2016 Ford F-150: won't start

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · TX

My 2016 Ford F-150 5.0L V8 has experienced repeated failures involving the transmission gear-position system and inability to start. During the most recent incident, I was stopped at a traffic light when a wrench warning illuminated on the dashboard and all transmission gear-position indicators disappeared. The vehicle remained operational but exhibited significantly reduced performance when accelerating. Concerned about the malfunction, I turned off the ignition to attempt a restart. The vehicle would not restart, leaving me stranded. This failure created a serious safety concern because the vehicle could have become disabled in active traffic. Previously, the vehicle experienced a similar no-start condition. An independent repair facility replaced the starter, negative battery cable, and shift lever. Although the vehicle initially operated normally, the problem returned. The repair facility subsequently reproduced the failure and retrieved diagnostic trouble codes consistent with Ford's transmission-related safety recall. The underlying defect remains unresolved. The vehicle is currently undrivable and located at an authorized Ford dealership, where it is available for inspection. Ford customer service informed me that the recall remedy has been paused because the existing fix is ineffective. The dealership cannot perform its own diagnostic evaluation until December. Despite the vehicle being undrivable due to a suspected recall-related defect, both Ford corporate customer service and the dealership have declined to provide a loaner vehicle, rental assistance, or an expedited diagnostic evaluation. I am concerned about the risk of unexpected transmission behavior, loss of power, and vehicle immobilization in traffic. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate this safety defect and the lack of an available effective recall remedy.

Filed Aug 11, 2026 · Acceleration, Electrical · OK

I was at my granddaughters and I went to leave and it was like dead except the wrench came up in the dash panel , I waited before calling my husband and I went back to try and start it again and it started no wrench in the display or anything , this was in February 2026. In March of 2026 I was in the middle turn lane on [XXX] by Tuttle, Ok. And it stalled as I was trying to turn and would not move I put it back into park and then back to drive and it turned . Next incident was in April2026 and I was on [XXX] south of Mustang , Ok. And I was in the passing lane passing a vehicle going 65 mph and it just stalled and went down into 1 st gear I managed to get it to the shoulder of road an then it died it would not start but the radio and lights were still on and there was a wrench popped up in the panel . I waited for about 30 minutes and kept trying to start it after several attempts it started again and I made it home . The next incident my husband drove to doctors office and it did the same thing to him and would not move in the parking lot . About 15 minutes later he got it to start and he made it home . We quit driving it. Then we got a letter from Ford with the recall 26V237 .i waited for 2 nd letter and had not gotten it with a fix for it so I called the Ford Service Repir Center and they got us on the phone connected to a Ford Dealership in Yukon , Ok and they came and got the pickup on August 10 th and took it and brought it back on August 11 th and they did the soft ware update and told us no codes came up and we know better . When I had previously talked to the Ford Repair Center I was told if the wrench came up that they would replace the lead frame at no cost to us and give us a 150000 mile warranty. So it is now our word against the mechanics that the wrench ever came up INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 18, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · FL

My 2016 Ford F-150 (VIN [XXX]) experienced an intermittent failure involving the transmission range sensor system. While driving, the vehicle displayed a check engine light and a “See Service Manual” message. The truck became noticeably underpowered. When shifted into Reverse, the transmission engaged harshly and the PRNDL (gear position indicator) disappeared from the instrument cluster. The backup camera also became inoperative. After shutting the vehicle off, it would not restart. Electrical accessories and the instrument cluster remained functional, but the engine would not crank. After sitting for a period of time, the vehicle eventually restarted and the PRNDL display returned. The same failure occurred on three separate occasions within approximately 24 hours, including while arriving at a Ford dealership for service. The failure creates a safety concern because the vehicle can unexpectedly become unable to start, loses indication of the selected gear, and may experience transmission-related issues while being operated. The vehicle is currently unreliable for transportation and could leave occupants stranded. An independent repair facility scanned the vehicle and documented DTCs P0706 (Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance), P0707 (Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit Low), P1702 (Transmission Range Sensor Circuit Intermittent), and P1921 (Transmission Range Signal). The vehicle is included in Ford Safety Recall 26S28 involving 2015-2017 F-150 vehicles equipped with the 6R80 transmission. A Ford dealership inspected the vehicle and advised that the concern appears related to the transmission range sensor/lead frame issue associated with the pending recall. However, the dealership advised that a repair cannot currently be submitted because the recall remedy has not yet been activated. The vehicle had approximately 124,000 miles at the time of failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 16, 2026 · Transmission · TX

We received the safety recal 26V237 in May. Today 6/16/26, while driving the vehicle, it began acting like the recal said, however, the truck failed and will not start. My husband went and purchased a battery first because we didn't realize it was the recall at first. We cannot go without the vehicle. We will need to have someone tow the car once there is a repair available, however, in the mean time, we need a loaner/replacement truck. We called the number on the form, but they could not help with a failed vehicle and we called the manufacturer, but there is no button for the vehicle is failed and we need help. It hung up on us because they don't have a fix for the defect, there is nothing on the warning about what to do when the vehicle fails and you don't yet have a fix.

Filed Mar 28, 2026 · Transmission · AR

While driving at highway speed, in traffic, the transmission down-shifted without warning almost causing me to lose control and almost rear ended by another vehicle. The vehicle then lost power and would barely make it uphill. After parking safely and shutting it off, the check engine light came on and it would not crank and would not show what gear it was in. According to the Ford dealer, where I had it towed for repair, it suffered a lead frame failure and pcm failure and cost over $2300.00 to repair plus a $240.00 tow bill.

Filed Mar 19, 2026 · Electrical, Transmission · KY

My Ford F150 randomly won't start.It also randomly down shifts while driving.There have been times I've been driving 50mph and the transmission starts down shifting on its own.

Filed Jul 26, 2025 · Electrical, Transmission · AL

Intermittent flashing of gear selectors (PRNDM) and gears 1-6. When putting in park it loses what gear it is in and nothing highlighted, so then the truck will not start. While driving and this begins, it gets stuck in gear and gear selectors start flashing as it does not know what gear it is in. Lead frame problem in the 6r80 is what detect it is showing. Please help with getting this covered under a recall!

Filed Apr 18, 2025 · Transmission · WI

Vehicle will suddenly downshift and has locked up the rear tires. Sometimes vehicle won't start because the P (park) light is not illuminated

Filed Mar 26, 2025 · Transmission · PA

While driving a 2016 Ford F-150 XLT Supercab with a 6-speed transmission and 5.0L V-8, the truck was acting abnormally where the rear tires locked up and chirped once, then acted normally. The following week I auto-started the truck to warm the engine up prior to leaving for work, the transmission clunked into reverse and moved, then when in forward motion the transmission lagged and heavily shifted upon acceleration. I turned around, came home, and switched vehicles. Upon arriving home after work, I took the truck for a test drive and it functioned normally, so I continued onto the grocery store. While traveling at 35mph, the transmission slammed into first gear and jolted me. The transmission began shifting on its own from 1st to 3rd back to 1st then to reverse. I was stopped in the middle of the road. I shut the truck off and waited approximately 5 to 10 minutes and tried to restart the vehicle. It wouldn't start, then it finally started and I pulled off to the side of the road. (There was no shoulder.) I gingerly pulled out and started my way back home. Luckily I made it home. There was no engine light (wrench) on the dashboard. I let the truck sit overnight. I started it the following morning, and then the light turned on. Now, if my family (wife and [XXX] ) would've been in the truck while pulling a trailer and 4-wheelers on our way out of state for the weekend and travelling at highway speeds (65-70 mph) and the transmission would've unexpectedly dropped into first gear, the truck and trailer would slam to a stop and there would be a pile up accident with death / mangling done to my family and myself. The truck was taken to a Ford dealer diagnosed with a [XXX] transmission wiring harness control being faulty, and replaced. I drove the truck for 2 months before travelling with a travel or allowing my [XXX] son anywhere near the truck. The repair fixed the issue, but we're strongly considering selling it. Repair cost ~$1800 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552

Filed Aug 9, 2024 · Transmission · MI

While driving down XXX (XXX in Auburn Hills), a wrench light came on the dash in my truck and started experiencing acceleration issues. I also could no longer see that I was in Drive mode (vs P, R, N, etc.). After I got off the expressway and slowed down at the first light, I noticed it was hard to accelerate again and took some time to begin shifting thru the gears. Once I made it to my destination and turned off the truck, it would not restart, no engine turnover whatsoever. I managed to trick or reset the issue by shifting into neutral (still could not see that I was in Neutral because the transmission could tell where the shifter was at) and I restarting the truck in order to limp home. Truck did not start the next day. Had the vehicle towed to a dealership and the fix was the transmission "lead frame connector" was bad. I was told that there was a recall on this exact same issue on older model F150's but not my 2016. On top of that, I was just outside the "extended warranty" that I purchased when I bought the used truck in 2019. And I still had over 15,000 miles left of the extended warranty, but I had passed the end date first. Cost for fix was appr. $1100. 2016 Ford F150 w/ 5.0L V8 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 27, 2024 · Transmission · NC

Transmission range sensor malfunction. Truck would downshift into unknown gear while driving. Similar issues to the 2014 F-150 recall that is currently happening. If truck “forgets” what gear it is in, it will not start at times leaving me stranded until the truck “remembers” it was in park.

Filed Apr 19, 2024 · Transmission · CO

Faulty lead frame. Resulted in truck getting stuck in high gear while driving and after multiple occurrences the truck won't start. Transmission sensor malfunction has been confirmed by codes pulled. Very important safety issue that Ford has issued recalls on (just not my VIN) and also has known service bulletins on. Yet no one is fixing for customers or holding Ford responsible for this obviously known issue and ongoing failure.