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2021 Ford F-150 transmission complaints

Page 7 of 12: complaints 161 to 190 of 329, newest first, as owners wrote them.

See the summary of 2021 Ford F-150 transmission problems: which part fails, at what mileage and related recalls.

Filed Aug 14, 2025 · Fuel system, Transmission · 62,000 miles · MS

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that while in reverse and reversing out of the driveway at 5 MPH, the vehicle detected that a door was being opened and activated the safety feature and shifted the vehicle into park. While the safety feature was activated, the gear shifter was over-shifted, and the gear shifter remained in reverse. The dealer was contacted and notified of the failure. The dealer confirmed there was no recall on the VIN related to the power train. Additionally, parts for the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic and was in the process of being diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN for the powertrain. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Filed Aug 7, 2025 · Transmission · MI

Mostly when pulling out of parking lot but entering traffic at slow speeds complete loss of power for 4 to 5 seconds or longer.

Filed Aug 6, 2025 · Transmission · AR

We had our truck in SEVERAL times when under warranty for repair because the truck back axle was jumping and jerking at low speeds (30-40). of course our luck, they can't find anything wrong. then it goes out of warranty and the back right axle goes out and it is undriveable. We repair it at an expense of 1400.00 in 2024 and now the other back axle went out and it cost 1200.00. Talking with other Ford owners and mechanics, this is a known issue and Ford isn't doing anything about it. Is there any help we can get in matter, Ford says there isn't.

Filed Jul 29, 2025 · Transmission, Wheels · UT

I own a 2021 Ford F-150 [Lariat PowerBoost] affected by recall 23S65 (rear axle bolt). The bolts have severed. Ford has advised that my truck is unsafe to drive until repaired. When I brought the vehicle in, I was told parts were available. I drove the car home and later discovered from paperwork that the repair was not completed only the parts had been ordered. I was told not to take the Truck on my upcoming vacation pulling my camper. I opened a case with Ford Customer Care and was originally told parts would arrive before my scheduled use, but now I am told they will not be available for weeks. This creates a serious safety and hardship issue. My family is scheduled to leave for a trip this Thursday that requires this vehicle to transport my family and tow our camper. Ford has not provided a rental or loaner vehicle capable of replacing my truck, despite advising it is unsafe to drive. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate Ford’s failure to provide a timely remedy or interim solution for a safety-critical recall that removes my vehicle from safe use.

Filed Jul 25, 2025 · Transmission · 69,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was fluid leaking from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the gasket on the rear differential had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed that the driver’s and passenger’s side rear axle shaft assemblies had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 69,000.

Filed Jul 23, 2025 · Transmission · 51,000 miles · PA

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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that there was a scraping sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to the recall; however, parts were on back order. The failure mileage was 51,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Jul 19, 2025 · Driver assistance, Transmission · VA

Issue Date 2025-06-13 Campaign 25S65/25V404 Description On your vehicle, in the event of unexpected 12V battery discharge, the front door electronic latches retain their last lockunlock status. If the driver or front passenger exit the front doors using the mechanical inside release handles, the doors may remain locked when they are closed. This may result in an unexpected lock-out condition for the driver and front passenger without the ability to immediately re-enter the vehicle.

Filed Jul 14, 2025 · Transmission · 127,000 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power, leaving the contact stuck in the middle of the roadway. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 127,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Jul 11, 2025 · Transmission · FL

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 repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Jul 10, 2025 · Transmission · WA

When I drive at highway speeds and going to slow down this transmission will sometimes shift very hard on down shift from 9th to 8th gear and it jolts the truck. Also sometimes when I am in town going from 4th to 5th gear it is delayed in 4th making the RPM go high then shifting hard into 5th. Getting out of 1st going into 2nd is sometimes clunky and sometimes it is not. All these issues are intermittent. I got this truck a few weeks ago. 35,500 miles on it. Got it because I needed something reliable for family needs and work. Im not rich either so of course I had to finance it 72 months. I feel like I bought myself a big headache and I drive this thing around like I am walking on egg shells and I feel like I ended up with something not reliable because of this 10R80 transmission. I baby it the best I can. I wont take it to the dealership because I know they wont do anything. Thank you for all that you guys do.

Filed Jul 8, 2025 · Transmission · IL

My complaint is in regards to my truck not being repaired in a timely manner. My truck is over 4 years old and I still don’t have recall 23V896 completed. I called my dealer on June 10 to as per the recall letter to confirm they had the parts in stock. They said they were. I made an appointment for June 18 to get the recall completed. The service advisor then told me they had to send photos of my door sticker to Ford so they could order the parts that they told me 9 days prior that they had. They said it would take a couple of days. Here we are 20 more days later and no parts to perform the recall. This is totally Rediculous and unacceptable. My truck is into its 5th year. Does the federal safety agency not have authority to enforce these recalls? I also got a letter about my rear camera freezing (25V315). It says there is no fix available, unbelievable!

Filed Jul 8, 2025 · Transmission · 107,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, while depressing the brake pedal and attempting to make a right turn, the power train or 4WD warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission was stuck in sixth gear; the contact was unsure of the high gear. The contact stated that the transmission unexpectedly shifted into a lower gear, skipped gears, and the vehicle surged forward. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the CDF cylinder had failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure and transferred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.

Filed Jul 7, 2025 · Electrical, Transmission · VA

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -The electrical system malfunctioned causing a complete system failure and shutdown of the vehicle. The vehicle came to a sudden stop in an intersection and could not be moved. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -The vehicle instantly died going through an intersection causing the steering column to lock up, the parking brake to engage and transmission to remain in drive while the vehicle was stopped without any power. This was a sudden and abrupt stop where all control over the vehicle was lost, and I came to an immediate stop in the middle of an intersection. The vehicle would not restart. I could not disengage the parking brake to move the vehicle out of the intersection due to the complete loss of power. The transmission would not shift into Neutral due to the complete loss of power. The hazard lights would not turn on due to the complete loss of power. If this happened on the interstate, I would have very likely been in a serious life threatening /taking accident. This is as big of a near miss that I can think of, and only because it happened on a neighborhood street when no other vehicles were approaching from in front or behind. This is a major safety issue. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? -The vehicle is currently at the dealer for a diagnostic review. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? -in process at the ford dealership Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? -the vehicle had been running for 30-45 minutes prior to this happening without any warning lights / symptoms.

Filed Jun 26, 2025 · Lights, Transmission · PA

Headlight DRL went out causing less visibility: Transmission is always losing slamming into gears and searching.

Filed Jun 23, 2025 · Transmission, Wheels · WV

The rear axle hub bolt on my 2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost failed to meet design safety standards and is subject to Recall 23S65. The vehicle is currently at a Ford dealership and is available for inspection upon request. My safety was put at risk because the bolt can shear off without warning, causing the rear axle shaft to disengage. This can result in sudden loss of propulsion or vehicle rollaway, especially if parked on an incline. Ford has acknowledged this risk but has not made a final repair available for PowerBoost models. I was not offered a loaner, and I cannot confirm if the vehicle is safe to drive. The problem has been confirmed by the dealership. They told me they are unable to perform even the interim repair until at least July 22 and that there is no ETA at all for the final fix specific to hybrid (PowerBoost) models. The vehicle was inspected by a Ford dealer but not by Ford Motor Company representatives directly. Ford customer service has failed to provide any meaningful support or confirmation of safety. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the recall. Ford states the failure may occur without symptoms, which makes the defect more dangerous. I have not personally experienced a failure yet, but I'm being asked to either drive the vehicle in this condition or go without transportation indefinitely.

Filed Jun 17, 2025 · Transmission · AZ

My transmission has failed and is slipping it's jolting and has cling sound. The rpms indicator fluctuates. Sometimes stays on 10 speed.

Filed Jun 14, 2025 · Transmission · TN

When driving the vehicle there is a hard shift condition from 2-3 3-4 4-5 and 6-5. This condition worsened to where the vehicle we entering an intersection in a 4 lane road and when shifting into 3rd the transmission would not engage. It then shifted to 4th then 5th still not engaging. The rpm increased and truck was out of fear in the intersection then engaged in 2nd while rolling at roughly 30mph in a 10r80. Tires sheared traction for a moment as it dropped to a gear lower than the speed it was going. Hard shifting was followed by a Malfunction indicator light (MIL). Truck was shut off then restarted and MIL was no longer present but hard shifting continued then the above incident. Truck was taken to dealer for confirmation. Mileage 61,159.

Filed Jun 12, 2025 · Transmission · OR

Transmission failure Transmission slips between 4th and 7th gears Yes its available for inspection Yes its been diagnosed by FORD No there were no warning lamps or messages, just noticed the shifting problem and took it in.

Filed Jun 5, 2025 · Transmission · 62,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission shifted hard, and the vehicle jerked while moving forward. The contact stated the vehicle jerked extremely hard and the contact's head jerked forward. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Filed Jun 4, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · 40,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60-65 MPH, there was fluid leaking from the vehicle, and the engine was overheating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact checked the Ford Pass App and became aware that the transmission had been serviced four times. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

Filed Jun 3, 2025 · Transmission · TX

The Ford 10R80 transmission in my 2021 F-150 removes all confidence in the dependability of this truck. The transmission will slip and not engage for about 3-5 seconds and then lurch forward after finally finding the gear. This happened multiple times now and the 2 most dangerous were while taking an unprotected, but authorized left turn on a busy highway. Vehicles in the opposing lane had to slow down because as I started to turn, the truck hardly moved as I hit the accelerator. The gear finally engaged and I was able to get out of the way before being hit. Many technicians have told me this is almost certainly due to the widely known faulty CDF drum on 2021-2022 F-150's. Ford has since revised the CDF drum, but anyone who owns a 2021-2022 will have to pay out of pocket after this part inevitably fails and causes catastrophic damage. This is a VERY dangerous and serious fault with an essential part of the vehicle. Ford needs to address this issue as soon as possible.

Filed May 29, 2025 · Transmission · CA

Ford's 10 Speed Transmissions (10R80) built before 2022 have a common CDF Drum design defect that will cause hard shifts, gear searching, failure to shift, and lagging shifts. On two occasion my truck was unable to find the gear while shifting and lost acceleration. There was no indications (warning lights or messages) that the vehicle wasn't operating normally. It simply just was unable to move under its own power for 2-3 seconds before the transmission found the next gear and began accelerating. Both instances created a hazard for myself and others as other drivers were forced to take evasive actions due to the sudden onset of the issue. Both instances were while making an authorized but unprotected left-hand turn. Had the other drivers in each of these instances not taken evasive action I would have been T-boned by them. This common failure put both myself and other drivers at risk. My local Ford dealer has troubleshot the issue and stated they believe it is the CDF Drum and recommended a complete transmission replacement. This issue is so common, that Ford issued a Technical Service Bulletin implementing a redesigned CDF Drum. That being said, Ford has left owners of pre-2022 vehicles like mine with an unsafe component and have taken no ownership of their design flaw.

Filed May 23, 2025 · Transmission · 21,500 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked abnormally, and the transmission was slipping into park, causing the vehicle to come to an unintended, immediate stop. There were several messages displayed on the instrument panel, and the “Service Vehicle Soon” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the gear shift module was faulty and would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V188000 (POWER TRAIN) as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 21,500.

Filed May 21, 2025 · Transmission · 80,000 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. The driver depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond and lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Filed May 9, 2025 · Transmission · 74,200 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that occasionally while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle started to jerk, and the contact stated that the transmission was slipping. There were no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the gears were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,200.

Filed May 4, 2025 · Transmission · CA

Consistent issues with the 10 speed transmission. There a delay in shifting from 1st to 2nd gear then slams into gear causing a jerky acceleration of speed. Also constant clunking throughout the gears. Extremely flawed adaptive learning system for their 10 speed automatic transmission.

Filed Apr 27, 2025 · Transmission · CA

Transmission slipping when accelerating from complete stop and through 4th gear

Filed Apr 21, 2025 · Transmission · OH

Still no remedy from Ford regarding the federal safety agency Recall Number 23V896. They had stated the resolution would be in place by Q1 2025, and I have still not received any documentation with the fix. They already pushed it back once and looks like they are doing it again as I have waited nearly 2.5 years for a fix since the first bolt broke. This vehicle is not dependable and has no resale value due to this recall not being resolved. Thank you

Filed Apr 16, 2025 · Transmission · IA

Sometimes goes into neutral when accelerating. In a couple seconds, will then find a gear. From a dead stop, will sometimes shift to tenth gear, making it seem like the transmission is in neutral. Hard shift from 1st to 3rd.

Filed Apr 16, 2025 · Transmission · OH

I pulled out of my driveway and the truck rapidly downshifted from 5th to second gear upon coming to a stop sign and threw my wife and I up in our seats and me into the steering wheel. . Then upon accelerating to come into the highway the truck RPM went way up but the truck didn’t accelerate and then it slammed into gear and took off. This happened on multiple occasions before I could get it into service.

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