general problems of the 2021 Ford Expedition - part 1

Hard shifting & slipping: drivers frequently report clunking, hard shifts (particularly around gears 3-5), and the vehicle lurching forward when accelerating. It does this while driving and is a serious safety issue. We complained to the dealer about a year ago and they told us they checked and it was fine. Now it is worse.

Bad parts in the transmission the cdf drum part is not good. While on the highway I was driving and my car lost all power and for about 5-6 seconds lost all power to the car until the transmission kicked into gear. I have has it in for a warranty and they keep saying it nothing then final it went back in and they tell me it the cdf drum in the transmission but this is not a safety concern. It is to me I have 2 kids and if something happens and causes a accident and something happens to my daughter who is replacing my kids no one and Ford will wipe there hands from it. A mandatory recall needs to happen on these transmission and get them fix properly. They did a recall for a piece of trim that cuts when it is lose but they can't do it on this. Unbelievable.

“10r80 transmission slips and loses power during acceleration. Matches Ford TSB 23?2250. Sudden loss of propulsion creates safety risk when merging or crossing intersections. ”.

I have had issues with the 10 speed transmission on my Expedition. I looked up my year model and type of transmission and there is a NHTSA recall on select model year transmissions within my year range. My vehicle is doing the same thing that is stated in the recall. I spoke to a transmission shop and they are the ones that informed me of the transmission issues and recalls. I reached out to my local Ford dealership and they looked up my vehicle and informed me that my vehicle was not affected. I said it seemed to be doing the exact same thing listed. He said if its not on the list, we won't cover the repair. What needs to happen to have my transmission repaired under the recall?.

Was traveling on the roadway when my vehicle suddenly lost its ability to change gears. I had to put the transmission into manual mode to be able to pull to the side of the roadway and stop. The vehicle was towed to the repair facility where I was informed the transmission needed to be replaced. I was almost struck from behind by a motorist due to not being able to continue forward. I was informed this is a common defect in the transmission and the cost to replace the transmission is approximately $9000. Due to the low mileage on the vehicle, this is unacceptable and a safety risk.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the vehicle jerked abnormally. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure was persistent. 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 not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 62,500.

Transmission harsh shifting. Common problem with Ford on the 10r80. Was told from Ford need new transmission.

The 10r80 transmission went out in it after 80k miles. It would get "stuck" in gears and not want to shift. The lack of shifting would cause the vehicle to stall while driving. Ford was able to reproduce the issue and the transmission is getting replaced by Ford through our extended warranty company. There was a clunking noise when driving prior to the transmission having shifting issues. No, there were not any warning lights when this was happening.

When attempting to pass or slowing and then pressing the gas regain speed, transmission disengages, engines revs, transmission down shifts to 1st gear and then attempting to "find" the correct gear. This has happened multiple times and a few of those times has left us susceptible to being struck by another vehicle due to no engine power to the power train to move the vehicle.

The 10r80 transmission of this vehicle failed resulting in erratic shifting, slowing and stopping of the vehicle in traffic, having to pull over in the middle of traffic. Rapid acceleration and deceleration resulting in jolting the people in the vehicle and abrupt speed changes. This has been confirmed by a private mechanic and a rebuilt transmission purchased from local Ford dealership. The broken transmission will be returned to Ford as the core is required to be returned for deposit refund. There were no warning lights or indications of failure other than shifting issues.

Most mornings when I shift the vehicle from park to drive the transmission slams into gear and it feels like the vehicle just hit a wall. Also when shifting from 4th through 8th gear the transmission shudders through the shift sequence and sometimes it completely cuts out, total loss of power and have to coast to a stop on the side of the highway. This happens all the time.

The cdf drum in the 10r80 transmission in 2021 Ford Expedition has failed causing inability to accelerate or decrease speech reliably. For safety during interstate driving, there is a indisputable need for quick and reliable increases and decreases in speed. Being able to clear an intersection quickly is important not only for the driver's safety but the safety of others in an intersection. Dealership has confirmed the problem. Ford released a TSB that has been around since 2023 regarding how this part fails and needs to be repaired. There were no warning lights or messages about the problem. The vehicle was purchased used at only 60,000 miles and dealership made no indication that transmissions had been an issue and could be a safety issue going forward.

Faulty cdf clutch drum. The vehicle failed to shift properly while driving in mountains which could have lead to a runaway. Problem has been identified by my dealer and is a known issue with 2017-2023 Ford expedtions. Vehicle inspected my fomoco mechanic and found issue with drum. No warnings or prompts before issue occurred.

During highway operation, vehicle transmission makes very loud and angry sound and then loses ability to move , almost caused us to get hit at an intersection. Vehicle often jumps violently when shifting to reverse, and often loses propulsion when going uphill and shifting. No issues have been identified by mechanics but I have found several forums on line with drivers reporting similar occurrences. This is very dangerous and if not addressed will result in loss of life. We purchased this vehicle certified by the dealer with 92000 miles on it and it began doing this less than a week after purchase. We took it in for recall work and reported it and they said nothing was wrong with it. Manufacturer failure to rectify this very common problem is going to cause may citizens to be injured or killed.

Have had jerky shifts and hard down shifts while driving 2021 Ford Expedition. Told dealership and was told it was normal. Then went in for oil change told the dealership about lose of power while shifting and hard shifts they advised to have transmission fluid changed. Not even 3 weeks later while pulling out onto a busy road my vehicles engine revved very high but the transmission never engaged past 2nd gear. I was almost hit by a car coming at me on the 2 lane road. After letting off the gas and then reapplying gas the transmission engaged. I drove to the dealership. Today they informed me that the transmission has multiple failures at the shift point between 1-2 and 7-8 along with hard down shifts between 4 and 3 gears. Was informed that the transmission would need to be replaced. I never got any error or warning codes that anything was wrong. I told the dealership that I felt unsafe driving the vehicle due to the transmission. The first instance happened less than a month ago. My vehicle is at the shop now waiting to have a replacement at my expense when Ford knew what the transmission is like.

While attempting to pass a slower moving vehicle and changing from the right lane to left, I attempted to accelerate past the vehicle when the check manual light appeared on the vehicle display dashboard and I lost all power. I had no acceleration and no power from the gas pedal, after gliding past the slower vehicle and completely taking my foot off the gas pedal, the truck reset itself and power came back to the vehicle and was able to accelerate again, as if nothing happened.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph, the engine overheated. The message “drive mode inoperable” was displayed. The contact pulled over for 20 minutes, and the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who confirmed that parts were on back order for NHTSA campaign number: 22v346000 (engine). The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the failure was due to the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 99,130.

Nn 9/15/2025 while the car was running but parked, we began to smell burnt plastic/electrical. Upon trying to shut off the vehicle several service lamps came on advising to go immediately to a service center and that there was a powertrain issue. Vehicle would also not shut off. Upon arrival at dealership they diagnosed that the battery box had corroded and would need replaced under the 1time battery junction box replacement campaign (22n19). Upon repair they discovered that the wiring harness was badly melted and would need replace part [xxx] . The problem lies here. This part is backordered with no date for availability. Ford refuses to acknowledge this as a problem, and will not help with rental or loaner assistance, as that repair shouldn't take more then a few hours to complete. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Automobile falls out of gear randomly losing all forward power to move the car. While pulling out into traffic, this causes the car to not gain speed with traffic endangering those in the car. Dealer currently has the car and has quoted to replace the transmission with a rebuilt unit. No warning lights in the car to tell us anything was wrong. Based on research, I believe Ford knows this transmission is faulty, and will not recall due to cost. Issue has scared my wife and family on multiple occasions before finally getting a scheduled check on the car.

10r80 transmission jerky shifting and failing to engage correctly leading to loss of power and unsafe driving/ jerky acceleration.

While towing a rented trailer from tractor supply, the trailer detached because it was not properly secured by store staff. The trailer struck the rear bumper of my 2021 Ford Expedition, causing visible body damage and raising concerns about hidden damage to the drivetrain and transmission due to the sudden force of the impact. After the incident, the vehicle was taken to a Ford dealership for inspection. Documentation exists showing that additional drivetrain and transmission evaluation is needed to determine the full extent of damage. The rear-view camera is also under active NHTSA recall (25v048), and its poor image quality complicates safe reversing after the incident. The safety risk is significant: the trailer detachment created a roadway hazard and impact, while the rear camera defect reduces visibility and increases crash risk when backing. The vehicle has been inspected by a Ford dealership and is being reviewed under an insurance claim with tractor supply’s insurer. Full documentation of the service visit and inspection is available upon request.

I originally leased and have since purchased this vehicle. Since owning the vehicle, it sometimes has a harsh shift between gears. It is so harsh that I have mentioned it to at least two different Ford dealerships during the transmission warranry period. No remedy was provided at the time. The car has continued to have shifting issues and now the car will pop out of gear while driving, which is a major safety issue. We informed a Ford dealership about this experience and they are now telling us we need a new transmission as they found metal in the transmission fluid. The transmission warranty just expired and there is a NHTSA bulletin about this very issue and there is an open recall on the power module for this car. Items for review: technical service bulletin 10r80 active recall campaign 24e13 documented issue at tom masano Ford on 12/02/2021 documented issue at fred beans exton Ford on 4/26/2022 documented issue at tom masano on 8/5/2025.

Transmission has completely failed at 68,000 miles and 4 years old. Ford is willing to cover cost of the tramission with a “partial good faith” agreement but the dealership who provides the service is charging $5,656 to put in new transmission. This is a widely known transmission problem with safety issues with multiple service bulletins. They are passing the issue onto the consumer instead of recalling. Shameful.

The transmission shifts gears irregularly and has loss complete power when going up hill. This is a known issue with the 10 speed transmission but Ford has not corrected the issue that is impacting thousand of vehicles. This issue with the shifting happens everyday that I drive it.

May 17th was trying to get over one lane on service road, gave car gas and it acted like it fail out of gear, let off gas and then it was fine. Did the something again about 4 hours later. Car only has 94,000 miles on it and dealership is saying that it needs a new transmission. I have never hauled anything with this car, only driving on the highway. I did take my Ford in at 57,000 because it was rough sounding when it would change gears. They said they couldn't find anything wrong. Now we need a new transmission and it is out of warranty of course. I just don't see how this transmission could not last longer then 94,000 miles. The note on the car still has a few years left on it. There are not active recall per Ford relationship center. I also have a claim with them as well. They told me to made a claim there as well.

Wiring has soy based bioplastic insulation which apparently attract rodent damage. This damaged battery, caused spark plug to be damaged and need to be replaced. It has also caused voltage and computer performance problems affecting engine idling and shifting. Issues were extremely unpredictable and hard to diagnose leading to 5 visits to the shop and many failed attempts to repair.

Vehicle stalls out upon driving when trying to accelerate. Has popped up error which states to check fuel pump.

The component of the system that failed was an internal failure in the cdf drum in transmission. This resulted in failure to accelerate up to appropriate speeds and lurching of the vehicle when shifting gears. This put the safety of others and self at risk as the vehicle was unable to get up to speed on the road resulting in dangerous conditions that could lead to accidents due to the inability to reach posted speed limits. The vehicle and the components were inspected by a Ford dealership. No warning lights were observed to indicate that a problem existed.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

When driving and car down shifts to 4th speed and accelerator is pressed, the car does not accelerate, rpm’s only increase. The car then jars or jerks into gear with a loud sound. Safety risk is that you are driving at high speed and cannot keep car accelerating with other cars around - especially on freeway. 1st occurrence happened at 31000 miles. Now constant repeat at 43000 miles. No warning lights/lamps, etc. Car has only been serviced by Ford. Ford noted this as a software update needed. In researching this, seems to be a common problem.

Follow up to my previous complaint (11665325)see link below. . Read more...

Dtc p07f7 - this is the code that the car is showing which is a cdf drum failed in the transmission. The vehicle was almost hard braking when shifting gears and throwing us towards the dashboard specifically when switching between 9th and 10th gear. It was hard shifting between multiple gears. The vehicle is only 3 years old with 67,000 miles on it and the transmission has failed. There are also multiple reports and a service bulletin on this particular transmission from Ford.

I was merging on to the interstate and lost all throttle. Gear dropped to first. I had to hurry and pull off of the interstate to avoid having a wreck. I have also had issues with the car clunking into gear when putting car in drive. Car will also slip gears from 2-4 and 7-8th while driving.

The transmission seems to be sluggish. When making a rolling left turn around 25 to 30 mph after no power to the transmission, when coming out of the turn the trans seems to spin and then slam into gear. I mean slam where everyone in the vehicle says "what the hell was that" kind of slam. This has been intermittent since I purchased the vehicle 1 1/2 years ago at 79,000 miles. I've had the trans fluid changed and that doesn't help. Now at 103,000 it seems to happen more often. I see there are a lot of people in the same boat for multiple years. Shame on Ford. This is my first return to american made since 2 Honda pilots that ran great until I sold them at 150,000 miles. This is a known issue that is not being resolved by design. Each year their culpability is decreased by the junk yard methodology. Shame on me for buying american.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The power train system message was displayed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the clutch hub was damaged. The contact was informed that the transmission and the clutch hub needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.