The vehicle transmission is slamming when the vehicle decelerates. I can feel the jerking in the vehicle. I am concerned the transmission will fail while operating the vehicle resulting in a crash. This is the second time I have had this issue. It was repaired once by the Ford dealership. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone for this occurrence. It has in the past for the same occurrence. There were no warnings prior to the occurrence. This is the second occurrence in several years. The current occurrence began on February 16, 2026.
2020 Ford F-150 transmission complaints
Page 5 of 13: complaints 101 to 130 of 364, newest first, as owners wrote them.
While driving the truck automatically down shifted. If I drove move 20 MP it would shift. The truck would not go into reverse, the gear was stuck. I had to turn if off and then turn it back on then It let me shift the gears. On the dashboard the wrench and other indicators lit up on the dashboard.
The Ford 10 speed transmission has continued to give me issues. Delayed shifting, harsh engagements, and overheating are the symptoms. I have been to the dealer several times for the issue. They programmed the transmission, reset values, then replaced the valve body. After valve body replacement, the service manager at the dealership told me that it shifts fairly well compared to other f150s and there’s nothing more they can do. There have been several instances where I have to pull over in traffic due to overheating. The lack of predictability in the shift also makes for unsafe situations.
First incident my [XXX] daughter was driving my truck on the highway going 70mph, the truck went from 10th gear dropped all the down to first almost causing her to wreck the truck before getting to the side of the road, it has a lifetime warranty so took the truck to Jones Ford in Wickenburg Arizona, after several conversations with the warranty company wanting to deny the claim finally got the transmission warranty and was told they replaced the transmission, this truck still was not driving properly not shifting gears , dropping gears at high rate of speed, back to the dealership, they did some computer updates, picked the truck up drove still not right, decided to take it to a different deal shop Camelback Ford in Phoenix Arizona, they replace transmission again, this is at least 4-5 transmissions in this truck, The truck still is not driving properly it’s a hazard on the road could cause a wreck at anytime because the shifting is not right and unsafe, I have called the warranty company multiple times and Ford to take /buy this truck back, it has spent more time at the dealership in the last year then at my home, I continue to make my truck payments and have no truck, I will not let my wife or daughter drive this truck because of the safety and what could happen if they are on the highway doing high speeds and the transmission once again drops suddenly from 10th gear to first, it does not even shift properly from 3rd to 4th gear, it needs to be taken back by Ford Motor Company and not allowed to be on the road anymore, with the continuous attempts by dealerships to fix this and nothing has worked, I cannot continue to put myself my family and others on the road in danger because of the unknown outcome when driving this vehicle on the road, I have made many attempts between the warranty company , Ford and dealerships to help get this vehicle fixed or off the road and take it back with no luck, look up the history by the VIN to verify my complaints INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AC
We’ve had this 2020 f150 since it was brand new with multiple Ford dealerships diagnosing and Test driving our complaints from the beginning. Only to hear “ we couldn’t get it to do anything and no hard shifting” countless times. Took to dealerships in Florida, Texas and other states with same same response to only refash the control module, which later was a recall on the valve body in the transmission. That did not change anything and now we are 59k miles past our warranty date with the exact same issues from day 1. They should stand behind their product and will not be buying another f150 only to have the same issues and no point in having a warranty if nothing was ever done to have a resolution to our problem -hard shifting while going from 3rd-4th gear a 4th to 5th -same thing while downshifting while applying the brakes to stop or slow down I own 3 ford trucks and fortunately my others at an f250 and f350
Vehicle was purchased certified pre-owned from dealer at around 35k miles. Currently around 65k miles. Complete loss of power at 45 miles an hour. Truck shifted from 7th gear to 1st in a split second and brought the truck to a complete stop. Luckily able to pull onto shoulder to avoid getting rear ended from car behind. Decent maintenance records with dealer, no prior issues with transmission other than some rough shifting before this issue. Vehicle was dropped at dealer on 2-5-26, have not received any type of feedback or updated since dated 2-8-26. I know there is a current TSB on these transmissions, I believe they are defective based on other reports and my personal experience. Complete safety danger, 45 to 0 in under 2 seconds.
Vehicle failed to shift properly while making multiple left and right turns from a stop (for the record, the vehicle also had shifting problems at other times). This resulted in the vehicle hesitating while entering traffic. Multiple times other vehicles had to beep horns and brake emergently. One time an 18 wheeler almost tboned me while I had my 2 year old some in the back seat. Definitely a safety issue that almost cost my son his life.
Transmission hard shifts. Up and down. At times hard enough that passengers feel this. Concern is how does this affect the life and safety of the vehicle. Ford claims no issues.
Transmission erratic shifting causes unsafe vehicle handling characteristics. Vehicle will not properly accelerate under certain circumstances. Occasionally in parking lots, vehicle will accelerate on its own after throttle is released under certain conditions. Transmission has been replaced several times, and issue persists in all units. Problems are reported in TSB’s sent out by dealerships.
2020 f150 down shift when in drive mode.it has this really hard jerk when I'm taking off from a stop light or stop sign even when stopping for a traffic light.
Transmission shifts hard looses power. I reported it to ford before my warrenty ran out. They said it was fine and just needed an update. It did not fix it took it and got second opinion and the transmission was bad and needed to be replaced. I had to pay out of pocket because they did not take care of the issue while it was under warrenty. Now im out 7000 because of a faulty transmission and Fords lack of addressing the issue
While driving my 2020 Ford F-150 on the highway, the transmission suddenly failed, causing loss of normal drivability and creating an immediate safety concern due to reduced vehicle control at highway speeds. The failure involved the transmission system, which I later learned may be related to Ford’s recall notice stating that the installed remanufactured transmission may be missing an internal bearing. Prior to the complete failure, the vehicle exhibited symptoms consistent with the recall, including harsh shifting, shuddering, and vibration. These symptoms escalated until the transmission malfunctioned to the point the vehicle was no longer safely operable, requiring me to tow the truck to Rocklin Transmission. The transmission was replaced out of pocket by that independent service center, and the failed component should be available for inspection upon request through that facility. The malfunction created a serious safety risk because the transmission could become stuck in certain gears, illuminate the check engine light, or potentially fail to properly engage Park, all of which increase the risk of a crash or injury. The issue was confirmed by the independent repair facility when diagnosing and replacing the transmission. The vehicle has not been inspected by Ford or other representatives prior to the repair because the failure required immediate corrective action to restore safe vehicle operation.
Transmission (10r80) down shifts hard and shifts hard between 3-4 and 7-8 gears. And front differential makes a noise.
The transmission exhibits violent, harsh shifting, sudden and unpredictable deceleration, and most alarmingly, abrupt downshifting from 10th gear to 1st gear while driving at highway speeds. This is not a minor drivability issue — it is a severe safety defect that places my life, my passengers, and other drivers at risk.
Truck would downshift so hard it would squeak tires. Took to dealer they replaced transmission saying the drum comes loose inside and oil passages do not line up. This year should be part of your investigation
I am writing to provide supplemental information regarding my existing safety complaints (IDs XXXand XXX). This update concerns a documented failure by Ford’s authorized dealer network to perform mandated Customer Satisfaction Programs (CSPs) that directly correlate to the catastrophic powertrain failures I have experienced. Timeline and Documentation of Failure: • August & September 2025: As previously reported, my vehicle suffered sudden "Reduced Power" malfunctions while in motion (P0734/P07F7), leading to a full transmission replacement. Discovery of Non-Disclosure: My records now confirm that on November 11, 2022—just weeks before I purchased this vehicle as a Ford Blue Advantage Gold Certified unit—CrossRoads Ford (Dunn, NC) documented that 21N03 (Cam Phasers), 21N08 (PCM Reprogram), and 21M06 (Tailgate) were outstanding. • Breach of Duty: Despite this knowledge, the dealership sold me the vehicle on December 3, 2022, without completing these safety-related service actions. Furthermore, as the registered owner, I never received the required notification from Ford Motor Company regarding the 21B10 program or its supplements. Safety Implication: The failure to apply the 21B10/21N08 updates directly contributed to the mechanical failure of the cam phasers and transmission. This resulted in the vehicle entering "Limp Mode" during highway operation, creating a severe risk of rear-end collisions due to the sudden loss of motive power. I request that these facts be added to my existing case files. The lack of manufacturer oversight regarding "Certified" vehicle standards has resulted in a vehicle that was represented as safe and fully maintained while actually harboring known, unaddressed mechanical defects.INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
transmission unexpectedly downshifting to first gear at speed. It sounds like shift cable locking clip problem.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and attempting to shift into third gear, the vehicle started shaking abnormally, and the gear shift was difficult to engage, causing the transmission to shift hard. The contact stated that at faster speeds, while attempting to shift into seventh gear, there was a delayed response. The powertrain fault warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 23-2123 (Harsh/Delayed Engagement And/or Harsh/Delayed Shift); however, the VIN was not included in the TSB. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and failed to accelerate as intended. After a while, the vehicle accelerated, but the acceleration was delayed. The wrench warning light illuminated, and the contact received a notification from the Ford App with the message “Powertrain Power Reduced”. The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,244.
My truck is a 2020 F150 3.5 eco-boost four-wheel-drive, 41,000 miles I’ve owned the truck since November 20th 2021, the mileage at time of purchase was 28,211. Less than 30 days later I had taken it to the Ford dealership to have the IWE’s replaced and wheel bearings, which is the four-wheel-drive locking hub assembly. It took them over six months to fix it. Now, December 1, 2025 the same problem has returned the IWE’s have failed, when they fail metal shavings goes into the wheel bearings. Mind you this is less than 13,000 miles since the first repair. Upon picking my truck up from Ford on a Friday afternoon at 5 PM, January 9, 2026. Upon start up now, my cam phases are rattling.. I even asked Ford. I lost over seven months of driving my pick up and not being able to use my warranty because it’s set up the dealership for so long. Now it’s out of warranty and I’ve left looking at over $6500 to fix the cam phaser issue that they knew was bad and they didn’t recall them. So as of today, January 11, 2026 my truck has 41,000 miles on it. I have driven it less than 13,000 miles in five years. And I’m not looking forward to having to fix the transmission as well because it has a major issue and that should’ve been recalled as well. Ford is leaving us hanging out there with these trucks that cost over $50,000 and in the end it’s gonna cost us another 20 to 30,000 to fix them. Ford still hasn’t fixed the recall that is presently out as well for the sync and back up camera.
10 speed transmission, started slipping. And then slamming into gear while it would down shift. We have had 4 rebuilt transmissions put in with Ford. And now the truck just went into the shop again for the same issues. This last time before going into the dealership, felt like the transmission was just going to drop out. It was hard.Do not feel safe in this truck any more. it is not reliable. No warning lights at all.
10 speed TREMIC transmission, the same one covered by the federal safety agency #24V‑208. Transmission hunts for gears, and has dropped from a high gear to first gear without warning. The advisory says that it could drop out of any gear to first gear without warning possibly causing a crash. For some reason, my vehicle with the same transmission and same problems is not covered by the recall.
Vehicle is showing symptoms similar to common reported problems from people who owned Ford F-150 with Eco-boost. Symptoms such as: Engine had difficulty starting Transmission shifting Rattling noises coming out from the engine compartment Oil leaks coming out the tail pipe Gauge is showing engine is over heating Turbo is having a hard time accelerating
The transmission has Harsh, Jerky, clunking shifts. It also has delayed engagement and complete power loss. There is also problems with downshifting from 7th gear to first gear when coming to a complete stop. Vehicle seams to be in neutral then finally shifts to 1st gear before vehicle finally moves.
Transmission shifted from 10th gear to 1st gear at highway speed. Transmission was rebuilt by ford, and is again exhibiting poor/harsh shifting.
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.
I have owned this truck at around 38000 miles until now at ~63,000 miles. I have complained to the dealership I purchased the truck about the transmission being unpredictable. At around 50,000 miles I brought it to the dealership for shifting poorly, not shifting into gear, jumping gears. They looked at it, said it had a problem with the transfer case but not the transmission. They replaced a couple parts. The transmission problem has not gone away. I called at around 59,000 miles about serious issues with the transmission not going into gear and jumping gears causing the engine to rev. By the time I brought it with their schedule, my 60,000 mile warranty had ran out. I'm now at 63,000 miles, the transmission is worse than ever, and ford will not warranty the problem. The dealership blaims the 10 gear transmission with how it is acting, but my issues are much worse than just a troubled transmission series. While driving to the post office today, it would not go into reverse for several seconds. On the way back from the post office, driving on the road, it shifted from its gear into a steady neutral all while I was pressing on the accelerator causing the engine to rev and when it finally slammed into the next gear, caused the truck to rocket forward. It quick acceleration with the neck breaking jerk was disturbing.
I had just replaced the transmission (R1080; 6 cyl 3.5L Turbo) on September 3, 2025 due to P0734-00 (Gear 4 incorrect Ratio and P07F7-00 (Gear 10 incorrect Ratio). The transmission matter can be referenced on the federal safety agency ID # XXX. On September 30, 2025, while driving down the parking deck ramp (at 3-5mph) my check engine light came on with code P0022 (camshaft timing); resulting in replacement of the camshafts. The camshaft had a HOLE in it (photo supplied). The camshaft issue is another issue many Ford F150 truck owners are experiencing. Again, Ford has continued to give "band-aid" fixes with TSB's and no REAL fix to a continuing issue with these trucks. On December 3, 2022, this used truck was purchased from a Ford Dealership in Raleigh, NC (77,100 miles) and was Ford Gold/Blue Certified per my purchase information. The Gold/Blue paperwork even included that the "Customer Satisfaction Repair" (not a true recall mandated by the federal safety agency) had been performed by a TSB (along with the unintentional tailgate opening also a Customer Satisfaction Repair). There are no recalls issued on this vehicle. Ford has offered NO assistance towards repairs. As evidenced by the number of complaints filed on the federal safety agency website for this particular engine, at what point will the federal safety agency open an investigation and mandate that FORD issue a RECALL for the KNOWN problems with the R1080 3.5L and the camshaft/phasers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Three separate times vehicle shuttering and jerked, and wouldn’t engage into certain gears left my son and I stranded on the freeway. Unable to drive, it started and drove fine hours later after it cooled. Weeks after this happened leaking fluid, overheating, and unable to shift into gear. Shop said it fried 3 gears. Currently having to replace the entire trans which costs half of what the vehicle is worth.
While driving at normal speed, the vehicle suddenly began producing heavy white smoke from the exhaust, the engine started to idle roughly, and a check-engine light came on. There was no oil-pressure warning, no low-oil message, and no “stop safely” alert of any kind. The only warning was emissions-related. After seeing the smoke, the vehicle was parked and later driven only to a dealer for inspection. A dealer inspected the vehicle and confirmed that an internal seal in one of the turbochargers failed, causing the engine to pump all of its oil directly into the exhaust system. This resulted in complete oil loss and catastrophic engine damage due to oil starvation. The dealer confirmed the failure and determined that the issue originated from the turbocharger assembly and not from misuse or neglect. The failure occurred suddenly and without any oil-pressure warning to alert the driver. The safety concern is that a turbocharger failure caused total loss of engine oil without triggering any oil-pressure warning or driver alert, creating a risk of sudden engine failure, loss of power, or engine seizure while driving. The lack of oil-pressure warning before or during the event was confirmed by the dealer’s inspection.
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