, the general manager stated the vehicle was "safe to drive" yet admitted he could not guarantee no further operational or safety issues would occur, and confirmed Ford engineers currently have no fix. I was also told Ford halted work because this recall update damaged my vehicle and thousands of others. I have been without my vehicle since May 2026. The recall remedy has rendered my vehicle unsafe to drive. I am filing so the federal safety agency is aware the 26S28 remedy is producing new transmission malfunctions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My Ford F-150 had recall 26S28 performed by J Allen Ford through mobile service at my home. Before the recall, my truck was operating normally with NO transmission issues—no skipped shifts, hard shifts, unexpected downshifting, warning lights, or other symptoms. I arrived home 10–30 minutes before the technician and the recall was completed at my home. Approximately 1–2 hours later, I drove to the store and the truck immediately began skipping shifts, downshifting unexpectedly, and having hard/harsh shifts. None of these problems existed before the recall. The truck was then towed to J Allen Ford. They checked for codes, inspected the engine, and tested the transmission. They stated there were no lead-frame codes and said they believed the problem was internal to the transmission. The truck has now been at J Allen Ford for over a month. Both J Allen Ford and I contacted Ford Motor Company. I reached a Ford department that could potentially assist, and they also contacted J Allen Ford. I was told the recall department would not assist because there were no lead-frame codes. J Allen Ford also stated Ford would not provide financial assistance because of the truck's age. I understand that I cannot personally determine what caused the transmission failure. However, the timing is extremely concerning: my truck had no transmission symptoms before the recall and developed serious transmission problems within 1–2 hours afterward. **I am asking Ford Motor Company to help resolve this issue and repair my vehicle. I should not be left responsible for the cost of repairing a major transmission problem that did not exist before Ford's recall service was performed. I need Ford to investigate what happened and provide assistance in getting my truck repaired and safely back on the road.**
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train). The contact stated that prior to receiving the recall notification, the vehicle experienced unexpected transmission downshifts into first gear while driving, and the vehicle failed to shift into first gear intermittently. The wrench warning light was intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the vehicle failed to shift into first gear, and it was diagnosed that internal transmission failure had caused metal contamination into the transmission fluid. The dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the recall remedy failed to address the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH and towing a trailer, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted into second gear, causing the trailer to strike the rear end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions, causing the vehicle to veer off the road. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed on each occurrence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer on several occasions, but the dealer was unable to correct the issue. The contact stated that after the last occurrence, the vehicle became undriveable and failed to respond while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train), which the contact associated with the failure. The dealer performed the recall repair at the residence; however, the failure persisted. The dealer determined that the transmission failed and needed replacement at the owner's expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
In September 2025 my 2015 F-150 did a hard downshift at speed. I took it in and they replaced the transmission lead frame, charging me $2,500. Since that time it has shifted hard from 1st to 2nd and 5th to 6th. In July, 2026, I received Ford Safety Recall 26S28, addressing the exact downshifting defect I paid to fix. I brought the truck in for the prescribed software remedy, in August, 2026 but the harsh shifting remained so i took it back on September 3rd, 2026 at which time they replace the valve body or lead frame and road tested it; the hard 1st to 2nd and 5th to 6th remained and the told me the transmission is "broke" and would require the entire transmission be replaced for ~$8,400. I reported this to Ford Motor Company Customer Satisfaction and it was escalated, case # CXH-09263554-W5R5T3, but was just told that "...there are no programs available to provide assistance with the repairs."
Execution of manufacturer safety recall service resulted in immediate, catastrophic transmission malfunction and sudden loss of motive power upon leaving the franchised dealership, creating an imminent road hazard. Details of the Incident: Recall Intake: On XXX, the vehicle was driven into the authorized Ford dealership Cloninger Ford of Morganton in [XXX] under its own power for an open manufacturer safety recall involving the transmission molded leadframe and PCM software update to prevent sudden, unintended downshifts. Immediate Failure Post-Service: After technicians completed the recall service and returned the keys, the vehicle was driven out of the dealership lot. Upon reaching normal road speed and shifting from 3rd to 4th gear (less than 0.2 miles from the service bay), the transmission violently malfunctioned, lost forward drive engagement, and rendered the truck completely disabled and undrivable in active traffic. No road test was performed by the dealership prior to releasing the vehicle. Safety Risk: The sudden failure and inability to shift gears properly left the vehicle stranded in roadway traffic, presenting an immediate collision risk. The vehicle had to be limped back into the dealership service drive immediately. Remedy Failure & Denial: The dealership acknowledged that the recall-mandated PCM software calibration update triggered the severe transmission failure. However, both the manufacturer and the dealer are now claiming the failure is a "pre-existing condition," refusing to complete the safety remedy without charging the owner $7,000 for a full transmission replacement. The safety defect that prompted the recall was not remedied and was instead exacerbated to total mechanical failure during execution of the recall procedure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); however, after the recall repair was performed, the vehicle started experiencing failures associated with the recall. The contact stated that after the recall repair, while driving 60 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to a lower gear and the vehicle swerved in the middle of the highway. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The leadframe was installed on the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 210,265.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. In addition, the power train warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure was persistent. The contact stated that the failure had occurred immediately after being repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V369000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The vehicle has a documented, active transmission failure code P0720 relating to Recall 26S28 (the federal safety agency Campaign 26V237). Per pages 3 and 4 of Ford's official Part 573 Safety Recall Report, dealers are explicitly required to bypass the software wait and replace the physical lead frame hardware if a vehicle exhibits this code prior to the software's release. The local franchise dealership (McCombs Ford West in San Antonio, TX) and Ford Corporate Customer Relations are both actively refusing to honor this hardware safety remedy directive, forcing the vehicle to be grounded on the dealer lot due to the severe risk of high-speed rear-wheel lockup, while denying mandated alternative transportation support. Furthermore, the dealership has failed to execute the safety remedy for open Brake Master Cylinder Recall 20S31 (the federal safety agency Campaign 20V332000), which presents an immediate risk of a sudden loss of braking pressure.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the transmission failed to shift out of 5th gear, with the check engine warning light illuminated and the wrench warning light was activated. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer who diagnosed with leadframe failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 183,000.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Customer Satisfaction Program 26N04 Certain 2015-2017 Model Year F-150 Vehicles Equipped with a 6R80...
- During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper,...
- Grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area
- Intermittent grinding noise while driving in 2-wheel drive (2WD) mode most commonly on acceleration
- Intermittent grinding noise while driving in 2-wheel drive (2WD) mode most commonly on acceleration
- Intermittent loss of reverse engagement, loss of the ability to shift into reverse or a neutral state when...
- Illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018,...
- Intermittent grinding noise while driving in two wheel drive (2WD) mode most commonly on acceleration
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150 vehicles. A loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear.
- Risk
- Unexpectedly downshifting into second gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on April 15, 2026.
Recall number 26V237000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2015 Ford F-150 transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2015 Ford F-150?
31 of 1,753 owner complaints about the 2015 Ford F-150 (2%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2018.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2015 Ford F-150?
There is 1 recall and 15 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2015 Ford F-150
Check engine light 127Brake failure 126Door locks 99Loss of power 92Won't shift 91Adaptive cruise 71Stalling 60Engine failure 32Jerking 30Fire or smoke 29Harsh shifting 28Misfire 25Power steering loss 25Wipers 25Grinding brakes 21Collision warning 21No deployment 17Backup camera 17Shudder 16Won't start 14Overheating 13Fuel pump 11Slipping 11Hesitation 10Key fob 10Seat belt 10Water leak 10Steering lock-up 9Pulling 9Fuel smell 8Warning lights 8ABS 7Airbag light 7Spongy pedal 7Tire blowout 6Start-stop 5Sudden acceleration 5Sunroof shattered 5
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