general problems of the 2021 Ford F-150 - part 1

I believe my vehicle is exhibiting the same transmission issues leading up to the failure of transmission components identified in NHTSA recall #: 26v402. My vehicle is having hard downshifts at low speeds, usually between 3rd and 1st gear, while comping to a stop. It seems to happen randomly. My VIN number was not found to be in the effected vehicles when searching on the NHTSA recall page.

When I begin the accelerate from a stopped position I apply the accelerator to begin driving and after a couple seconds after entering the roadway, the vehicle looses power and appears to stall, after a couple more seconds or less the vehicle revs and accelerates very quickly in a jerking fashion and resumes moving forward. Sometimes the vehicle will do this several times in a short distance. This loss of power and erratic motion have happened several times when I have entered into traffic form a stopped position and while driving. I took the vehicle to the dealership where I have it regularly serviced and described the problem. After they investigated the issue I described they were able to re-create the issue and told me that the transmission needed repair. I was able to look up similar complaints and have identified that this is a pervasive issue with the 10r80 transmission in this model year, there is a Ford TSB 26-2226 that identifies the symptoms that I experienced and pointed to a defective part in the transmission that is the likely cause of the erratic behavior of the transmission and power train. Loosing power and stalling unexpectantly while entering an intersection or in traffic could cause a collision and injuring persons or damaging property. The service department where I have the vehicle serviced was very aware of the issue with the transmission and Ford has issued multiple technical service bulletins to include TSB 26-2046 and TSB-26-2226. This may also be related to Ford special field action 25-l02 regarding the transmission control module and/ or the safety recall notice Ford number 26s48,/ NHTSA 26v402.

I received codes p2888, p288a, p0c2c all within the current recall parameters however my VIN is not listed in the recall currently but falls within the same guidelines for those model years, engine, and trim package. It is the parking/pawl codes. I cannot currently drive my vehicle and I am about to face very heavy charges with getting a repair for my vehicle. As of now the Ford service writer at platinum Ford north in pilot point, texas has told me it is unsafe to drive and repairs will need to be made and that the repairs are currently not within any safety recalls for my specific VIN.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from fourth to first gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and waited before restarting the vehicle. The contact stated that two days prior to the failure, a message was displayed indicating that an over-the-air software update was performed under NHTSA campaign number: 25v455000 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that an unknown sensor inside the transmission had damaged the transmission and that the unknown sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,449.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150 used for hauling a trailer. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle became stuck in neutral. The vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear. The contact stated that the gear selector was inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle continued moving and rolled into the water and became submerged in water up to the door. No warning lights were illuminated. There was no injury sustained. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train). The vehicle was towed to the residence and then towed to the local dealer, and it was confirmed that there was no recall coverage on the VIN for the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was eventually towed back to the residence. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case and confirmed that there was no recall coverage on the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

My f150 10r80 transmission is throwing a p076f code. And the shifting has become very harsh and eratic all across the 10 gears. Hesitations, high revs, hard shifts, etc. This is a known issue by Ford and they have issued tsbs on the issue. They acknowledge that it is a design flaw within the transmission and have issued fixes. But if you are outside of the 60,000mi warranty, the burden of the costs falls on me, the owner. $9400 to replace the transmission with a new Ford transmission here in colorado. This is a known problem in the design but Ford is not stepping up to help. They let the burden fall on the owner.

The cdf drum is going bad cause the transmission to slip and downshift while going at highway speeds. Many many many owners report this and Ford created a new cdf drum for owners to put in. However this costs thousands of dollars to replace when they know the cdf drum is faulty.

I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10r80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly downshifted hard, with a jolt that shook the whole truck, then went into emergency limp mode, where I had to pull over to the shoulder, on interstate 240 in heavy traffic. I was attempting to accelerate to merge into merging traffic. Because of this it created a dangerous situation because the truck did not respond as expected when I needed predictable acceleration or propulsion. Other times I have had hard shifting, but did not result going into limp mode. I believe this incident may be related to the known 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information identifies axial movement of the cdf sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and harsh or delayed engagement and shifting. This condition can result in slipping, rpm flares, delayed engagement, unexpected gear changes, harsh downshifts, lurching, or loss of propulsion. This is a safety concern, not merely a transmission quality or reliability issue. Unexpected loss of propulsion or unpredictable shifting while merging, accelerating into traffic, crossing an intersection, turning, or traveling at highway speed can create a collision hazard. Because I personally experienced this unexpected transmission event, I request that NHTSA investigate the 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve condition in Ford F-150s. Please review Ford warranty claims, dealer repair records, transmission replacements, consumer complaints, and field-failure data to determine whether this is a safety defect requiring a recall. I believe owners should not have to wait for a potentially dangerous transmission failure before this known condition is addressed.

My vehicle is having bad shifting and jerking from 1st to 2nd. It has now gotten worse and does the jerking through all gears at 81,000 miles. A certified Ford dealer is doing a diagnosis on it. But Ford wont cover anything as the transmission it has is widely know issue. The cdf drum is only a bulletin no full recall. This issues occures while driving and will shoot up to gear 8 and try to shift its self to 1st gear at 5 miles per hour struggling.

For about a year the transmission has been having an issue that has resulted in it now needing to be replaced. Started as periodic hard downshifting between 4th and 3rd gears. Now it periodically up and down shifts hard or skips gears between 2nd and 4th gears.

I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10r80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly violently jerks from 2nd to 3rd gear I believe this incident may be related to the known 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information identifies axial movement of the cdf sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and.

My truck is having transmission problem , hard shifting , going into neutral while driving, same problem with other 1080r transmission Ford has on the recall list, I have had it in the shop before at five star Ford stone mtn georgia, they said it was the battery, they put a new battery in it, same didnt fix the problem, now they are saying I need a new transmission , they know there is a problem with the 10 speed 1080r transmission, Ford needs to recall all of these 10 speed transmission.

The contact's son owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after her son shifted from park(p) to drive(d), the vehicle failed to respond as needed. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact's son was able to drive to the residence nearby after several attempts. While at the residence, the failure recurred after shifting to drive(d), and the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and it was determined that the passenger’s side rear axle was fractured. The failure was associated with NHTSA campaign number: 23v896000 (power train). The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where the diagnosis was confirmed; however, parts were unavailable for the recall repair. The vehicle remained unrepaired, and no rental vehicle was provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 100,650.

My truck has spent 80 days in the shop over 11 visits attempting to repair the transmission since 2023. The truck has a hard downshift from 5-4, 4-3, and sometimes 3-1 while light braking coming to a stop. Sometimes it’s several times per day and sometimes not in an entire week. On average it occurs 2-5 times per week. I drive 40 miles to work mostly on the freeway with little traffic with two stop signs going and one stop sign + 4 lights returning so I don’t have that many locations for the condition to be repeated which means the frequency it occurs is pretty high. It is an hard enough downshift where it clunks real bad and sometimes shutters the truck. The transmision cannot last long term and is likely loosening / damaging other components. One of the hardest downshifts I have felt occurred 2 months ago. It shuttered so bad, it felt something could have been damaged. The same day I was holding speed going downhill and it had a hard shift from 3-2. On several occasions in the last 3 years it had a clunk from 5-6 while accelerating on the freeway. Every few weeks it has a hard shift from 4-3 going uphill for power. The adaptive tables have been reset multiple times. Sometimes that helps for a little bit, sometimes not. Long term it is not a solution. The pan was dropped at one of the last visits and a repair made inside. This did not make any significant changes. The hardest downshift I have ever felt (above) occorred several days after this.

Intermittent hard downshifts when going from 3rd to 2nd gear. When merging onto the highway or periods of brief acceleration the transmission fights to find the correct gear.

I am reporting a safety-related transmission failure I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10r80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly failed to engage and then shifted violently, causing an unexpected loss of power and then a change of propulsion. This occurred while merging at highway speed, creating a potentially dangerous situation because the truck did not respond as expected when I needed acceleration. I believe this incident may be related to the known 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information for 2021–2022 F-150s identifies axial movement of the cdf sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and harsh or delayed engagement and shifting. This can result in slipping, rpm flares, delayed engagement, unexpected gear changes, harsh downshifts, lurching, or loss of propulsion. This is a safety concern, not merely a transmission quality issue. Unexpected loss of propulsion while merging, accelerating into traffic, crossing an intersection, or turning could leave a driver unable to accelerate as expected and create a collision hazard. An unexpected downshift or lurch can also abruptly alter vehicle behavior. Because I personally experienced this unexpected transmission event, I request that NHTSA investigate the 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve condition in 2021 F-150s. Please review Ford warranty claims, dealer repair records, transmission replacements, consumer complaints, and field-failure data to determine whether this is a safety defect requiring a recall. I believe owners should not have to wait for a potentially dangerous transmission failure before this known condition is addressed.

I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem l experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10r80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly will shift gears violently, unexpectedly downshifted. This occurred while accelerating, merging onto a highway, turning, crossing an intersection, traveling at highway speed, stop-and-go traffic, creating a potentially dangerous situation because the truck did not respond as expected when I needed predictable acceleration or propulsion. I believe this incident may be related to the known 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information identifies axial movement of the cdf sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and harsh or delayed engagement and shifting. This condition can result in slipping, rpm flares, delayed engagement, unexpected gear changes, harsh downshifts, lurching, or loss of propulsion. This is a safety concern, not merely a transmission quality or reliability issue. Unexpected loss of propulsion or unpredictable shifting while merging, accelerating into traffic, crossing an intersection, turning, or traveling at highway speed can create a collision hazard. Because I personally experienced this unexpected transmission event, I request that NHTSA investigate the 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve condition in Ford F-150s. Please review Ford warranty claims, dealer repair records, transmission replacements, consumer complaints, and field-failure data to determine whether this is a safety defect requiring a recall. I believe owners should not have to wait for a potentially dangerous transmission failure before this known condition is addressed.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 10th gear to 8th gear and then independently shifted into 9th gear and downshifted to 8th gear before independently shifting back into 10th gear. The contact stated that there was an abnormally loud bang. The power train and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and turned off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. The check engine and power train warning lights were off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. 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 in the process of being repaired. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

I’m concerned about the 1080r transmission cdf drum issues that Ford had on these year models. Mine is downshifting hard at times not every gear but more between 5-8 gears, or especially coming to a stop light it will down shift hard from 3rd to 1st. Shifting up is not as bad as the downshifting but it still does shift harder than normal. Just doing research on others that had the bad parts in their cdf drum issues seem like mine is having same issues.

I recently purchased a 2021 F-150 with 48,000 miles on it. Just over 60,000 miles I was noticing some bad shifting occurring with my 10r80 transmission. It progressively got worse by harsh shifting, terrible gear hunting, then finally after driving in manual for a couple days: I was in the middle lane of state road 41 approaching sun lake road, the light turned green and my truck went nowhere. I immediately put my hazards on as cars were trying to get around me and I tried to shift into gear. I managed to find 4th after at least a minute (it skipped 1-3) and I limped to the side of the road where my dad later came with his trailer to pick it up. This is a known issue that Ford acknowledges with this particular year for the 10r80 (the cdf drum being the component that fails) yet they have done nothing to address it, even though they did fix it it in the 22+ models. My truck is now at a shop with 60,646. 1 miles where they are installing a new transmission for over $5,000 (awaiting for them to finish and I’ll provide the receipt / proof of purchase). Also, they couldn’t even put it in neutral to roll it off the trailer even after disconnecting the computer and manually shifting it from underneath the truck. I’m contacting NHTSA in hopes you can make some noise and file a complaint with Ford, they told me they won’t do anything since I’m out of warranty and there are no recalls for the transmission. It’s ridiculous that I’m dealing with this on just a 60k mile truck that’s a few hundred miles out of warranty and they know this is an issue.

Transmission has harsh shifts all the time this is dangerous and well known by Ford.

I am reporting a serious safety-related transmission issue involving my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10r80 automatic transmission. On multiple occasions during normal driving, the transmission has behaved unpredictably and, at times, dangerously. The transmission has suddenly lost the selected gear, slipped or failed to engage, shifted violently, experienced significant rpm flares, unexpectedly downshifted, and harshly clunked into first and second gear while coming to a stop. These events have occurred under a variety of normal driving conditions, including while accelerating, merging onto a highway, making turns, crossing intersections, traveling at highway speeds, driving in stop-and-go traffic, and coming to a stop at red lights. In several instances, the vehicle did not provide the expected acceleration or propulsion when commanded, creating a potentially dangerous situation because I could not reliably predict how or when the truck would respond to throttle input. Of particular concern is the possibility of losing propulsion or experiencing an unexpected gear change while merging into traffic, crossing an intersection, or traveling at highway speed. The unpredictable nature of the transmission makes it difficult to safely operate the vehicle and creates a significant risk of a collision. I believe these symptoms may be related to the known 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve issue. Ford technical information has identified axial movement of the cdf sleeve as a condition that can affect hydraulic circuits and contribute to abnormal transmission operation. The symptoms I have experienced appear consistent with this type of failure. Because these transmission problems have occurred repeatedly and under multiple driving conditions, I believe this issue should be investigated as a potential motor-vehicle safety defect rather than treated solely as a drivability or comfort concern.

My transmission has started to shift hard. While driving at speeds 30-50, the transmission will lag and cause a "jump".

Component/system affected: power train / automatic transmission. Description of safety issue: the transmission has recurring harsh and erratic shifting, most noticeable on the first drive of the day. Symptoms include slipping/flaring, delayed or failed upshifts, sudden harsh gear engagement, unexpected large gear changes, loss of power, and occasional operation as if stuck in 4th gear/limp mode. The issue has become severe enough that I have had to manually intervene and pull over. Specific safety incident: on or about June 24th, I was leaving my apartment complex and turning left onto a busy main street. As I approached and entered the turn, the truck was in 1st gear and I was pressing the accelerator, but the transmission appeared to struggle or delay shifting into the next gear. The vehicle did not respond normally, so I continued applying throttle to complete the turn. When the transmission finally shifted, it engaged extremely harshly and caused the truck to lurch forward unexpectedly into the intersection. I had to slam on the brakes to narrowly avoid colliding with another vehicle. This created a serious crash risk because the vehicle first had delayed/lost propulsion and then suddenly surged forward during a left turn across traffic. Safety risk: this defect can cause unexpected loss of motive power, delayed acceleration, harsh engagement, and sudden vehicle lurching while driving. This is especially dangerous when merging, turning across traffic, entering intersections, passing, or driving at highway speed. The problem occurs without a clear warning light or check-engine light, so the driver may not have advance warning before the transmission behaves unpredictably. I am reporting this because the 10r80 transmission behavior caused a near crash due to delayed acceleration followed by sudden harsh engagement/lurching into traffic, and because the failure appears consistent with a known valve body/cdf drum issue affecting Ford 10-speed transmissions.

Transmission began shifting hard through each gear. Especially on deceleration. Causes lunging. Early signs were at about 90k miles. Undrivable at 130k. Took to dealership and the said it needs a new transmission. Just under $9k. Their words were, "this is a known design failure". A drum bushing can slide out of position.

2021 Ford F-150 platinum VIN: [xxx] failure around 95,500 miles symptoms: harsh shifting in lower gears intermittent slipping progressively worsening over several weeks dealer diagnosis: internal transmission issues concerns consistent with cdf drum, clutch, and planetary component issues repair: dealer-performed transmission overhaul updated cdf drum installed updated clutch and planetary cylinder updated valve body separator plate cost: $6,959. 15 information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10r80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly slammed into the next gear, I had never felt that before, it happens when it shifts from 2nd gear to 3rd, and someone’s after I have already been driving at highway speeds for a while it will rev up as if it’s slipping or missing a gear. This occurred while driving on a main highway, and also happens right when I leave my driveway, creating a potentially dangerous situation because the truck did not respond as expected when I needed predictable acceleration or propulsion. A loss of power in the middle of busy traffic could cause an accident. This happens every single time I drive my truck, currently my truck has less than 55k miles. I believe this incident may be related to the known 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information identifies axial movement of the cdf sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and harsh or delayed engagement and shifting. This condition can result in slipping, rpm flares, delayed engagement, unexpected gear changes, harsh downshifts, lurching, or loss of propulsion. This is a safety concern, not merely a transmission quality or reliability issue. Unexpected loss of propulsion or unpredictable shifting while merging, accelerating into traffic, crossing an intersection, turning, or traveling at highway speed can create a collision hazard. Because I personally experienced this unexpected transmission event, I request that NHTSA investigate the 10r80 cdf clutch-cylinder/sleeve condition in Ford F-150s. Please review Ford warranty claims, dealer repair records, transmission replacements, consumer complaints, and field-failure data to determine whether this is a safety defect requiring a recall. I believe owners should not have to wait for a potentially dangerous transmission failure before this known condition is addressed.

See attached document for complaint.

2021 Ford F-150 lariat, 5. 0l coyote v8, purchased new, now 65k miles. Two interrelated safety defects: oil consumption: on 3/21/2026 at 62k miles, I discovered the engine was critically low on oil. Only 3 quarts drained during a full oil change, against a rated 8. 8 quart capacity. The engine had been running on one third of required oil. The onboard oil life monitor showed 9% remaining and gave no low-oil warning, no warning lights, no alerts. No external leak. On 5/22/2026, koons Ford woodbridge formally confirmed excessive oil consumption after a documented oil consumption test. Ford TSB 19-2365 acknowledges this exact defect on the 5. 0l coyote for 2018-2020 model years, attributing it to high intake manifold vacuum during deceleration fuel shut-off pulling oil into the combustion chamber. The 2021 engine is mechanically identical. Transmission: hard and slipping gear shifts reported to Ford within months of purchase in 2021. Ford issued multiple software updates over the years to mitigate the behavior, most recently late 2025. Fix was temporary; hard/slipping shifts returned. Catastrophic failure: while awaiting Ford hq authorization on repairs, the vehicle suffered complete drivetrain failure on Friday night. Engine lost power and transmission failed entirely. I was near home and coasted safely off the road. Had this occurred at highway speed during my daily commute, the result could have been catastrophic. Vehicle towed to koons Ford woodbridge. Safety concern: this is my only vehicle, used for daily highway commuting. The oil consumption defect provides no warning before engine damage. The transmission has degraded despite years of Ford software patches. The vehicle has demonstrated total drivetrain failure capability with no driver warning. Ford corporate case opened: cxh-07446845-g0j0k0. Filing to document this at the federal level and add to the existing pattern of complaints. Requesting NHTSA review whether these defects warrant investigation.

My 2021 Ford F-150 has been having trouble with the transmission. Hard shifting, shifting to 10th gear at 40mph and unable to downshift after slowing down. I have also had issues with the daytime running lights not working since around 45k miles. My truck only has 59k miles at the time of me typing this.

The transmission had a lengthy delay shifting into reverse when shifted from park. I removed my foot from the brake and all of a sudden it jumped into reverse and I ended up in the road. Fortunately there were no cars or pedestrians behind me.

Manufacturer recall number: 23s65.

Truck fails to accelerate when transmission is in second gear, travelling at low speed (typically under 10 mph) and at low rpms (typically ~1,500). Regardless of amount of pressure applied to accelerator, the truck will remain at low rpm and speed for up to 10 seconds. This problem occurs frequently and has been reproduced by a Ford dealer. Ford TSB 25-2302 describes this problem, but in my case a dtc is not present. Because a dtc is not present, the Ford dealer refuses to proceed with corrective actions as outlined in TSB without charging me for diagnostics and labor, although the truck is still under warranty. Failure to accelerate puts me and others at risk when attempting to merge, when accelerating in slow traffic conditions, etc.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a loud rattling noise was heard coming from the vehicle, with no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number 23v896000 (power train); however, the parts required to perform the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to multiple dealers, where it was diagnosed that the left and right rear axle shaft assemblies had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact also stated that the dealer found an axle bolt inside the rim of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired, and the dealers confirmed that the remedy parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to complete the recall repair. The contact also stated that the failure recurred, and the right-side axle is beginning to detach. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

The truck rapidly accelerated while I was slowly rolling into a parking spot with my foot on the brake. The harder I pushed the brake the more it seemed to accelerate. I luckily avoided hitting anything. I forced the gear shifter out of drive into park. No warning lights or messages. I contacted 3 Ford dealerships and all said they haven’t heard of this nor do they think they could identify this problem if I brought it in.