2020 Ford F-150: engine stalls while driving

Filed Sep 8, 2026 · Engine · PA

My 2020 Ford F-150 (5.0L V8) experienced a sudden loss of engine power and stalled completely while I was driving. In the days leading up to this, the check engine light had illuminated, and I later discovered the vehicle had consumed a severe amount of engine oil — the dipstick read below the "add" line. Critically, no low oil pressure warning light or audible chime alerted me to the oil loss before the stall occurred. After the initial stall, the engine continued to struggle to maintain idle and stalled repeatedly whenever RPM dropped to approximately 1,000, making the vehicle unsafe to drive. I had the vehicle towed to a Ford dealership for diagnosis. The dealership's estimate confirmed the need for a full engine (long block) replacement, at a cost of approximately $19,824.56 (total estimate $21,491.04). I am aware that Ford issued Technical Service Bulletin 19-2365, which acknowledges that 2018-2020 F-150 trucks with the 5.0L engine may experience excessive oil consumption exceeding one quart per 3,000 miles with no visible external leaks, attributed to oil being drawn into the engine during deceleration fuel shut-off events. I believe this defect directly caused my vehicle's stalling and oil starvation, and that the lack of any dashboard warning prior to the failure is a separate and significant safety concern, since a driver has no way to know the engine is being damaged or that a stall is imminent.

Filed Sep 3, 2026 · Engine · MA

We purchased a used 2020 F­150 in late summer 2024. We brought it in for issues in November 2024, but the Ford dealership found no repairs were needed. We returned in March 2025 when the CDF drum failed requiring a transmission rebuild, a known issue with Technical Service Bulletin but not a recall. The engine continued consuming oil after this despite Ford completing all applicable service bulletins and advising there was nothing further to do. We took the vehicle in for service in May, 2026 and were told they had already updated software to address the oil consumption and we were told that should resolve the issue. On June 30, 2026, the truck was towed to the dealership after repeated stalling and a check engine light. The dealership again acknowledged this is a known issue with this engine - the valve seals are defective yet they had stalled our concerns so long at this point, we were past the warranty period. We researched and found this was a widespread, known issue asked whether Ford would offer customer loyalty assistance after 30 years of Ford ownership. We were told the truck's approximately 118,000 miles exceeded the assistance threshold. The engine replacement was quoted at $15,000. Ford advised us to repair the engine and save our receipt in case they should issue a recall at some point in the future. Given the value of the truck was $15,000 we chose not to keep investing in this vehicle and sold it for parts at a loss.

Filed Aug 10, 2026 · Transmission · TX

Transmission shifting issues. Have taken it to the dealerships and they stated it is "normal". Hard shifting and sometimes stalling out when trying to shift into first. The hard shifting on interstates is hazardous because it feels like the whole truck is about to lock up at highway speeds. Stalling is a hazard as well for my and surrounding traffic when it revs but suddenly wont move. No warning lights or messages displayed. Dealer is aware of the same issue affecting multiple vehicles with the same Transmission. They refuse to properly fix the issue stating its normal. It is not normal. Its concerning for my and my families safety. As well as the safety of others around me when driving on the highway.

Filed Jul 20, 2026 · Transmission · 30,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the transmission was shifting hard, jerking, and downshifting unexpectedly and randomly switching gear. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions over the years for the recurring transmission failure. The transmission software updates were performed but the failures persisted. The vehicle later stalled and was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission CDF drum had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and was later towed to the local transmission specialist who confirmed the failure and replaced the CDF drum and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 30,000.

Filed Jul 16, 2026 · Transmission · NC

the 10 speed transmission at low transmission temps shifts extremley hard to the point where it will down shift in a slow acceleration back to first gear and chirp the tires, in the rain this could cause me to lose traction in adverse weather conditions. Somtimes it will shift into to neutral and not accelerate at all for a few seconds before shifting back into first gear, making it dangerous if I im trying to cross a road and the truck essentially stalls for a few seconds blocking the road way. The last full service oil change i had said the transmission fluid was correct. on online forums i have seen a lot of the same issues with other owners. I asked ford dealership about it and they told me to drive it until a warning light comes on. this sounds like some issue with the transmission itself and not a wear and tear issue as i have 100,000 miles on the truck and do very little towing with it.

Filed Dec 8, 2025 · Transmission · MN

Transmission is stalling, jerking, skipping gears and slipping. I have talked to the dealership several times about the transmission slamming really hard in 4th and 8th gear. They would tell me it’s just trying to find the right gear to be in, your battery is causing it or it needs to be reprogrammed. There has never been any warning lights. This truck has spent over 4 months in the shop for drive train issues. New rear end, new drive shaft and a vibration that has never gone away.

Filed Nov 24, 2025 · NH

Ford doesn’t want the fix the problem because my vin number is not on the list. Yet, there have been recalls for 2020 Ford F-150s related to the emissions system, including a recall for the 2.7L EcoBoost engine's catalytic converters, which requires a Powertrain Control Module (PCM) reprogramming, and another related to a loose battery cable that could cause stalling, fire, and other malfunctions. Catalytic converter recall (24E12) Who is affected: 2018–2020 F-150 models with the 2.7L EcoBoost engine. : The recall addresses inaccuracies in the catalytic converters' effectiveness. The primary fix is reprogramming the PCM to more accurately detect issues, which might trigger a check engine light if the converter is faulty.

Filed Nov 15, 2025 · Transmission · VA

Once the vehicle is in Drive and starts shifting through the gears, the truck losses all acceleration for 3-5 seconds and then experiences a harsh shift into gear. This causes the vehicle to "stall" in intersections and other hazardous locations if it does not shift properly. The 2020 F150 3.5 ecoBoost has been serviced at local Ford dealerships since bought. Most recently, it was taken into a Ford dealership for routine oil change, transmission fluid change, spark plugs and coils, and 100K inspection due to the vehicle being at 94K miles. I advised the service technician of the concern for the shifting issue that started between the last oil change, which got significantly worse during day-to-day operation.

Filed Sep 19, 2025 · Transmission · GA

Like most people with the same model and year. My transmission stopped shifting, and stalled. I was fortunate since I was sitting in the intersection. You need to look into the 10speed transmission they are faulty and need to be investigated!

Filed Sep 4, 2025 · Engine · MI

Cam Phaser failure causing the engine to knock and eventually lose power. Cost $4,900 out of my pocket to fix with 64,000 miles on the truck. Reading online forums, this is one of the MOST common issues with 2018-2022 3.5 and 5.0 f150s. The vehicle has a history prior to my ownership of this same issue. Check engine light is triggered when you hear the engine rattle and throws codes for Camshaft position error. Ford dealer replaced every sensor and harness on the truck before decided the cam phasers were bad, adding another $4,900 to my $2,600 bill. This was during my ownership of the truck between 63,000 and 65,000. First two thousand miles of ownership. Vehicle would stall at low rpm’s after highway use, stalling the vehicle while rolling into an intersection.

Filed Apr 23, 2025 · Transmission · TX

TRANSMISSION STALLED INTO FIRST, WOULDNT ALLOW YOU TO PUT VEHICLE INTO GEAR UNLESS YOU TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON. FORD SERVICE CENTER VERIFIED CONCERN IN PARKING LOT. VEHICLE STARTS IN FOURTH GEAR AND LUNGES VERY ROUGH. NO DTC. FLUID LEVEL FULL BUT VERY DARK WITH FINE METAL CONTAMINATION PRESENT. PERFORM CDF TEST. RESULTS FAIL. CDF BUSHING HAS SLIPPED COMPLETLY BLOCKING FLUID PORTS. ALSO SUSPECTED HUB BASKET HAS WORN GROOVED FROM F CLUTCH APPLICATION CAUSING FINE METAL IN FLUID. OVERHAUL NEEDED FOR REPAIR Safety concerns: my truck stalled in an intersection which put me, my pregnant wife, and our [XXX] daughter at risk of being hit by another vehicle. After speaking to multiple services centers (both Ford and 3rd party), I was told by *all* of them that they've been replacing 10-speed Ford transmissions like crazy these past few months. My vehicle is currently at a certified Ford dealership pending repair. Currently contesting a denial in financial assistance considering the vehicle is within the 5 year powertrain warranty (the vehicle had an initial 5 year, 60,000 mile warranty and my truck is at 72,200 miles). No warning lamps or messages occurred until the moment the problem occurred. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Apr 15, 2025 · Engine · WA

I am writing to report a serious safety issue with my Ford F-150. On March 15th, 2025 while driving on State Route 167 - 410 in heavy rain, my vehicle experienced an intermittent engine shutdown while in motion. Second time happened to my wife while leaving the neighborhood on March 18th, 2025. Specifically, the engine completely shut off while driving at 40 mph. This occurred despite the Auto Start-Stop feature being manually disabled. Upon the engine shutdown, the Driver Information Center (DIC) displayed the message, "Auto StartStop Shift to P, then Restart Engine." The car did not lost power and I needed to do a full stop, shift to P, restart and switch back to D to continue driving. This malfunction occurred under hazardous conditions, specifically during heavy rain on a freeway. The sudden loss of engine power created a highly dangerous situation, placing myself and other drivers at significant risk. I am deeply concerned about the potential safety implications of this issue. The fact that the engine shut down while driving, even with the Auto Start-Stop feature disabled, suggests a critical malfunction that requires immediate attention. Despite having an extended warranty and the serious nature of this safety concern, the service department from Sunset charged me money for an unsuccessful diagnosis after two days, with service advisor unable to identify or replicate the problem.