The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, shifted into neutral(N), and restarted the vehicle. The message "See Owner’s Manual" was displayed, and the transmission warning light illuminated. Additionally, the transmission skipped from fourth gear, slammed into tenth gear, and then stalled. The contact switched the vehicle from Automatic to Manual Mode to accelerate normally and drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. DTC: P20703-00 and P2704-00 were retrieved, indicating the CDS drum and clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
2018 Ford F-150 transmission complaints
Page 8 of 35: complaints 191 to 220 of 1,022, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Late shifting, transmission will get stuck in a gear, and rev at high rpms for long periods. And real jerky shifting in general. Also door locks freeze in winter, and doors wont latch so i need to hold my door while driving
In September 2025 while existing parking garage 2nd in line at stop sign. After 1st car pulled out I accelerated to pull up to stop sign and truck missed gear and engine revved up then gear engaged caused hard shift and throwing me through stop sign into incoming traffic. No issues until Feb 2026 when transmission started shifting hard. Again at stop sign but first in line. When accelerated through stop sign truck transmission missed gear with engine revving and went into gear causing truck to jump across road. Im being told defect is under ford tsb 22-2428.
My 2018 Ford F-150 has experienced delayed engagement, harsh/erratic gear shifting in low to moderate speeds, extreme hesitation resulting in loss of power in the 10R80 transmission. I took my truck to a Ford dealership for a diagnosis. The service technician immediately stated a new transmission was needed at 71,000 miles. I have maintained regular service and have all service records. The dealer installed a new transmission for $10, 458.67. Truck also has a moldy smell in the cabin after it rains. Service technician said this is a common issue and to spray Lysol and turn the heater on to kill the mold and to evaporate any standing water in the evaporation system.
My 2018 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission is experiencing severe slipping, delayed engagemen (1-2, 3-4), and erratic shifting. Upon inspection, I found significant gold glitter-like metal shavings in the transmission fluid/oil pan, indicating internal wear or failure of components. These symptoms create safety concerns including hesitation or loss of power during acceleration, potential sudden surges or jerks, and risk of the vehicle not responding properly in traffic or when merging, which could lead to crashes, injuries, or being stranded. I have not repaired this yet but will be replacing the transmission soon.
10 speed transmission started to have hard shifts and dead spots. Some shifting issues happened at low speeds(1 thru 5 speeds) and then others showed at highway speeds; downshifts from 10 to 8 gears. Issue with transmission stated at around 142,000 miles but became very problematic at around 145, 000 miles. At this point I had to get a new transmission; cost was approximately $10000.00. This was a remanufactured transmission with 3 years or 100,000 miles. Note - I really like the truck but the Ford recall plans are terrible; I've already had the cam phaser replaced, front wheel bearing, and internal water pump. This probably cost another $7000.00. A lot of money for a truck that has pretty limited miles.
replaced cdf drum, cdf support in transmission, torque converter at 87,143 miles on odometer
Vehicle is experiencing hard shifts pretty regularly in various gears. Look up and read several other owners experiencing the same issue regarding the hard shifts.
We were driving on the interstate and suddenly the truck increased RPMs rapidly with no acceleration when pressing the gas. The vehicle began to decelerate quickly on its own. We turned on our flashers to warn drivers around us. The truck suddenly gained back some acceleration, enough for us to move to the right, and lost full power again, and we coasted to the shoulder. If the vehicle had not gained back some acceleration after the initial deceleration, we may have been rear-ended. We had it towed to the nearest Ford Dealership. They confirmed the transmission had a total failure. They quoted around 4500 for a rebuild, or 9500 for a new transmission. The truck has only about 53,000 miles on it. I wanted to report this concern because I’m now aware there are many reported issues with this 10-speed transmission, and the sudden complete loss of power as we were driving was extremely dangerous for us and the people around us. We did sometimes experience slightly rough shifting when the truck was “cold” upon starting, however we noticed this since we bought the truck new, and we thought this was normal for it. The failure itself was sudden and unexpected.
My 2018 Ford F-150 experiences harsh, erratic, and unpredictable transmission shifting. The truck frequently hesitates during acceleration, followed by sudden and violent gear engagement. It also makes abrupt downshifts while driving, causing unexpected deceleration that can be dangerous in traffic. The truck will shift from 8th, 9th, or 10th gear down to 1st at highway speeds. This causes abrupt deceleration and significant loss of speed on the highway. On multiple occasions, the transmission has delayed engagement when shifting from a stop, creating hesitation when entering intersections or merging, followed by a sudden surge of power. This creates an unsafe driving condition and increases the risk of rear-end collision or loss of control. The shifting behavior is inconsistent and unpredictable, occurring during both in traffic and highway driving. The problem is worsening over time. Given the frequency and severity of these events, I believe this transmission behavior represents a significant safety defect that should be investigated for potential recall or corrective action.
Hard clunks when shifting Hesitation or delay when accelerating RPM flares between gears Jerking when slowing down or taking off Slipping or feeling like the truck goes into neutral Shuddering
While cruising on the highway at 55 to 60mph, the transmission will suddenly and without warning rapidly downshift resulting in unstable and dangerous conditions. This has occurred multiple times on icy or frosty roads and the vehicle becomes difficult to control. My safety and that of oncoming traffic was compromised. A "wrench" light comes on in the dash following the event. Once the vehicle is power cycled, the wrench disappears.
The vehicle intermittently experiences delayed gear engagement and hesitation during acceleration, most noticeably when the transmission is cold. During several incidents, when pulling out from a stop onto a main road and attempting to accelerate into traffic, the vehicle failed to shift or engage power normally. The engine remained running, but the vehicle did not accelerate as expected, creating a temporary loss of forward momentum. After a delay, the transmission would suddenly engage and the vehicle would accelerate normally. This condition creates a safety risk because when entering traffic from a stop sign or side road, other drivers expect normal acceleration. The hesitation or delayed engagement creates a risk of being struck by oncoming traffic. The issue occurs most frequently when the vehicle is first driven after sitting for several hours, especially in colder temperatures. After the vehicle is fully warmed up, the condition is less noticeable or may not occur. The problem has been experienced multiple times over this winter season. The behavior is intermittent but repeatable under similar cold start conditions. The condition appears to be gradually becoming more noticeable and occurring more frequently over time. Occasionally, once the transmission begins operating and partially warms up, the transmission may shift harshly or abruptly during upshifts or downshifts. The vehicle has been discussed with independent service shops familiar with this transmission model. The issue has not yet been repaired, but inspection and repair are being scheduled. No manufacturer inspection has occurred at this time. At the time of incidents, there were no consistent warning lights or messages indicating a transmission failure. No persistent diagnostic warnings have been observed. Symptoms were limited to delayed or harsh shifting and delayed acceleration response. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
My truck would drop from 10th gear down to 2nd or 3rd on the highway. Then it would shift rough and jerk my truck hard. Started losing gears and having lots of transmission issues. Ended up taking it to a shop and had to get a new transmission
with only 70000 miles on vehicle, complete failure of the 10speed automatic transmission. Transmission shifts extremely rough and between 2 and 3 gear it loses engagement while driving for several seconds and then reengages. Vehicle has also downshifted from 4th gear to 1st gear unexpectedly.
At about 70,000 miles, my truck's transmission began to shift extremely hard in the low gears, between first and fourth, and at times of sudden acceleration (from a stop sign or on ramp) the transmission would fail and I would need to put the vehicle in neutral then back into drive. This happened a few times before I had to have my transmission replaced at a cost of about $9,000. I read that there is an investigation into this issue but the investigation does not include 2018 trucks. The investigation should include 2018 to 2021 models as well.
About the safe issue I have the transmission when you wanna have the throttle you wanna pass a car the transmission had don’t go down and make a limp control and I scanned the transmission. It’s no code. It’s not safe when you in the highway you want a best truck or best car and switch down shift to limb control.
Recently noticed sharp downshifting of auto transmission. Usually going up or down grade when I take foot off accelerator. Last week someone behind me needed to brake hard and change lanes in an emergency manner. The transmission change it hard and drops two or three gears. Very scary.
The transmission shuffles between gears and while driving down the road it will shift from 4th to 1st to 8th back to 4th gears the shift to 5th gear and it is a hazard driving this truck down the road. I can’t even drive this vehicle because I am worried when it’s going to go out and cause a accident and possibly cause severe injuries to me or someone else
While driving this truck with just 113000 it will occasionally go into neutral.while in the drive position and causes a big safety concern while pulling out into traffic or even while going down the road and I'm afraid of being in or causing an accident. Multiple times this has happened.
At around 68K miles, we started experiencing rough shifting and aggressive clunking into gear while driving. On getting the transmission checked, we were told we would require a new transmission in the near future. At this time, however, no codes came up on the reader, and no warning lights were on. Dark fluid and metal shavings were found by the transmission professional's inspection at both a Ford dealership and a private transmission shop. On driving home from the shop, the rough shifting and bucking became so severe, we felt unsafe completing the drive home and turned back to the shop. There were still no warning lights on, however it was determined that the transmission had failed completely and the truck was no longer drivable. This resulted in a new transmission having to be installed with the truck only having 68K miles on it.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted before slamming into gear. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the transmission. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was rebuilt; however, the failure persisted. Most recently, while driving 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission downshifted unexpectedly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
Once Transmission get at a hot temperature, the Transmission have a hard time shifting and down shifting. I have taken my trust a Transmission shop and I was told everything looks good and suggested I just get service. And I also was told that it could be a sensor problem. And the mechanic really didn't understand because I only have 147,000 miles and having Transmission problems.
Vehicle was having issues with acceleration. It started subtle where I could tell it was taking a little more time to catch or switch gears as I accelerated. It quickly progressed as I drove it more (within weeks of noticing the issue) that I could not safely turn on to higher speed roads from a slowed or stopped speed. For example if I turned on to a high way, whether merging or from a stop sign, I could not accelerate in a timely fashion to safely merge at high way speed and had to pull over on the shoulder to let other cars pass until the truck could accelerate. I did take it to a Ford dealership to be diagnosed and fixed. There they discovered the issue was the CDF clutch. They replaced the CDF clutch and found that a valve body had some damage as well so that was also replaced.
Vehicle is at 88k miles. Vehicle has hard shifting/delayed shifting between 1-3 and 5-7 gears. At highway speeds, vehicle tries to downshift from top gear. Have lost rpm's while driving-lasting about 3-5 seconds before engaging the gears again. Took to a dealer, was informed it was a "known" issue and would need the transmission replaced. Extended warranty will not cover since it is a known issue. No warning lamps or messages in the display center. The loss of rpm's and delayed shifting issues could cause stalling and put me and others at risk with possible loss of power/motion while moving. Especially while driving on the highway.
Sudden down shift at high speeds. It put it self park while driving. Skip gears while driving.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while in fourth gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle jerked abnormally with the “WRENCH” warning light illuminated, and the "See Owner's Manual" message displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and DTC: P0734 (CDF Drum) was retrieved. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure, and an estimate was provided for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the federal safety agency Action Number: EA26001(Power Train) and associated the failure with the federal safety agency Action Number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
Ford installed parts into transmissions that are the reasons for certain years 2017-2022 models with the 10R80 transmission to fail. Ford has since remanufactured the same parts to prevent this problem with models after 2022. Ford refuses to admit it was their manufacturing defect, but will repair your transmission at a hefty cost to you when Ford vehicles with the affected transmissions fail. There are numerous TSBs (technical service bulletins) stating that Ford is aware of the problems that occur with these faulty transmissions. Ford will only post these TSBs on its website and not mail them out to consumers; the consumers have to find them for themselves. There are videos online clearly explaining the problem. I am leaving links to both of them. https://youtu.be/4SQjPinDAm0?si=k14FHcC-VV3WHelg https://youtu.be/H1Rl97OUOa4?si=wO1KmxWX2jNStXmV
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started in the morning and shifted into drive(D), the vehicle hesitated and then jolted into gear. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had become a recurring failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was also slipping out of gear. While driving 45 MPH, the transmission downshifted to 1st and the vehicle slowed down unexpectedly. There were no warning lights illuminated. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the engine was making an abnormal clattering sound. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced, and stated that the cam phasers were possibly causing the engine to make an abnormal sound. The transmission was replaced; however, the engine failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25E070000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was informed of the transmission failure and advised the contact that no support would be provided for the repair prior to receiving the recall letter. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
CDF Drum - Transmission Transmission unable to find gear, repeatedly skips when downshifting. Slips when engine braking. Unable to safely exit traffic on the highway. Problem is reproduced at dealer. A common issue nation-wide. Hefty repair bill on a young truck. (90,000 miles) No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms.
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