I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly violently jerks from 2nd to 3rd gear I believe this incident may be related to the known 10R80 CDF clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information identifies axial movement of the CDF sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and
2021 Ford F-150 transmission complaints
Page 3 of 12: complaints 41 to 70 of 329, newest first, as owners wrote them.
For about a year the transmission has been having an issue that has resulted in it now needing to be replaced. Started as periodic hard downshifting between 4th and 3rd gears. Now it periodically up and down shifts hard or skips gears between 2nd and 4th gears.
My truck has spent 80 days in the shop over 11 visits attempting to repair the transmission since 2023. The truck has a hard downshift from 5-4, 4-3, and sometimes 3-1 while light braking coming to a stop. Sometimes it’s several times per day and sometimes not in an entire week. On average it occurs 2-5 times per week. I drive 40 miles to work mostly on the freeway with little traffic with two stop signs going and one stop sign + 4 lights returning so I don’t have that many locations for the condition to be repeated which means the frequency it occurs is pretty high. It is an hard enough downshift where it clunks real bad and sometimes shutters the truck. The transmision cannot last long term and is likely loosening / damaging other components. One of the hardest downshifts I have felt occurred 2 months ago. It shuttered so bad, it felt something could have been damaged. The same day I was holding speed going downhill and it had a hard shift from 3-2. On several occasions in the last 3 years it had a clunk from 5-6 while accelerating on the freeway. Every few weeks it has a hard shift from 4-3 going uphill for power. The adaptive tables have been reset multiple times. Sometimes that helps for a little bit, sometimes not. Long term it is not a solution. The pan was dropped at one of the last visits and a repair made inside. This did not make any significant changes. The hardest downshift I have ever felt (above) occorred several days after this.
I am reporting a safety-related transmission failure I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly failed to engage and then shifted violently, causing an unexpected loss of power and then a change of propulsion. This occurred while merging at highway speed, creating a potentially dangerous situation because the truck did not respond as expected when I needed acceleration. I believe this incident may be related to the known 10R80 CDF clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information for 2021–2022 F-150s identifies axial movement of the CDF sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and harsh or delayed engagement and shifting. This can result in slipping, RPM flares, delayed engagement, unexpected gear changes, harsh downshifts, lurching, or loss of propulsion. This is a safety concern, not merely a transmission quality issue. Unexpected loss of propulsion while merging, accelerating into traffic, crossing an intersection, or turning could leave a driver unable to accelerate as expected and create a collision hazard. An unexpected downshift or lurch can also abruptly alter vehicle behavior. Because I personally experienced this unexpected transmission event, I request that the federal safety agency investigate the 10R80 CDF clutch-cylinder/sleeve condition in 2021 F-150s. Please review Ford warranty claims, dealer repair records, transmission replacements, consumer complaints, and field-failure data to determine whether this is a safety defect requiring a recall. I believe owners should not have to wait for a potentially dangerous transmission failure before this known condition is addressed.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 10th gear to 8th gear and then independently shifted into 9th gear and downshifted to 8th gear before independently shifting back into 10th gear. The contact stated that there was an abnormally loud bang. The power train and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and turned off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. The check engine and power train warning lights were off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Transmission has harsh shifts all the time this is dangerous and well known by ford
I recently purchased a 2021 f-150 with 48,000 miles on it. Just over 60,000 miles I was noticing some bad shifting occurring with my 10R80 transmission. It progressively got worse by harsh shifting, terrible gear hunting, then finally after driving in manual for a couple days: I was in the middle lane of state road 41 approaching sun lake road, the light turned green and my truck went nowhere. I immediately put my hazards on as cars were trying to get around me and I tried to shift into gear. I managed to find 4th after at least a minute (it skipped 1-3) and I limped to the side of the road where my dad later came with his trailer to pick it up. This is a known issue that ford acknowledges with this particular year for the 10r80 (the CDF drum being the component that fails) yet they have done nothing to address it, even though they DID FIX IT it in the 22+ models. My truck is now at a shop with 60,646.1 miles where they are installing a new transmission for over $5,000 (awaiting for them to finish and I’ll provide the receipt / proof of purchase). Also, they couldn’t even put it in neutral to roll it off the trailer even after disconnecting the computer and manually shifting it from underneath the truck. I’m contacting the federal safety agency in hopes you can make some noise and file a complaint with Ford, they told me they won’t do anything since I’m out of warranty and there are no recalls for the transmission. It’s ridiculous that I’m dealing with this on just a 60k mile truck that’s a few hundred miles out of warranty and they know this is an issue.
Transmission began shifting hard through each gear. Especially on deceleration. Causes lunging. Early signs were at about 90K miles. Undrivable at 130K. Took to dealership and the said it needs a new transmission. Just under $9k. Their words were, "This is a known design failure". A drum bushing can slide out of position.
My transmission has started to shift hard. While driving at speeds 30-50, the transmission will lag and cause a "jump".
Component/system affected: Power train / automatic transmission. Description of safety issue: The transmission has recurring harsh and erratic shifting, most noticeable on the first drive of the day. Symptoms include slipping/flaring, delayed or failed upshifts, sudden harsh gear engagement, unexpected large gear changes, loss of power, and occasional operation as if stuck in 4th gear/limp mode. The issue has become severe enough that I have had to manually intervene and pull over. Specific safety incident: On or about June 24th, I was leaving my apartment complex and turning left onto a busy main street. As I approached and entered the turn, the truck was in 1st gear and I was pressing the accelerator, but the transmission appeared to struggle or delay shifting into the next gear. The vehicle did not respond normally, so I continued applying throttle to complete the turn. When the transmission finally shifted, it engaged extremely harshly and caused the truck to lurch forward unexpectedly into the intersection. I had to slam on the brakes to narrowly avoid colliding with another vehicle. This created a serious crash risk because the vehicle first had delayed/lost propulsion and then suddenly surged forward during a left turn across traffic. Safety risk: This defect can cause unexpected loss of motive power, delayed acceleration, harsh engagement, and sudden vehicle lurching while driving. This is especially dangerous when merging, turning across traffic, entering intersections, passing, or driving at highway speed. The problem occurs without a clear warning light or check-engine light, so the driver may not have advance warning before the transmission behaves unpredictably. I am reporting this because the 10R80 transmission behavior caused a near crash due to delayed acceleration followed by sudden harsh engagement/lurching into traffic, and because the failure appears consistent with a known valve body/CDF drum issue affecting Ford 10-speed transmissions.
My complaint is for an issue that currently has a manufacturer recall as well as a the federal safety agency recall since Dec. 22, 2023. Manufacturer Recall Number - 23S65 the federal safety agency Recall Number - 23V896 My right rear axle bolt broke off 2 years ago and I took it to the dealer for repair. At that time they took pictures and the vehicle information to start a claim. They told me they needed to order the parts and would contact me when they received them. As of the date of this complaint the dealer tells me they still do not have parts to resolve this recall. I filed a complaint with the manufacturer and they told me parts should be available by the 3rd quarter of this year (2026) If, that were to happen ? It will be 3 years from the time I was notified of the recall to finally resolving the issue. This is unacceptable for a safety issue to take that long to be resolved and the only excuse is that there are no parts available. I use my vehicle daily for work/income and also for personal use towing a heavy trailer. I cannot believe that a potential accident causing injury or death can possibly occur from a known safety issue to continue because the manufacturer can't get parts. Please look into this matter before someone gets seriously injured or killed. I have been very patient but anyone put in this situation would be very frustrated. Please help me to get my vehicle repaired.
2021 Ford F-150 Platinum VIN: [XXX] Failure around 95,500 miles Symptoms: Harsh shifting in lower gears Intermittent slipping Progressively worsening over several weeks Dealer diagnosis: Internal transmission issues Concerns consistent with CDF drum, clutch, and planetary component issues Repair: Dealer-performed transmission overhaul Updated CDF drum installed Updated clutch and planetary cylinder Updated valve body separator plate Cost: $6,959.15 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
See attached document for complaint.
See attached document for complaint.
Manufacturer Recall Number: 23S65
2021 Ford F-150 Lariat, 5.0L Coyote V8, purchased new, now 65k miles. Two interrelated safety defects: OIL CONSUMPTION: On 3/21/2026 at 62k miles, I discovered the engine was critically low on oil. Only 3 quarts drained during a full oil change, against a rated 8.8 quart capacity. The engine had been running on one third of required oil. The onboard oil life monitor showed 9% remaining and gave NO low-oil warning, no warning lights, no alerts. No external leak. On 5/22/2026, Koons Ford Woodbridge formally confirmed excessive oil consumption after a documented oil consumption test. Ford TSB 19-2365 acknowledges this exact defect on the 5.0L Coyote for 2018-2020 model years, attributing it to high intake manifold vacuum during deceleration fuel shut-off pulling oil into the combustion chamber. The 2021 engine is mechanically identical. TRANSMISSION: Hard and slipping gear shifts reported to Ford within months of purchase in 2021. Ford issued multiple software updates over the years to mitigate the behavior, most recently late 2025. Fix was temporary; hard/slipping shifts returned. CATASTROPHIC FAILURE: While awaiting Ford HQ authorization on repairs, the vehicle suffered complete drivetrain failure on Friday night. Engine lost power and transmission failed entirely. I was near home and coasted safely off the road. Had this occurred at highway speed during my daily commute, the result could have been catastrophic. Vehicle towed to Koons Ford Woodbridge. SAFETY CONCERN: This is my only vehicle, used for daily highway commuting. The oil consumption defect provides no warning before engine damage. The transmission has degraded despite years of Ford software patches. The vehicle has demonstrated total drivetrain failure capability with no driver warning. Ford Corporate case opened: CXH-07446845-G0J0K0. Filing to document this at the federal level and add to the existing pattern of complaints. Requesting the federal safety agency review whether these defects warrant investigation.
Incident Description:The vehicle experienced a complete internal transmission failure while driving, creating a severe and sudden loss of power on the roadway. A professional technician's diagnostic assessment confirmed active fault code P07F7 (Incorrect Gear Ratio 10th Gear) and explicitly cited Ford Technical Service Bulletin TSB #25-2474, pointing directly to a failed internal mechanical CDF clutch drum sleeve.On October 31, 2025, the dealership attempted to patch the issue by replacing only the external electronic transmission solenoids. However, this did not address the true internal mechanical defect, causing the transmission to fail again immediately with the exact same symptoms.Ford has acknowledged this severe design flaw via an internal Customer Satisfaction Program but has strictly capped coverage at 70,000 miles. Because this identical mechanical failure occurred at 81,893 miles, Ford has denied all financial and safety assistance to fix the actual broken mechanical hardware. This widespread manufacturing defect affecting 10R80 transmissions causes vehicles to suddenly lose propulsion in traffic, creating an imminent crash hazard. This campaign must be expanded to a mandatory safety recall.
My 2021 Ford F-150 has been having trouble with the transmission. Hard shifting, shifting to 10th gear at 40mph and unable to downshift after slowing down. I have also had issues with the daytime running lights not working since around 45k miles. My truck only has 59K miles at the time of me typing this.
The transmission had a lengthy delay shifting into reverse when shifted from park. I removed my foot from the brake and all of a sudden it jumped into reverse and I ended up in the road. Fortunately there were no cars or pedestrians behind me.
When stopping for a redlight the 10r80 transmission locks itself into 10th gear. I have taken 7 or 8 actual videos for proof of that. Also when leaving a intersection the transmission runs up to the rev limiter in 1st gear then slams into 2,3,4 and 5th gear. Unfortunately I don’t have that on video because I am already moving when it happens. Also unfortunate for me is I called the local dealership and shared with them the issues and asked for a transmission service to be done on it and between the phone call and the service time the factory warranty ran out. The day after the transmission service and 8 days after the factory warranty expired the pickup left me stranded with no forward gears. So here I am with a truck with only 52,000 miles on it scratching my head… no check indicator lights have shown up either.
My 2021 Ford F-150 with the 10-speed transmission has started shifting very hard and making grinding noises while accelerating. The truck will sometimes hesitate between gears and then slam into gear unexpectedly. I have also experienced sudden hard downshifts while driving at normal speeds. The issue seems to be getting worse over time. The grinding noise and harsh shifting are most noticeable during acceleration, but the transmission also feels rough during normal driving. At times it feels like the transmission is slipping before catching again. This creates a safety concern because the truck can unexpectedly jerk, hesitate, or downshift hard in traffic and at highway speeds. I have seen many similar complaints online involving the Ford 10R80 transmission, including issues related to harsh shifting and internal transmission problems. Ford has also issued technical service bulletins related to this transmission. No warning lights consistently appeared before the issue started. The problem has happened multiple times and can be reproduced during regular driving. The vehicle has not yet been fully repaired or diagnosed at the time of this report. The transmission and vehicle are available for inspection upon request.
The truck rapidly accelerated while I was slowly rolling into a parking spot with my foot on the brake. The harder I pushed the brake the more it seemed to accelerate. I luckily avoided hitting anything. I forced the gear shifter out of Drive into park. No warning lights or messages. I contacted 3 Ford dealerships and all said they haven’t heard of this nor do they think they could identify this problem if I brought it in.
Sudden and unexpected downshifting from 4th to 1st gear when driving.
Truck fails to accelerate when transmission is in second gear, travelling at low speed (typically under 10 MPH) and at low RPMs (typically ~1,500). Regardless of amount of pressure applied to accelerator, the truck will remain at low RPM and speed for up to 10 seconds. This problem occurs frequently and has been reproduced by a Ford dealer. Ford TSB 25-2302 describes this problem, but in my case a DTC is not present. Because a DTC is not present, the Ford dealer refuses to proceed with corrective actions as outlined in TSB without charging me for diagnostics and labor, although the truck is still under warranty. Failure to accelerate puts me and others at risk when attempting to merge, when accelerating in slow traffic conditions, etc.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V896000(POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced the failure. Wheel replacing the tires the mechanic discovered that the rear driver side wheel bolt had failed and the rear wheel shaft assemblies and axles were replaced. The failure mileage was 36,495.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various would not properly accelerate, the transmission experienced random downshifting and shifting into neutral and lurching forward and the wrench warning light had displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local o rally who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 105,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a loud rattling noise was heard coming from the vehicle, with no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number 23V896000 (Power Train); however, the parts required to perform the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to multiple dealers, where it was diagnosed that the left and right rear axle shaft assemblies had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact also stated that the dealer found an axle bolt inside the rim of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired, and the dealers confirmed that the remedy parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to complete the recall repair. The contact also stated that the failure recurred, and the right-side axle is beginning to detach. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
the federal safety agency Recall Number23V896. The bolt on my shaft has been broken for 9 MONTHS. Ford and Dealer giving me the run around. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE!!!.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle jerked, and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear. The failure had occurred twice. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V188000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
With less than 44,000 miles on my truck it suddenly began to shift in an eradic manner. It is undriveable. This is the Ford 10 speed 10 R 80 transmission. The truck is only 5 years old but is out of warranty by 17 days. Seems strange.
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