general problems of the 2016 Ford F-150 - part 1

My 2016 Ford F-150 is currently subject to recall 26s28 / NHTSA recall 26v237. Prior to the recall remedy becoming available, the vehicle began experiencing erratic transmission shifting and illuminated the check engine light, wrench symbol, and codes p0720 and p0722 were present. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Ford dealership for diagnosis. The dealership documented that the vehicle was experiencing erratic shifting and was considered not drivable. The technician determined that the erratic shifting condition was related to dtcs p0720 and p0722 and recommended replacement of the transmission lead frame/conductor plate. The technician also noted the need for additional diagnostics involving the output speed sensor (oss) circuit within the transmission. The vehicle remains available for inspection at the dealership. This condition created a safety concern because the transmission was shifting erratically and the vehicle could not be relied upon for normal operation. Unpredictable transmission behavior creates a risk during acceleration, merging, highway travel, and other driving situations where consistent vehicle response is required. At the time, I was preparing for a cross-country military pcs move and did not believe the vehicle was safe or reliable to drive long distance. The problem was confirmed by an authorized Ford dealership who documented the condition, diagnostic codes, and repair recommendation. The findings were provided to Ford motor company through corporate case number cxh-08096574-l9m6t4. Ford representatives advised that the automotive safety office was notified regarding the technician findings and the open recall. My concern is that the vehicle developed transmission-related symptoms involving p0720, p0722, erratic shifting, and a recommended lead frame/conductor plate replacement while subject to an active safety recall affecting related transmission systems. Ford has stated that the recall remedy is not available until July 2026.

2016 Ford F-150 experiencing intermittent and dangerous transmission behavior consistent with the current Ford safety recall involving unexpected transmission downshifts on vehicles equipped with the 6r80 transmission. Vehicle previously required a full transmission replacement/rebuild in September 2025 after repeated violent downshifting and drivability problems. Diagnostic codes at that time included p0705, p0707, p1702, and p1921 involving transmission range sensor and intermittent transmission signal faults. Following the rebuild, intermittent drivability concerns continued. Over several months, vehicle would periodically not “sound right” during operation, although symptoms were difficult to duplicate consistently. Check engine light would intermittently illuminate after approximately one hour or more of continuous driving and later clear itself after vehicle cooled down overnight. Current symptoms have worsened and include unexpected downshifting, inability to manually shift using dash controls, skipped gears, delayed downshifts/upshifts, remaining in 3rd gear while slowing to a stop, and behavior consistent with being stuck in low gear while traveling above 50 mph with excessively high rpms. Vehicle intermittently appears unable to properly determine gear position. On may 19, 2026 I experienced uncontrollable downshifting and engine revving that resulted in an inability to safely operate the vehicle. Transmission behavior creates unsafe driving conditions and concern for loss of vehicle control during highway operation. Vehicle is now considered unsafe to operate and will be towed to a Ford dealership for evaluation related to the active safety recall.

Ford corporate will not reimburse for the repairs that need to be made or provide a loaner car until the recall equipment is available. Need vehicle to drive to work. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the automatic lead frame has gone due to the pcm recall for my Ford 150 2016 vehicle safety or the safety of others put at risk? family in the car driving to an event has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes it has been identified by a local service center with the computer codes were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? yes, orange wrench light came on, sudden downshifting of the vehicle, the traction control would shut off, the gear and drive lights would shut off powertrain control module pcm reprogramming recall incomplete recall service not available right now. We have a remedy but parts are not available right now. We will inform you when the service is available. Or, you can contact your dealer. Issue date 2026-04-14 campaign 26s28/26v237 description on your vehicle, an unexpected downshift to a lower gear may occur and cause an abrupt wheel speed reduction for a short duration. In some cases, this could cause the rear tires to slide until the vehicle speed slows down. You may also experience a malfunction indicator lamp mil andor a powertrain warning lamp wrench symbol in the instrument panel cluster prior to an unintended downshift occurring. Safety risk this may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy a remedy is not yet available. Ford motor company is working to provide software for this repair. When the remedy becomes available, Ford motor company will notify you via mail to schedule a service appointment with your dealer for repairs to be completed free of charge. The remedy is anticipated to be available in July 2026.

On my way home from a trip on Tuesday 4-14-26 at about 60 mph with cruise control on the truck downshifted and turned cruise control off and a small wrench came on display. I made my way to next town at reduced speed, wouldn't get out of 5th gear, found a Ford dealer had them scan and check out. They found 2 codes p061b:00-24- pcm and p0722:00-68 they cleared codes and drove truck with no return of trouble. I resumed my trip home and same thing happened about 1 hour later, stopped for fuel, and returned to the road with no problem or wrench on display. Came home went to my local transmission shop and he informed me that this was a known problem and warranty has been extended to 10years or 150k miles. Went to my local Ford dealer and they didn't know anything about extended warranty coverage.

Our truck has been experiencing downshift to a lower gear and the powertrain warning lamp wrench symbol in the instrument panel cluster comes on. This has been happening from about 4/1/2026 and ongoing.

My vehicle keeps downshifting randomly at highway speeds and will also not shift out of 1st or 2nd. Rear tires keep locking up. 1. Pcm 2. I have a hard time keeping vehicle in control 3. Yes, active recall can't repair until July 4. Yes, it has been inspected 5. Yes, check engine and wrench light.

Today I was driving my truck at 55mph on a local highway and all of the sudden I felt/heard/experienced a massive clunk out of nowhere - almost like the truck tried to downshift into 1st or something similarly jarring. It only lasted a second, and then I got a dash light on that said service advancetrac. Based on the service codes I'm seeing (two of them that are both uo100 codes which indicate loss of communication), I did some research and found out about the oss sensor issue and think that's what is going on with my truck too. Unfortunately I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get a Ford dealership to do anything about it since there isn't an official recall, and I'm afraid to keep driving it as this is likely going to keep happening - but fixing it myself is going to be expensive I think. It is available for inspection upon request. I felt that my safety was and continues to be at risk - downshifting into 1st gear, or whatever that was, while driving high speeds is dangerous and could potentially significantly damage my vehicle and myself. I have not taken it anywhere yet to be reproduced or confirmed - just plugged my scanner in and did a bit of research. No one has inspected it.

While driving at about 50 mph, the truck will go from 6th to 1st, and lock up the rear end briefly. I'm the mechanic filing this for my customer, seems to me, its the lead frame failing in the trans, and they have done nothing about it, customer says Ford worked on this transmission, the only updated part I found was 1 extra magnet. Old part number for the lead frame, and a known failing lead frame #, I'm pretty sure you guys have a open case for these trucks.

My transmission started down shifting on its own while driving one morning and the check engine light and wrench light illuminated. I took it to the dealership that afternoon and had the conductor board replaced. They said it was the speed sensor that malfunctioned.

I was driving home and the truck started to shift very harshly and had died at a stoplight , I put it into park and restarted it and the engine light came on tried to put it into drive and it had jumped forward very rough as soon as I did, started driving again and then the truck shifted into 5th gear and would not shift out of 5th gear at all was very slowly leaving from stop signs and the high speed fans had turned on and ran the entire rest of the time. Causing very irratic shifting where at times it would down shift and skid the tires.

Turn signals, speed control radio functions, windsheild wipers stopped working! it effects people in front ,back or side knowing what I am doing so they can react like turning in any direction , my vision is blocked during rain or snow and will cause an accident harming me or others . ' no warning lamps came on when problem happened ! ' problem has been confirmed by a qualified mechanic !.

The transmmission down shift when going 60 mph.

While driving the instrument cluster would flicker and then the truck would down shift gears. The first time it did, it dropped from 6th gear to 3rd gear at 70 mph, and the next time it dropped from 6th to 1st around 65 mph. It also occurred at lower rates of speed.

Low idol sputters then dies down shifts clunks and stays stuck in 3rd gear cruse control fails different modes stop working wrench light on dash truck is lurching on takeoff basically just destroying itself while in operation rendering it undriveable.

When traveling at around 70-75 mph the vehicle will downshift to 5th gear and vehicle speed drops as well, without warning. This causes the vehicle to not want to excel until it comes to a complete stop or turns off and then turns back on.

Occasionally on startup will hard shift then get stuck in 5th,3rd,or 1st gear and will move slowly upon accelerating. This will also happen when driving at different speeds. Cooling fan will also be running on high speed. Had lead frame and valve body replaced($2000) but within two weeks symptoms returned. Truck is now in dealer waiting for replacement transmission to come in($7000) will add receipt when vehicle is returned.

The truck wrench symbol showed up. The second time it showed the truck didn’t seem to shift correctly. It hesitated to progress in speed like usual, creating a situation that I could have been hit by cross traffic because it was moving at a lot slower speed than expected for trying to accelerate. I had Ford inspect my vehicle for what might be working incorrectly and they couldn’t diagnose the issue. It has not acted up since I had it looked at. As far as I know they couldn’t determine what created the shifting problem and no course of action to repair it was taken.

My car is experiencing a harsh down shift from 3rd to 4th gear with lack of power on acceleration on my vehicle since 10/25/2024. I have taken it in to three service departments including karl flammer Ford in tarpon springs, FL. Each service department has said the only remedy is a new transmission estimated to be $7,000-$8,000 (receipts of diagnostics can be provided). We have already spent $524. 95 for diagnostic testing. Because we have been unable to afford to have the problem fixed we are currently driving around in an extremely dangerous vehicle. I have received the notice of Ford's "important safety recall" notice 26s28/ NHTSA recall 26v237 and have researched that other F-150's from previous years have experienced similar issues with the transmission and have been recalled. I would like to be on record, incase something were to happen because of this transmission, that the NHTSA as well as Ford motor is completely aware of how dangerous this situation is. Quoting from the recall notice: an unexpected downshift to a lower gear can occur causing an abrupt wheel speed reduction. This may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

When shifting the truck into gear the lights such as the parking, driving, neutral, reverse and lower gears lights as well as the lights showing which gears the trucks shifting into do not light up! therefore, you cannot tell what gear the truck is currently placed into. Also, if the lights do light up, they flicker very erratically, and the truck will change gears on its own. When driving the vehicle, the truck will just suddenly change gears and makes a hard shift into lower or higher gear or gears which is extremely dangerous. This makes the truck feel like I've been hooked up to another vehicle that is trying to snatch me backwards. I was driving on the highway the other day and the truck went from 6th gear doing over 70mph to all of a sudden downshifting and dropping down to 40mph on the highway. I thought the engine and transmission were both going to explode on me and cause an accident. This was extremely terrifying and if I didn't keep my cool it could have easily caused a wreck. Most people would have freaked out had an accident. The truck barely made it home because of the gears shifting all over the place and the truck wanting to lose power and shut down. This is extremely dangerous and the representative I spoke to from Ford agreed that considering the mileage of the truck and with the recent recalls concerning transmissions being recalled for the exact same issues that my truck is experiencing that I needed to call you guys and get my tuck added to the Ford F-150 recall list for the transmission issues Ford trucks have been having. The truck is a 2016 Ford F-150 XLT. This is the case number provided to me from Ford to give you Ford case # cxh03020325.

All push button controls on steering wheel are not functioning. Appears the steering wheel clock spring is going bad. Which in turn affects airbag, steering, cruise control ect.

Unexpectedly shifting down to first gear during any speed.

Driving down the expressway at 70 mph, vehicle gear light indicators started to flash between gears, and vehicle abruptly entered limp-home mode and downshifted to 3rd gear, causing the vehicle to aggressively decelerate to the point of the back wheels squealing. If another car was in standard following distance, it would have been a certain accident.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the transmission lead frame failed. It was replaced by the mechanic. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the transmission suddenly shifted to a lower gear and locked up the rear tires. This suddenly decreased the speed while traveling in traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? the service center scanned the truck and recorded the error codes. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? the transmission shifted erratically and the gear indicator on the dash blinked. After the sudden downshift the check engine and see service manual light came on.

Vehicle is exhibiting issues consistent with the recalled lead frame part on previous year models, despite my 2016 having the same transmission as they do. Truck will randomly downshift into first at slower speeds causing engine to rev very high and not want to shift into next gear. Often times it will get “stuck” in 3rd gear even when coming to a complete stop and leaving a stop in 3rd still. On one occasion the truck shuddered and began to decelerate even as the accelerator was being pressed on the highway causing a significant safety issue, I had to put in neutral and restart the truck while still driving to regain forward mobility of the vehicle. When these things occur typically a little gear wrench symbol will appear on the dash and on one occasion has raised a check engine light with code p0720.

Transmission started shifting eratacely eventually went out in 2023 replaced late or early 2024, transmission still exhibiting same problems,biggest problem is not shifting out of 5th gear when coming to a stop. Have to shut off truck to disable safe mode,doesn't always work. Code is 720,721,723.

I was driving on I-95, northbound in the city of chester, PA, at the merge with us route 322; this is a high traffic, multi-lane, confusing merge for drivers unfamiliar with the road ( I know it well). My truck just shut down, and I had to put it in neutral to re-start it. I knew there was a problem, because it had previously shifted roughly at times. But I just had it inspected at the garnet Ford dealership, told them about the problem, and they could not diagnose/fix it. It passed inspection, and I thought that it would iron out, but instead, I could have been in real trouble. I took it to another mechanic, and they told me it was something else. I paid $1,206 and the problem was still there. I finally think I figured it out by going on a chat with other Ford owners. I just made another appt. With garnet to do the repair. This should be re-called.

Transmission does not shift into gear when idle and pushing in the gas pedal. Truck randomly shuts off when at stop lights and have to restart it. Transmission shifts randomly into different gears at different speeds while driving. Transmission struggles to shift into gear and when it does the whole truck shakes and loud clunk noises happens. Cruise control speeds go up and down while driving and engine has trouble shifting into gears to keep up speed.

The 6r80 transmission lead frame cause my truck to slam into first gear when going 55 miles an hour.

Car abruptly switched gear and slowed down while driving. Stepped on the gas but the car did not move while the rpm was spiking.

This has happened quiet a bit I'm driving on the highway going 75mph set my cruise control and I go to pass or up a hill and the truck engine and tranny light start flashing the truck losses power it won't go even when u push petal to floor it also spits and sputters if u turn of the cruise control put the car n neutral and shut it off then back on it stops this seems to b an constant thing there's no engine light or tranny lights on after it happens it.

2016 Ford f150 platinum 5. 0l v8 with automatic 6r80 transmission. Erratic gear shifting while driving. Sometimes not getting out of/stuck in 3rd gear and sometimes not downshifting below 3rd gear. Orange wrench or illuminated mil light came on followed by a solid check engine light. Took it to dealership - dtc p0720 and p0722 appeared. Dealership tech states that he reprogrammed the pcm and output shaft speed sensor, and that the next step is to drive it and see how it does and if it didn’t fix the problem then he will have to change the molded leadframe. This issue is exactly the same issue as the customer satisfaction program 19n01. The safety concern is I don’t want to drive it around, waiting for the leadframe to fail one day while I’m driving down the freeway with my family in 6th gear and have the truck shift abruptly to 3rd or 1st gear and lose control. This issue is exactly like the 19n01 with the same 6r80 transmission.

Transmission will down shift to first while driving on highway. Code come up for transmission speed sensor short. Same as in the 2011 to 2013 models. That tab should be extended to later models. It is unsafe and could cause an accident/ death in high speed driving.

Vehicle downshifts unexpectedly sometimes and it also kicks hard when slowing down or coming to a stop. Brought it to hempstead Ford and test drove it with charlie the senior service advisor, he said he understands and feels what I’m explaining, but Ford says its normal.

I was driving at 75 mph on the freeway when suddenly I lost acceleration and the ability to accelerate. There was a message "hill descent control". I did not have time to see if it said error or failure. Then "check manual". I was very lucky to get 3 lanes over to get off to the side of the road without being rear ended. I turned the vehicle off in order to regain my composure, then back on with no warning messages. I drove home slower.

On three occasions my vehicle went into a “fail-safe mode” . The first occurrence happened while I’m driving on dry pavement at approx 45mph. Unexpectedly the engine shakes and slowed the vehicle to 5mph while I’m in medium to heavy traffic. I was on a two lane road and had to quickly pull off to the shoulder. The second occurrence was while I was merging in heavy traffic and accelerating into the flow of that traffic. As the fail-safe mode made my vehicle rapidly slow the cars behind me had to swerve and make fast lane changes. I engaged my emergency flashers to caution other drivers until I could escape the roadway on to a private driveway. The third occasion was similar to the first. Each time the fail-safe mode happened a warning message appeared on my dash with a description of the problem and a large wrench appeared. Two different messages appeared. Twice the message was regarding a failure in the traction. Control. Once the message was about a problem with the hill descent control. After each event I turned off the engine, waited a few minutes, restarted the engine and was able to drive away like nothing happened. The owners manual instructed me to stop driving and have the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer has now had my vehicle for a month. They computer on this vehicle erases the code when the engine is restarted. So they cannot fix this problem. I asked the service manager at the dealership to reach out to the manufacturer which he did. The manufacture’s response was “without a code we can’t diagnose the problem, give the vehicle back to the guest”. This is a serious safety issue, a vehicle that would come to a crawl while in traffic. This would put myself and other drivers at risk. The dealer wants me to drive the vehicle to have the issue duplicate itself and then what?.