The transmission down shifts in critical situations unexpectedly nearly causing wrecks.
2018 Ford F-150 transmission complaints
Page 11 of 35: complaints 281 to 310 of 1,022, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Unexpected gear shift while driving Harsh or erratic shifting Hesitation between gears Unexpected lunging or jerking This is the transmission. Loss of power on roads. Yes, gears skipping gears. Gears skipped are gear 2, gear 4, gear 5 gear 8. Complete loss of gear power or forward movement on gear 4 RPM will rise to 3.5 to 4. RPMS. I have to let RPM come back down and then I will have control over throttle. Vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer yet. No warning lamps, no messages or other symptoms. Mechanic near me checked of codes and none showed. The truck is not giving any warning lights either. However, problems still continue.
the federal safety agency Complaint Statement (2018 Ford F-150, 10R80 Transmission – CDF Drum Issue) I am filing this complaint regarding the automatic 10R80 transmission installed in my 2018 Ford F-150. This transmission suffers from a well-documented defect involving the CDF drum, which is a critical component for clutch engagement and shift control. The defect causes a variety of unsafe conditions, including erratic shifting, gear slippage, harsh engagement, hesitation on acceleration, surging between gears, and sudden or complete loss of drive power. These failures occur unpredictably, placing both the driver and others at risk. In my experience, and in the reports of many other owners, the transmission will sometimes delay engagement when pulling into traffic or attempting to merge, leaving the vehicle vulnerable to collision. At other times, the truck surges forward without smooth control when shifting, or drops into neutral-like conditions, preventing acceleration. This behavior is not only inconvenient but represents a serious safety hazard that could easily result in an accident at highway speeds or in intersections. Ford Motor Company has released multiple technical service bulletins related to the 10R80 transmission and its harsh shifting behavior, yet none provide a lasting repair for the CDF drum defect. In most cases, the only available remedy is costly transmission replacement or complete rebuild, often well before expected service life. This is clearly not normal wear-and-tear but a design or manufacturing flaw that compromises safe operation. Given the widespread reports, repeat failures, and the safety implications of a transmission that can suddenly fail, I respectfully request that the federal safety agency open an investigation into the Ford 10R80 transmission and specifically the CDF drum issue. A recall or mandated corrective action is necessary to protect vehicle owners and the public from the risks created by this defect.
the transmission is failing, automotive shops have told us that a transmission rebuild or replacement is needed. They found the transmission fluid "in bad shape" with "lots of metal". The transmission downshifts harshly, it hesitates, and there is gear slippage. It is quickly degrading and will no longer be drivable soon. This is a result of Ford's design or manufacturing flaws with the 10R80 engine. The truck has 94K miles.
Shortly after I purchased my 2018 f150 in April of 2018 I brought it back to my dealer in June stating that it was shifting hard in and out of 5th gear. My service advisor at that time said his f150 was doing the same thing. They plugged it into their computer and stated that there was no problem. Subsequent trips back for the same problem resulted in the same answers. Now in September of 2025 on the 26th, with 56k miles on the truck the transmission is lunging so hard at stops that it feels like I was hit from behind.
This truck has been in the shop 4 different times due to the transmission shifting erratically, jumping between gears, loss of power, and hard shifting. Ford knows this is a problem with the 10R80 transmission, YOU know this is a problem with the 10R80 transmission. Yesterday while driving 55mph the truck shifted itself into 1st gear, the truck momentarily jerked, the rpm’s shot up to 5000 and then the truck just lost all power like it was in neutral and wouldn’t move. After almost getting hit by the car behind me and the car coming at me, I drifted off the road and it took ten minutes before it would go into gear correctly, at which time I drove it slowly home with the flashers on. Now I have to take it back to the shop for the 5th time for this same dangerous problem. I am aware as I know that you are too of the numerous class action lawsuits around the country against Ford for this issue with millions of vehicles. Yet you sit on your hands not ordering Ford to issue a recall. Do your job!
A defect in the 2018-2020 Ford F-150's 5.0-liter V8 "Coyote" engine that causes excessive oil consumption, potentially leading to engine failure, reduced efficiency, and increased emissions. Ford concealed this defect not letting owners know and didn’t issue a recall. The oil dip always reads as if there is not enough oil in the truck causing you to have to constantly top off oil which is always over the usual amount of oil needed. The excessive oil consumption and potential carbon deposits can lead to severe engine issues, including stalling or even complete engine failure. This has caused other issues. This oil consumption defect has been there since I purchased this vehicle causing oil changes sooner than needed. A manufacturing defects in the 2018-2020 Ford 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission, commonly found in newer F-150 trucks, causing issues like harsh/erratic shifting, jerking, and power loss. The erratic shifting and power loss can pose a safety risk, especially when accelerating, merging, or in traffic. Ford concealed this defect not letting owners know and didn’t issue a recall. I also, have had transmission defects that has needed repairs and replacement due to Power-shift dual-clutch, harsh shifting and power failure. My trucks have had two transmission major repairs. The first time on 9/6/22 at 36,541 miles the whole transmission had to be replaced completely due to powertrain or reduced engine power. Then again on 9/20/25 at 62,948 miles same issue Powertrain (wrench symbol) on the supposedly new transmission this time Ford dealership said it was the transmissions Dual clutches. This i didn't understand why was it happening with a new transmission and always met with an I don’t know these things happen by Ford attendants. This caused to go without a vehicle for months having to use public transportation, loss of money, and time from work. Again, none of these defects were explained or recalled.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission temperature became elevated. No warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road to restart the vehicle, but the transmission failed to shift into gear as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where metallic debris was found in the transmission fluid. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,000.
I have 2018 F150 with the 10R80 transmission. At 140K it started to neutralize and hard jerk back into 9th-10th gear at 60mph or highway speed. Sometimes when driving from a complete stop and then proceed forward, it would rev the rpm’s up to 5K and hard jerk into first gear. I took it to ford, they confirmed they knew about the issue it was a bad design on the bushing and that there was Technical service bulletin about it. I called ford corporate and they said they could not help and it was on me, even for a bad design. So for something they knew was a bad design and instead of recalling and fixing the issue I had to fork out like 4500 for the transmission to be rebuilt with the new bushing.
During the years 2017 to 2020 Ford Motor Company manufactured a transmission 10r80 transmission with a defect in the CDF drum inside the transmission the bushing inside the drum moves out of place resulting in transmission failures.. this particular transmission usually lasts around $120-140,000 MI before the transmission fails. Through my research it costs between $5,500 and 7,500.00 for repairs.. with it being a manufacturer defect I feel that Ford should recall these Transmissions and replace them with the revised CDF drum..
Per ford tmsb the oil pan was installed wrong on some f150 trucks and leak needs recall to repair there mistake '
I have 114,000 miles on my truck. Without warning, my truck shifted from 10 gear down to 1st while driving 70 miles per hour. The force of the downshift caused the wheels to lock up and I almost lost control of the vehicle. I took the vehicle to the dealership and the repairs was over $10K. There are countless issues detailed on the internet with transmission failures for this vehicle but yet, Ford has not owned up to the defect.
Auto start stop. This has happened on several occasions where I will be traveling at highway speeds and my 2018 F-150 10 speed 10R80 Transmisson with a 5.0-liter motor has died while traveling. I have talked to Ford Engineering reps, and they say they have never heard of this. I have done research into the subject and there have been hundreds of reports of the same issue. I have an appointment scheduled for Ford to look into the issue.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate as intended while the accelerator pedal was depressed. In addition, the vehicle jerked abnormally and unintendedly upshifted. The “Service Transmission” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal transmission failure and a fractured valve cover. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,700.
Transmission: Delayed shift/hesitation at low speed after take-off. Risk of loss of motion while crossing traffic. Consistently happens at low speed shift change, doesn't matter if on flat or incline. A lot of other owners complaining of same exact issue, Ford has yet to acknowledge that there's a flaw in the drivetrain.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. While the contact’s son was driving approximately 20 MPH, there was a screeching sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the rear axle had fractured at the differential housing. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that the same failure had occurred twice on a previously owned 2013 Ford F-150. The failure mileage was 84,000.
My truck only has 61,000 miles and it started skipping gears and down shifting suddenly and I loose power and it stalls out in intersections. When it shifts it goes into neutral and my motor races making it extremely dangerous on the highway. I had a transmission tuneup done for $500 but it didn’t help. It got worse over a weeks time and I took it back to the mechanic because a wrench came up on my dashboard. He ran a check and 4th gear was shot. So now I need a new transmission. 2014 f150 had a recall. Several people I know with the same year as mine 2018 have the same problem.
Transmission started shifting very erratically, skipping, and hanging in gears. The rear end would lock up and the tires would screech. On the highway, during downshifts, the vehicle would hang and shift hard, jerking the vehicle in heavy traffic. Could not maintain safe speeds.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH and while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled over to the right side of the roadway and turned off, and then restarted the vehicle but the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The “WRENCH” symbol was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000.
Reporting this because I'd like to add to the several other claims on this transmission. 80,000miles and transmission all the sudden started stalling out of first and between 3rd and 4th gear. No accidents, but nearly got rear ended several times after I pulled out in traffic and it stalled between gears. A couple of weeks later the transmission started downshifting from 9th and 10th gear all the way to first gear. Again, luckily no accidents, but it could have been very bad. Took truck into Ford dealer service center. They inspected and said the transmission was "trashed" inside and would need to be replaced. It only has 80,000 miles!!
Transmission will either get stuck in a gear and won't accelerate or will shift down on its own and cause the car to jump and buck.
The Cam Phase Shifters and timing chain have failed with only 83k miles resulting in a $7,500 repair. This is unacceptable. I would completely understand if it had 250k miles but this is a baby as far as mileage. Looking at f-150 forums this appears to be a common problem and ford has actually changed the design of the cam phase shifters so they know they are defective. Request you loook into this issue please.
I bought the truck new in 2018. In 2020, the transmission was rebuilt twice, and then a new one was installed. The automatic 10-speed transmission changes gears roughly and now I'm having the same problem with the transmission just abruptly switching gears up and down. It's a serious concern for me when I am cruising at 70 mph on I-95, and all of a sudden, the gears start randomly shifting, dropping to 3rd gear from 10th and then up to 7th, and then repeatedly shifting gears up and down.
While driving my truck mostly when raining but not always the wrench light will come on and the truck will lose all power and not shift. I then shut my truck off left it set for about 15 minutes and when i start it back up everything will be fine light would be off run's fine for about 1 to 2 months or if it rains again then it will do the same thing again.
2018 ford f-150 lariat truck 10 speed automatic transmission is a failure. 81k miles and it shifts in and out of gears, hard shifting, potential to lose control while driving down highway. Ford says it's common and has no recall or assistance. Transmissions from ford are said to last at least 150k miles.
My Ford F150 truck with 63,000 miles began jerking, almost stalling, missing gears on approximately 8/7/2025. I thought perhaps I purchased bad gas but just got worse in next week until the wrench icon appeared. Took it to dealership immediately after wrench icon appeared. It may have caused injury had the truck stalled and caused a crash! Long story short, $6300 later we had the transmission replaced. We are elderly and on a fixed income, huge expense for us. While having vehicle repaired I read about Ford knowingly selling cars with bad transmissions, there are class action suits because it has happened to too many people to count. Not only that but often occurs very close to the warranty of 60,000 miles, unconscionable. Ford is not acting in good faith, this issue is on them and no the consumer.
I own a 2018 Ford F-150 with the 3.5L EcoBoost. It started having idling issues that eventually required the cam phasers to be replaced. While that was frustrating and costly enough, the bigger issue came with the 10R80 transmission. Despite performing all services on schedule and maintaining the truck properly, the transmission failed. After doing research, I found that this isn’t an isolated incident. On Ford forums and owner groups, it’s clear that the 10R80 transmission has been a widespread, ongoing issue for years. Thousands of Ford owners have been forced to spend thousands of dollars to repair or replace these transmissions—something that Ford should have addressed long ago with a proper fix or recall. It’s disappointing that a company with Ford’s reputation hasn’t taken accountability for a known defect that affects so many loyal customers. Something should be done to make this right for owners who trusted Ford to deliver a reliable truck.
While attempting to pass another vehicle from middle lane to passing lane, I stepped on the accelerator and the vehicle shuddered, slowed down (gear wouldn't catch). I manually downshifted to gain acceleration and avoid being rear ended by an 18-wheeler! I successfully maneuvered around and back into the middle lane but the vehicle was (and still is) having problems changing gears. It is an extremely unsafe to drive this vehicle.
the 10r80 transmission still jerks when putting in drive or reverse as well as hard shifting causing the vehicle to shake and not grab a gear. No smooth shifting.
F150 had a sudden complete transmission failure on the highway, rendering it unable to move. I was lucky to make it off the road safely. 10r80 transmission has known defects. $11,000 to repair.
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