Automatic Transmission Control Module problems of the 2013 Ford F-150 - part 1

The contact owns a 2013 Ford f150. The contact stated that while driving at 30 mph, the speedometer went to zero unexpectedly. In addition, the transmission failed to properly shift gears. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, turned off, and minutes later, it was restarted. After the vehicle was restarted, the wrench warning light illuminated. The contact moved the shift lever to reverse(r), then to drive(d). The contact test drove the vehicle around the parking lot at the apartment complex, and the vehicle functioned as intended. The contact's son-in-law took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that dtc: p0722 (powertrain control module (pcm) was receiving "no signal" from the transmission output speed sensor (oss), p1500 (intermittent vehicle speed sensor (vss) signal detected by the powertrain control module (pcm), and p2195 (powertrain control module (pcm) detected that the bank 1 sensor 1 oxygen (O2) sensor signal was stuck lean). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while the vehicle was turned and when the contact placed the shift lever into reverse(r) the wrench warning light illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle and had not been driven since due to safety concerns. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 166,398.

While driving my 2013 f150 eco boost is started shifting erratically. While at 60 mph the truck would down shift on it's own to 1st gear and my truck would skid. Luckily I did not crash but it's dangerous and it's my only transportation. I took it to Ford and they said I needed a $8k transmission replacement. I ended up taking to a transmission shop for a rebuild but shortly after if did it again. The transmission shop replaced the valve but said Ford needed to reflash the tcm. When I asked for them to follow recall 19s07 they said I would need to bring it in and pay them another $400 for a diagnostic and they couldn't just reflash it. Now I'm in a position where I have to drive what feels like a timebomb and I have no way out of it.

Took vehicle to dealership to have recall 19v075 completed. Dealership informed me that Ford motor company will only replace the multi- frame part in the transmission that contains the oss sensor if the vehicle is not older than 10yrs and 150,000 miles. The service advisor at the dealership informed me that if they perform the pcm program update without the mechanical repair being done the intermittent downshift problem would get worse. The truck has downshifted while going down the highway at approximately 60mph and the abrupt downshift nearly caused me to loose control of the vehicle.

Safety recall 19s07 - (19s19) Ford motor covered 19s07 but not 19s19. Software update does not prevent downshifting into 1st on highway. The issue is that 19s19 is truly the root cause of issue, and software was a low cost ineffective countermeasure to safety issue. Covered certain 2011–2013 Ford F-150s with 6r80 transmissions for sudden transmission downshift due to output shaft speed (oss) sensor faults. Included pcm programming and diagnostic checks. Nhtsa this vehicle still exhibits down shifting at high speed (very scary), speed sensor malfunction, air bag disengagement while occurring. After software update transmission shifts produce poor gas mileage which violates epa emissions regulations of mpg of vehicle when purchased.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, the odometer failed to function as intended. The speedometer went from 40 to zero and failed to provide the correct speed. In addition, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The “wrench” warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and pulled the key out of the ignition, opened and closed the door, and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was reset. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the output speed sensor circuit had no signal and the pcm and valve body lead frame failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v075000 (power train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied assistance in covering the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 101,500.

The faulty output shaft speed sensor (oss) causes a signal loss between the sensor and the powertrain control module (pcm), leading to a sudden downshift into first gear, regardless of the vehicle's speed. This sudden downshift can cause the rear tires to slide, potentially leading to a loss of control and an increased risk of a crash. There is already a recall for the 2014 models and my 2013 is having the exact same issue. This has been an ongoing problem since I bought the truck in December 2024.

The component that failed was the transmission and the power train control module. The vehicle and component is available for inspection. My self and passenger were at risk while pulling out onto the highway and the vehicle had a sudden transmission downshift. This disabled the vehicle in the highway while merging into oncoming traffic. The problem has been confirmed by the Ford dealership and a repair estimate has been provided for the transmission and pcm (powertrain control module) the vehicle component has been inspected by Ford the manufacturer. There were no warning symbols, lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to they failure.

Safety issue. Engine code p0720 which means the output speed sensor sends erratic signals to the power train module or pcm. There is a recall on this truck for this exact thing. What happens is the gears in the transmission don’t shift smoothly and what happened to me was I was driving 70mph all of sudden the truck made a loud bang and I was in 6th gear and the truck went from being in 6th gear just dropped into 1st gear and at 70mph it’s pretty frightening. The brakes locked up and I managed to stay calm and regain control of the vehicle and pull over. Immediately I seen a big yellow wrench on the dashboard along with the check engine light so I turned it off and restarted it thinking maybe the computer will reset. The truck is literally stuck in like 3rd or 4th gear because I can’t go past 40 mph. I was only 5 mins away from home as soon as I got home I use my code machine and the engine code I received was p0720. I contacted my larsen Ford in lakewood NJ they informed me about the recall but told me that they’re not paying for any repairs because it’s past 10 years. It ended in January of 2024. I didn’t buy the truck until July 2024 I had no idea about any recalls. I’m not the original owner. I just assumed since it’s a safety issue that the manufacturer must be responsible for all repairs regardless of how long it’s been. I bought the truck with only 38,000 miles on it presently it has 40,000 miles on it now but I don’t think it’s fair that I have to pay for everything to be fixed myself.

I am the current owner of a 2013 Ford F-150 king ranch, which I purchased in 4-2019. In 2025, the truck began to experience sudden, harsh downshifting while driving, sometimes dropping from 6th gear to 1st without warning. This created a major safety hazard, especially at higher speeds. The problem was diagnosed and confirmed by greenbrier Ford in lewisburg, west virginia. They identified the issue as related to the transmission's oss sensor and pcm programming—consistent with Ford’s csp 19n01 and TSB 16-0008. The repair was completed at my expense because I was never notified of the csp, even though I was the legal owner at the time. Before the failure, I experienced intermittent rough shifting and hesitation, but during the major incident, a “wrench” light appeared on the dashboard, and I suddenly lost power while driving. This happened without warning and created a serious safety risk. That’s what prompted me to take the vehicle in for service, where the issue was linked to the transmission and matched symptoms covered under Ford csp 19n01. The issue was confirmed by greenbrier Ford in lewisburg, west virginia, where all my mechanical work has been performed since I purchased the vehicle from them in 2019. I would like a refund as this is related to a dangerous recall.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. Additionally, the speedometer failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure and the contact provided the cost for a diagnostic test. In addition, the contact stated that three days prior to the failure the dealer performed an undisclosed recall repair and the pcm was reprogrammed. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred two miles after leaving the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 92,295.

The faulty output shaft speed sensor (oss) causes a signal loss between the sensor and the powertrain control module (pcm), leading to a sudden downshift into first gear, regardless of the vehicle's speed. This sudden downshift can cause the rear tires to slide, potentially leading to a loss of control and an increased risk of a crash. There is already a recall for the 2014 models and my 2013 is having the exact same issue.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the malfunction warning light illuminated. The transmission downshifted to first gear and the contact lost control of the vehicle. In addition, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the transmission failed to shift out of first gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a pcm software failure and molded lead frame failure. The contact was informed that the pcm software needed to be updated, and the molded lead frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that in June 2019 the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 19v075000 (power train). In addition, the contact stated that the software update was performed again two weeks prior, and the contact had to pay out-of-pocket for the repair. The contact referenced a recall for the lead frame; however, the warranty for the recall had expired in 2019. The contact stated that the vehicle was inoperable. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87, 866.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, with the transmission warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle resumed normal operation after restarting the vehicle. The contact used a code reader which determined that the speed sensor would not connect to the powertrain control module (pcm). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 19v433000 (power train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently decelerated. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the speed odometer went from 75 mph to 0 mph in several seconds. The contact stated that the engine was making an abnormally loud sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with powertrain control module and powertrain control module (pcm) software failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for the repair. The contact was informed that the powertrain control module needed to be replaced and the powertrain control module software needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that NHTSA campaign number: 19v075000 (power train) had expired, and the repair could not be covered under the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 119,920.

Powertrain control module (pcm) software reprogrammed under recall 19v-075. The software used to reprogram the pcm did not have the necessary updates to prevent the transmission from unexpectedly downshifting into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed. This is caused almost have and accident in the free way went you driving, and Ford it should be changed the trasmition because now I have this F-150 making payment and I can use and we pay all the fee and this is a lemon if Ford don't want to be responsible.

My 2013 f150 downshifted abruptly from 5th to 1st gear going 55. This caused me to stop dangerously and abruptly. It then got stuck in 1st gear. I turned off truck and restarted and it was stuck in 3rd gear. I did have a check engine light read which were codes: p0720/p0721/p0720 pointing to the output shaft speed sensor. I had Ford dealership TSB performed in 2020 to reprogram pcm to prevent this from happening, wrench icon showed a long with airbag light and dashboard quit working all except rpm gauge. The first time this abrupt downshift occurred was today February 21, 2024. Seems like a very dangerous safety issue and the dealership has no regards to it and said they are booked out and it would be $150 to look into it.

My truck will downshift on its own, I. E. , I’m doing 65 mph on the highway in 6th gear and it will suddenly downshift to 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear, causing my back tires to spin out, I almost lose control of the truck and I lose speed quickly when other vehicles all around me are still doing 65 mph or more. The truck has also failed to shift out of first gear at all, the speedometer needle does not move at all and the truck will not shift up when I’m trying to accelerate. This is a danger to me and to all drivers around me. Ford is aware of this problem, the issue is a faulty lead frame assembly and it needs to be replaced. They issued a recall that called for a pcm reprogramming - a reprogramming of the pcm module was supposedly going to fix the issue with a faulty lead frame assembly! crazy, it clearly did not as I had the pcm reprogrammed and the truck is still acting crazy due to the faulty lead frame assembly that Ford refuses to replace at their expense. It’s a $200 part!!.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to shift from park(p); however, the vehicle hesitated to shift out of park(p). In addition, the contact stated that while driving 10-25 mph, the gears felt abnormal during acceleration. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when the failure occurred while driving, he would merge over to the shoulder of the roadway and shift to park. The vehicle would then resume to normal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shifted into an improper gear unintendedly. The pcm warning light was illuminated during some of the failures. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the leadframe connecter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle suddenly downshifted to second gear and immediately slowed to approximately 10 mph. The contact stated that the check engine, wrench symbol, and air bag warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over off the roadway and shifted into park(p), turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the transmission regained normal functionality; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated the failure was intermittent but happened more frequently at various speeds. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the power train control module (pcm) needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v075000 (power train). The failure mileage was 94,245.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the vehicle downshifted and decelerated rapidly. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power train control module (pcm) needed to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that they could not assist because the warranty had expired. The manufacturer referred the contact the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 140,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 19v075000 (power train) however, the failure recurred. The contact stated while driving approximately 40-50 mph, the transmission inadvertently downshifted to first gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the pcm needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was then taken to duncan Ford (19999 virgil h goode hwy, rocky mount, va 24151) however, no error codes were retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

The contact's wife owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would unexpectedly downshift with the check engine and transmission warning lights illuminated. The contact initially took the vehicle to the dealer where the powertrain control module (pcm) was replaced under warranty; however, the failure returned, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was repaired out-of-pocket. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v433000 (power train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, the vehicle shifted gear and failed to accelerate. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and waited until the vehicle cooled down. The contact was then able to drive the vehicle home. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the mechanic stated that the lead frame needed to be replaced, and the pcm needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 94,350.

01 Apr 22, vehicle was received from penske Ford after coolant leak to include scheduled maintenance such as engine oil and filter change, engine air filter, transfer case fluid change, drive belt, front differential fluid change and lastly the transmission fluid and filter change. Mileage in was at 156877 and mileage out from the services was 156879. Approximately 6,000 miles added from the mileage counter, the vehicle experienced sudden downshift with speedometer dropping to zero and passenger airbag caution illuminated on the dashboard. Upon reading the code via the obd2 code reader, the following dtc were noted: p0720 output shaft speed sensor circuit; p0722 output shaft speed sensor circuit no signal; u0401:00-0b invalid data received from ecm/pcm a; b00a0:68-8b - occupant classification system; u0401:68-0b invalid data received from ecm/pcm a; u0401:00-0a. Safety risk was the sudden down shift while going at normal speed or flow of traffic. Sudden downshift can result into a rear end collision. The vehicle has not been inspected since the malfunction however, through research of TSB 19n01 and contacting the dealership, it was determined that the extended warranty did not apply due to the mileage exceeded the 150,000 therefore I ended up buying and fixing my own vehicle with current mileage of 163421. 4 at completion. This vehicle was also recalled for 19ns19 because of 6r80 transmission. I am unsure if this warrants another recall however, it is my belief that it should be looked at again.

9/16/22 my wife was driving about 50 mph when the transmission suddenly shifted into 1st gear causing the rear end of the truck to slide sideways and hit a curb. The force of the collision with the curb caused the right rear tire to blow out and my wife was left with bruises from the seatbelt. The was no warning prior to the incident. The truck was at the dealership on 7/13/22 for a recall for this same problem, they flashed the pcm and said that would fix the problem. I have since brought it back to the dealership they said the lead frame speed sensor in the transmission needs to be replaced and that is not covered by the recall and would cost over $2000. I also called Ford to report the incident case # cas37360540. Ford stated this was normal wear and tear and they would not cover the repair.

The output speed sensor has been failing multiple times since I had the recall remedied in September 2021. The codes p0720, p0721 and p0722 have been present, and it hadn’t been to much of an issue until it downshifted to first gear while going 60+ mph, causing me to temporarily lose control. Because of the downshift the engine redlined causing the 8th valve to fail. The dealership says I need a new engine and refuses to fix the transmission because my truck has a salvage title. They also claim that they can’t confirm that the transmission caused the engine to blow. They have since been giving me the run around. The salvage title was present when they did the remedy in September but now it is an issue and to my understanding they cannot refuse to fix a recall because of a salvage or branded title. This happened a month ago and they are still dragging their feet, leaving me with no vehicle and not a lot of options. I have read that Fords first remedy was to reprogram the pcm, but the real cause is the oss going bad and the real remedy is a replacement of the lead frame. I would like to know why they didn’t replace the lead frame the first time if it is proven to work. I feel as if I’m not the only one this has happened to.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, the vehicle down shifted and decelerated, and the power train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and waited until the vehicle cooled down. Once the contact restarted the vehicle, the vehicle started to operate normally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the powertrain control module (pcm) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, no failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 37,000.

While driving, the vehicles (2013 Ford f150) transmission will shift to 5th gear and may remain there or downshift to 1st gear when the mph reads zero (0). A wrench icon and airbag light is displayed on the dash/instrument panel. The mph will display zero (0) which can result in a random downshift to first gear even while driving at highway speeds of 65mph. Fuel economy and other mileage related numbers are displayed as dashes (-----). The vehicle also seems to enter a low power or "limp mode". This issue has occurred 3 times in the last 4 weeks (August 2021). The issue may go away if the vehicle is turned off and on. I have experienced this issue 3 times with my family in the vehicle. When this happened there was no safe place to pull over and restart the vehicle. My dealership states there are two recalls to address this issue. 19s07 (pcm firmware update) and 19n01 (leadframe replacement). My vehicle has ~160,000 miles on it. Ford is refusing to approve 19n01 as the extended warranty ends at 150,000 miles. This recall should be listed as a safety recall with no expiration as there is a safety concern of the transmission misbehaving.

Driving at any speed, the "Ford wrench" appears in the gauge cluster, the speedometer goes to zero, transmission gear light does not respond to speed changes (slowing down or speeding up), airbag light comes on, all other indications blank out; I. E. Fuel mileage, miles to go before empty, etc. Does not throw engine codes to find with normal obd reader. Changed out throttle body but did not fix issue. Detailed sources saying its a transmission problem with the pcm or transmission lead frame and that Ford knows about it but will not put out a safety recall to get it replaced. Safety put at risk due to already recalled problem of sudden downshift to 1st gear. Ford recalled with a reprogramming of the pcm to fix this issue but unsure if it actually fixed due to the above happening. Obviously, this is bad. Paraphrasing, Ford dealer says if they cant observe it, it doesn't exist. No warning lamps appeared before everything happened, in first paragraph above, all at once.

Tl the contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the while driving at various speeds the transmission would erroneously downshift causing the vehicle to abruptly reduce speed. The failure had occurred on multiple occasions causing the driver to nearly loose control and crash. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer lithia Ford of missouri located at 3943 brooks st, missouri, mt 59804 who diagnosed that the pcm was not properly communicating. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified but, no assistance was offered. The contact indicated that the failures began after the recall repair was performed under NHTSA campaign number: 19v075000 (power train) and that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 145,000.

In November 2019, my vehicle started shifting inappropriately and I took it to the dealership to get it fixed. The dealership said it was a recall issue. The recall was for a lead frame and a reprogramming in the pcm. This repair was done for the two recall issues. My vehicle recently began doing the exact same thing, shifting up and down without warning while I was driving down the main road in my town. I brought the vehicle back to the dealership and they in formed me of a different pcm reprogramming available for that recall. The next day the dealership stated it was a different issue with transmission and it was sending a different code which is not part of the recall. Now the dealership is saying I will need a replacement or rebuilt transmission, and it is not covered by the recall.

I took the truck in for the recall this is what they did: performed recall 19s07 performed pcm update later calibration and cleared dtcs. The truck is still doing the same thing I took it back and they said the engine light has to turn on before they can do anything. The engine light never turns on. When the truck is in motion I was merging onto the freeway and I hit the accelerator to speed up it downshift to first. So does the engine light have to turn on before they can check it? when it happens I have to pull over turn off the truck wait a bit and restart and it seems to work for a while.

The end of last may, pulling our camper up the raton pass, in a construction zone and a foggy sleet storm the mil illuminated, the engine died and we were barely able to negotiate our way back to the shoulder, after just having merged into the left lane. We were able to restart the truck and it died a couple more times along the way so we took it to xit Ford in dalhart TX. The tech there found a bunch of codes stored in the pcm, cleared them and sent us on our way and the drive back to dallas was uneventful. After we got home, the wife was driving her truck on the freeway and it died on her on 3 different occasions, so I took it to north central Ford, since they had done a pcm recall re-flash (19v-075) on it prior to leaving for our trip. They told us there was an even newer re-flash and the preformed that and it seemed to settle down. With the recent cold snap we have had, the truck has started to exhibit a "a crank no-start" symptom and with a little research I came across "TSB 15-0137" which fits all of our symptoms to a tee. This is a very dangerous situation. . . Having your truck die on you, while pulling a trailer, up an almost 8000 foot pass, in a storm. . . It is a wonder we were not killed! the TSB was published September 2, 2015 and covers f150 model years 2009 - 2014. I believe Ford should issue a recall for this, there are many people on the internet complaining about having the same issue and I would not have found the cure without them. The issue is caused by the fuel pump control module fuse not having contacts large enough to carry the current required, getting hot and melting in the fuse box. The remedy listed in the TSB is a new fuse with contacts at least 10 times larger. When I checked our truck fuse 27 was indeed melted and I ordered el3z-14293-a as specified in the TSB. I am also surprised that neither dealership seemed to know about the TSB.

Vehicle has loud ticking noise when cold started, seemed to be coming from passenger side catalytic converter. Took vehicle to dealer for warranty emission repair, dealer stated turbo had gone bad and wiped out turbo. Vehicle has 63,000 miles just outside of the power train warranty, dealer declined assistance and wanted $2500 to repair turbo and would then replace the catalytic converter. Vehicle is very well maintained have all records, if turbo were to fail while driving it could have possibly destroyed the engine stated the dealer. Why is an essential part of the engine failing at such low mileage? vehicle also has intermittent shifting problem around 40-45mph seems to shift erratically, dealer says transmission lead frame could be issue or ecm/pcm programming, they have not done any of those repairs yet.