general problems of the 2021 Ford Expedition - part 2

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle down shifted inadvertently, and the vehicle lost power. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact state while driving 55 mph, there were abnormal sounds coming from the engine and the transmission. The temperature gauge warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Chevrolet dealer twice to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. After the second repair the contact noticed that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to a Ford dealer and the transmission was replaced another time. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 89,035.

Shifting from park to drive on a level surface, the transmission will sporadically slam into gear so hard that the vehicle lurches forward. By the time I got to the dealership, it would not duplicate the problem. This vehicle has had the transmission rebuilt/replaced 4 times for this issue (among other issues), and there is less that 40,000 miles on the vehicle. The transmission also slams into gear on 3rd, 5th, and sometimes 6th (upshift and downshift). It will sporadically downshift when at highway speeds regardless of changes in speed or incline.

Expedition has roughly 33,000 miles on it. I took it into the dealer for service b/c the transmission was acting jumpy. By the time it got to the dealer for service, pacifico marple Ford deemed it undrivable and it needs a new transmission. I don't think the transmission should have went that quickly.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 10 mph, the vehicle became stuck in first gear. The driver was able to maneuver the transmission into fourth gear. The contact turned the vehicle on and off, and the transmission was reset. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 20v197000 (power train). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and was diagnosed with cdf drum failure, and that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. During one failure, the contact shifted the vehicle from drive(d) to park(p) and the vehicle began to roll backward as though the vehicle were in neutral(n). The contact then shifted the vehicle back to drive(d) and the vehicle resumed normal operation. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that the only way to diagnose the problem would be to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was given the same information as the dealer. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while at a four-way stop, the vehicle failed to move, and downshifted to first gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

Vehicle loses acceleration. When I attempt to pass someone on the interstate, the vehicle does not accelerate. When I push the gas the engine revs, but does not engage. I have to take my foot off the gas for 10-15 seconds for it to go back into gear. Error reads "stuck in park". It has been to Ford numerous times with the same result, they can't duplicate the problem.

The power train failed to accelerate and completely disengaged. While trying to avoid being t-boned by another car, the vehicle failed to accelerate when required. The rpm gauge showed the acceleration demand but it did not transfer to the power train. Luckily the car running the red light swerved to miss us because we were not able to proactively avoid the collision. Ford first replaced the transmission plate, after recurrence is now offering a transmission rebuild under warranty. Now out of warranty, concerned issues will continue as Ford dealer not forthcoming on the repairs being done stating multiple issues are not related.

When driving at interstate speeds, the transmission locked into 7th gear and refused to change gears with changes in speed. This was especially dangerous when I exited the interstate and had to drive in traffic at city speeds. Starting from a stop in 7th gear was extremely dangerous and made me a hazard to myself and other cars around me.

Transmissions quickly break down. First signs are hard/loud gear shifting followed by slipping gears then eventual inability to accelerate. Regular transmission drains find metal contamination indicating breakdown of gears. Ford motor company is aware of this issue and will replace the transmission with the same failing transmission. Their proprietary system makes it difficult to diagnose and repair leading consumers to have to buy a replacement after 60k miles (which just so happens to be the extent of their warranty).

At 40,000 miles transmission skips gears going from 3-4 4-5 and 7-8. Transmission jolts hard when put into reverse. Valve body was replaced which fixed the issue for a couple of months and now the same issues are occurring.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a grinding sound coming from the transmission while changing gear. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while upshifting from second to third gear and while down shifting from fifth to fourth gear. During the failure the vehicle experienced hard jerking. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 20,000.

When driving down the road and it does not matter what speed I am going, is when this issue is happening to most. I will be driving and out of the blue the tachometer will just drop to zero (0) and I lose all power and the vehicle starts shaking vigorously back and forth until it decides what gear the transmission wants to be in. It is doing this every single day, and it almost made me wrecked the other day. I do not even have 70,000 miles and it will be three years old in April 2024. I have called Ford and reported the issue as well. I have researched the issues, and many other Expeditions are having the same issue years 2020-2022. I am asking for Ford to take a serious look at all the car crashes from this exact issue. I do know the f150 are recalled with the exact transmission that is in the Expeditions. The transmission on Thursday 2-22-24 after driving and parked, put the car in drive then it did not want to get out of parked and do into drive or reverse.

On 11/2022 and 11/2023, my vehicle dashboard started blinking and my car turned off on its own. The first time, it happened just after I had dropped off my children at school. After waiting a few minutes, I pressed the start button and my car turned on again. It seemed fine until I reached a stop light, where it shut off once more. I called my husband and told him that I was going to Ford. The advisor mentioned that it could be an alternator issue or a battery issue. The battery was replaced since it was still under warranty. When it happened in 11/2023, I told the advisor that this had happened exactly one year earlier. He checked my vehicle history, confirmed once again that my battery wasn't low and replaced the battery since it was still under warranty. Ford couldn't confirm what may have caused this problem. My husband and I both noticed that our vehicle would shift hard and do a big jerk when shifting gears. I brought it in for an oil change and when my advisor matt moved my vehicle, he mentioned that it didn't sound good. I told him that its happened many times before. However, after the servicing, no issues were found. On 02/06/24, the engine light in my car came. The purge valve was replaced, but nine days later, the engine light reappeared. My Ford advisor informed me that the transmission needed to be completely replaced, along with the evaporative canister. Just 8 days after the transmission was replaced, I noticed oil leaking all over my driveway. I returned to the Ford and was told that the transmission oil was leaking. A transmission gasket pan was replaced. At the end of may, the engine light came on again after just 2 months since my last service. This time I was informed that the front pinion was leaking. I was also told I would need a replacement of the ftp sensor and the fuel tank would need to be dropped. Additionally, the car has been experiencing harsh shifting and jerking between gears again for the past month which could be my transmission.

Transmission slams into gear when coming out of park, into drive.

The transmission shakes the truck at 5th gear and up. It slips out of gear. Sounds like the toque converter is coming about. Or the high gear clutches are slipping.

I keep getting a hard transmission shift around 8th gear when cresting a hill and letting off the gas. Ford can’t replicate the issue because it’s intermittent.

I own the 2020 Expedition. We were traveling on interstate 287 yesterday. I was in the right lane and was stuck behind a slow moving semi-truck. I put on my blinker and waited for an opening in traffic to move into the middle lane. When an opening presented itself, I pressed down on the gas pedal to accelerate into traffic. While the truck should have down shifted and accelerated, instead the powertrain completely disengaged; a total loss of power. The rpm jumped way up to redline, over revving, but the truck was slowing down. I took my foot of the gas pedal and as the rpm came back down, the transmission slammed back into engagement with a loud audible clunk that jolted the whole vehicle. At this point, I was finally able to accelerate. While this was all happening, I had just moved into the middle lane of traffic, which was bearing down on us. All the vehicles behind us were slamming their brakes and honking their horns. I thought for sure we were going to die. Thank god it wasn’t an 80,000 lbs peterbilt bearing down on us, or we would be dead, by the grace of god we’re not. Upon returning home I went onto the Ford truck owners website I belonged to. I came to learn this is a known issue with Ford’s 10-speed transmission that Ford has failed to address. That there are pending lawsuits and that the NHTSA is aware of the issue. One of the member suggested that I file a complaint with the NHTSA, that was my impetus for writing you today. This is a dangerous condition that Ford needs to remedy.

My car has stopped accelerating in the middle of a highway going 75 and wrench light pops up. Ford is looking into it but apparently it needs to be recalled. I hope they extend my warranty. This is so scary. My kids and I almost suffered an accident as our car stopped in the middle of passing on the freeway.

I’ve been having issues from day one with shifting gears, the vehicle makes a loud “thunking” noise and practically stops my vehicle in the middle of the road.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the side of the roadway, and after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality. The contact stated that the failure had since become a persistent failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 43,000.

Transmission is slipping and hard shifting or fails to shift. I noticed it at hot temperatures but does it now constantly. Airbag is starting to come out of the perforation below the Ford symbol on the horn. I'm concerned it will deploy while driving and cause a traffic accident/injury/death.

The 10r80 transmission, even after rebuilt by the dealership continues to shift in unexpected ways (hard shifts, not picking the right gear, hesitation under acceleration). It doesn't happen all the time, and isn't reproduceable at will. When the problem occurs, it is very noticeable. The vehicle will hesitate and not accelerate when pushing on the gas pedal, and then all of a sudden jump forward unexpectedly. The dealership has examined it after the transmission was rebuilt, and states that it is operating normally, but we were unable to duplicate the problem at that time. The next day, it happened again while driving on the highway when merging into traffic. Pressed on the gas pedal, but the car did not accelerate as expected (long hesitation), and then the transmission decided to change gears, and experienced hard shifts to the point the whole car jerks abruptly (this was not because of extreme pressing of the gas pedal). Just normal pressure on the gas pedal, and it will randomly decide how it will shift.

This vehicle continues to exhibit transmission shuddering, slipping, and hesitation during acceleration—despite two full transmission replacements in two years and multiple dealership service visits. These unresolved issues compromise safe operation, especially during highway merging, rapid acceleration, and lane changes. Both dealerships were unable to permanently address the issue after extensive mechanical intervention. Ford has issued multiple technical service bulletins addressing transmission concerns in the 10r80 unit used in the Expedition. The most recent bulletin, TSB 25-2132, revises procedures for harsh and delayed shifting, shudder, and internal hydraulic leakage tied to the cdf clutch drum—which aligns directly with the findings from my own transmission overhaul documented in June 2023. Previous service entries noted suspected internal leakage around the cdf clutch, rpm flare during shifts, gear hesitation, and recurring drivability issues despite component replacement. These match symptoms targeted in prior tsbs, including: TSB 23-2123: harsh engagement and shift delays TSB 24-2101: hydraulic leakage diagnosis linked to clutch cylinder TSB 25-2023: update to inspection and service steps for gear shift quality while dealerships performed repairs and even full transmission replacements, the lack of lasting resolution and repeat issues reflect a broader mechanical defect addressed reactively rather than proactively through these bulletins. Despite awareness at the manufacturer level, I experienced significant delays, financial burden, and ongoing drivability risks. I respectfully request that NHTSA further investigate Ford’s handling of repeated 10r80 transmission failures in the Expedition, particularly concerning the effectiveness of these bulletins in preventing recurrence and mitigating safety impact.

10-speed transmission frequently shifts hard, and sometimes misses a shift entirely resulting in no power for a few seconds while the transmission tries to "find" the right gear. This has occurred in busy intersections which obviously presents a major safety risk. Awkward shifting started about 2 months ago, complete loss of power has occurred 3 times in that time period. Vehicle is currently sitting in a Ford dealership service department awaiting diagnoses and repair since 5/29/23.

Severe transmission slippage/failure at all speeds. Gear disengages randomly during acceleration. No Ford dealer wants to take the responsibility to repair or fix it. Per the dealers, the computer doesn’t log the occurrences. Hard to believe that and hard to believe there is a major class action lawsuit in CA regarding this.

I purchased this 2021 Ford Expedition brand new from Ford of kirkland in wa and discover there's a hard shift or pause when downshifting especially on an uphill. Often time it made a loud metal snapping sound from under the hood when that happened. I was driving on the freeway one afternoon the vehicle jolted and paused and doesn't engage for about 2-3 seconds causing the vehicle behind me to honk. It finally re-engaged after making the loud metal snapping sound. This vehicle had been in service 3 times for the same complaints but still not fixed and discovered that other people with the same Ford vehicle had the same complaints as me.

We just purchased this vehicle and started to notice a hard down shift when slowing down from 6th gear. I drove it Saturday January 21st and when I shifted the vehicle into reverse to back into a parking space it threw the transmission into a fault and had no reverse. Still drove forward. Took the vehicle in for service on 1/25/23. They ordered parts to fix the harsh shift. No comment on the reverse issue. Picked up vehicle evening of 1/25/23. Drove from dealership to gas station close to home, about 15 miles. Shut vehicle off to fuel. When I restarted the vehicle it kept pushing forward against trans pawl and then rolling back repeatedly. After it did this 10 times or so I put the vehicle in nuetral and it proceeded to drive forward for 20-30 feet uphill. After 20-30 feet of driving forward the wrench light turned on and the vehicle stopped driving forward and rolled backwards down the hill as it should have. After this the vehicle had forward gears but no reverse gears. Wrench light and cel light both illuminated when driving home from gas station. Will have dealership tow back 1/26/23 due to safety issue of vehicle driving forward while not in gear.

Front differential failed. I was driving to the mountains and when I reached snow level it was about 38 degrees f and I slowed to less than 20 mph and switched to 4a. Within a few moments I heard and felt a grinding sound from the front. I have used 4wd several times over the year or so I've had the vehicle and have never heard this noise before. I thought it was the hubs not engaging completely and so I switched it back to 2wd and while the noise was less it continued. I switched back to 4wd and I confirmed that 4wd was working but the noise persisted. I bought this vehicle specfically for its 4wd and my family's life depends on it working when we are up in the sierras where it snows 2-3 inches per hour. When we returned I immediately took the vehicle to the dealer who informed me that it was the front differential that failed and parts are on back order. I am still waiting two weeks later. They said this is not common but why are parts on back order if it is not so common?.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that as his wife had attempted to park the vehicle, she placed the gear shifter into park(p) and let her foot off the brake pedal. Once she released her foot off the brake, the vehicle abruptly accelerated forward and hit a storage shed. The contact depressed the brake pedal multiple times during the failure but the brakes failed to engage. No warning lights appeared on the instrument panel during the failure. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. A police were not called and no medical assistance was needed. The storage shed was destroyed as a result of the impact. The contact called the dealer and made an appointment for a diagnostic. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Transmission routinely goes out of gear making a weird grinding sound, loses power and decelerates without warning. This has occurred at speeds from 10 mph to 70 mph. Neighborhood streets, roads, highways, and interstates. Very dangerous situation. The vehicle has approximately 22000 miles and this has occurred 20 times at minimum. I have been extremely lucky that this has not caused an accident or crash. The vehicle was purchased new from the dealership. I informed the dealer after numerous occurrences. The dealer inspected the vehicle in August. They said the vehicle computer time stamped the issue but they could determine the issues??? the same transmission problem has occurred 5 times since August.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly lost motive power with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to accelerate shortly after losing motive power. Additionally, the transmission experienced rough shifting into the intended gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission valve body failure and the transmission valve body was replaced. The failure recurred while the contact’s wife was driving with the vehicle jerking. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the dealer reset the transmission. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,722.

I am concerned about the shifting or transmission in my new 21 Expedition. Purchased new less than a year ago, currently less than 20k miles but the vehicle shifts gears hard, sometimes it seems it wants to up shift while in park or braking. The shift is shaky at times and I now put in park when stopped at a drive through because the last time I went to the bank while waiting with brake applied the car felt as if it was going to just drive off, I immediately put in park. This is scary because my kids rode with me and I dont want the gears to shift incorrectly and cause us to wreck. Dealer asked me to schedule a time when I can leave my vehicle for an unknown amount of time. In order to get a loaner the first available date to drop it off is November 17,22 which is over a month away.

After owning the car a year and about 15,000 miles I started having transmission rough shifting and lurching motions when shifting - violent lurching. I took it in to the dealership and they reset the adaptive learning component for the transmission. Nothing changed. Brought it in again and drove with technician and was able to reproduce issue. They replaced the transmission and the problems continued and actually increased with losing all acceleration on the freeway (floppy pedal) and then completely losing 10th gear when trying to pass another car. Luckily I was able to pull over and I did not cause an accident. It also threw a code/warning light at that time. I took it back to the dealership. They assessed and reset adaptive driving module. It then lost accelleration and wouldn't engage 10th and started smoking. Took it back to dealership and they claimed all that was due to over full transmission fluid. Original problems of rough shifting, lurching, clunking still existed. I filed a report with Ford and got a case number with the concern department. This resulted in the rear end of the car being replaced??? car still has transmission issues, with all the above mentioned issues, and now delayed acceleration in the lower gears. Enough is enough fighting about fixing it for a year, it has been in for repairs 7 times, and over 49 days of rental cars . The vehicle does not cause warning lights at any point with the rough shifting, lurching, or lack of acceleration. All have been experienced at various times by the dealership. No solution to date.