Vehicle Speed Control Problems of Ford F-150 - part 1

When using the cruise control and passing a 65mph speed limit sign, the vehicle accelerates to 85mph. The posted speed in the area 65mph. The max speed for the state of nc is 70. Yet, the vehicle acts as if the speed limit is 85mph. This event is repeated routinely approximately 95% of the time as I pass this particular location on I-885 south, just north of the ellis road exit, in durham nc.

See all problems of the 2021 Ford F-150 🔎.

On xxx at approximately 6:50 am, I was backing out of my driveway. After entering the roadway, I came to a complete stop and shifted from reverse to drive while in normal drive mode. Immediately upon shifting into drive, the vehicle lurched forward and rapidly accelerated without any accelerator pedal input. My foot was not on the accelerator. The vehicle accelerated to approximately 15-16 mph and continued moving under power. I had to quickly steer to avoid striking my brick mailbox. The vehicle continued moving until I applied the brakes and brought it to a complete stop. After stopping, the engine rpm returned to normal and the vehicle then operated normally. No warning lights or messages were displayed. This event created a significant safety hazard and nearly resulted in a collision. In addition, the vehicle has experienced intermittent transmission and driveline issues since it was new. Symptoms include harsh upshifts and downshifts, gear hunting, shuddering, driveline clunks, rpm fluctuations under steady throttle, and jerking during acceleration and deceleration. Some downshifts have been severe enough to make the vehicle lurch as if lightly rear-ended. Other events have felt similar to placing a vehicle in park while still moving. I have experienced abrupt downshifts while slowing from approximately 40 mph, rapid multiple-gear downshifts accompanied by shuddering, harsh shifts while coming to a stop at low speeds, and repeated gear hunting in traffic. The symptoms occur intermittently, often at low speeds, during the first few miles of driving, and sometimes while traveling uphill. I have returned the vehicle to Ford of [xxx] three times for these concerns. The dealership has been unable to duplicate the condition and no repairs have been performed. I am concerned that the unintended acceleration event and longstanding transmission/driveline abnormalities may be related to an underlying powertrain, transmission, or electronic control defect. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act.

See all problems of the 2024 Ford F-150 🔎.

My 2013 Ford F-150 is experiencing the dangerous failure associated with NHTSA safety recall 19s07. While driving, the transmission abruptly and unexpectedly downshifted into 1st gear at speed. This causes sudden, violent deceleration equivalent to a severe rear-end collision, creating an extreme safety hazard and loss of vehicle control. To protect public safety, the vehicle is parked at my residence. On October 23, 2026, I contacted the local authorized Ford service dealership. The service department refused to provide or cover loaner/rental transportation while performing this recall repair, stated that neither Ford motor company nor the dealership would cover towing for an un-driveable vehicle affected by a factory safety recall, and warned that I would face out-of-pocket fees for additional diagnostic reports if the recall software reflash does not clear the transmission fault. Requiring a consumer to operate a dangerously defective vehicle or bear out-of-pocket expenses for towing, rentals, and diagnostics to resolve an active safety recall directly conflicts with federal safety recall mandates and public safety objectives.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford F-150 🔎.

On 10/13/2026, driving about 25 mph on a city street, my truck entered failsafe with no prior warning lamps or symptoms. The pcm cut most engine power, leaving no acceleration, and set p1285 (cht overtemp sensed) and p1299 (cht overtemp protection active). The engine was not overheating; a $40 cht sensor fixed it. Evidence: I watched live data on an autel maxicheck mx808s-ts while driving during the events. Cht dropped to implausibly low values for brief moments, then immediately returned to normal values matching coolant temp. Coolant temp stayed normal throughout. Failsafe triggered on these momentary dropouts, never on an actual high reading. The pcm logic is unsafe: 1. A low-reading sensor dropout was reported as an overtemp. The pcm set two overtemp codes and no sensor circuit code. 2. It ignored contradicting data. Cht recovered instantly and matched normal coolant temp, yet the pcm acted on one momentary bad reading. 3. The response was disproportionate. A sensor glitch with normal coolant temp should set a check engine light and circuit code, not remove engine power while driving. 4. It creates a crash risk. Losing acceleration in city traffic, amid chimes and flashing warnings, left me unable to keep pace or maneuver and caused anxiety and distraction. 5. False overtemp codes mislead owners. A typical owner would likely need a tow and a costly cooling system diagnosis over a $40 sensor glitch. Even as a former mechanic, I spent hours chasing a nonexistent cooling problem. Not inspected by a dealer, manufacturer, police or insurance. I diagnosed it with live scan data and confirmed it by replacing the sensor. The original sensor is retained and available for inspection. I ask NHTSA to investigate the cht failsafe strategy on Ford 2. 7l ecoboost engines: whether the pcm checks cht plausibility against coolant temp before cutting power, and whether a single-sensor fault should ever remove engine power while driving.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford F-150 🔎.

Was driving my truck on the highway, when it slammed into 1st gear on its own, was going about 65 mph and almost lost control of the vehicle. I have taken it immediately to a Ford dealership for repairs, and they are saying that they are unable to replicate what happened. At the time it showed a wrench icon and check engine light, and I am certain that this is from a molded lead frame failure issue. I did have mine reprogramed by the dealership service center a few years back due to recall, but I think this just pushed the problem down the road, and did not actually fix the actual problem causing the safety issue. People are going to lose lives over this issue, and it seems Ford is trying to bypass having to actually fix the problem.

I own a 2014 Ford F-150 equipped with the 6r80 six-speed automatic transmission (VIN: [xxx]), currently at approximately 133,000 miles. On xxx, while driving at ~70 mph on [xxx], my truck experienced an abrupt, unintended downshift — the precise failure mode described in recall 24s37. The software patch prevented it from making it worse and a orange wrench came across the dashboard, but still it required some evasive maneuvering. I proceeded directly to the dealer to investigate; however, they were booked for the day. Not understanding the full impact I left to come back in the morning. The vehicle eventually became unsafe to operate, would not start, and had to be towed to gullo Ford. The dealer then pulled diagnostic trouble codes, confirmed the transmission lead frame had failed, and replaced the lead frame at my expense of $1,977. 04 (2127. 04 with a coupon of 10% off) (invoice and repairs completed enclosed). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2014 Ford F-150 🔎.

My 2017 Ford f150 has been downshifting unexpectedly now for weeks. There have been a few times when I literally lost control of my truck. I am afraid to drive on highway. I use my truck for work and everything else. The local Ford dealership here astro Ford in d'iberville, ms told me yesterday they will not repair my truck based on guidance from Ford. . . They recieved just a few days ago. . . . Saying the recall repair is inadequate and another remedy is being worked on. I cannot drive my truck to go to work to make money to pay bills. Based on what I have read they will also refuse to give me a car loaner of some kind for the time being. What xxx am I supposed to do now??????.

It shifts down randomly and throws code p0720. Stays in 6th gear and will not allow normal acceleration could potentially be dangerous. Ford stated this isn't covered under the lead frame replacement recall. The speed sensor is part of that lead frame.

Had recall 26s28 pcm reprogram done. After recall, check engine light on with code p0721, truck went into limp mode with wrench light after the gear quickly shifted down from a high gear. Dealer will not replace lead frame.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford F-150 🔎.

On 9/25/2026, I made an appointment with a Ford dealer to receive a fix for NHTSA saftey recall 26v237 on 10/7/2026. Before 10/7/2026 Ford paused the recall. In their own notice Ford says this problem could result in loss vehicle control increasing the risk of a crash. They do not rule out that a crash could occur at high speed. It appears that before the pause, they applied a software fix to many vehicles which caused new problems. They should make a serious effort to effect a solution even if it requires replacing hardware.

In mid-September 2026, I had safety recall 26s28 (NHTSA 26v-237) performed on my 2016 Ford F-150 at corwin Ford reno in reno, nv. The recall remedy was a powertrain control module software update intended to prevent unexpected transmission downshifts. Before the recall repair, the vehicle had no drivability problems of any kind. About three days after the recall repair, the truck began repeatedly losing acceleration while driving at highway speed. The vehicle would stop responding to the accelerator, and the wrench warning light came on in the instrument cluster. This happened on multiple occasions over several days. Losing acceleration in highway traffic creates a serious risk of a rear-end collision. This is the same type of loss-of-control hazard the recall was meant to address, and the condition appeared only after the recall software was installed. I contacted the dealer right away to report the safety problem. Over two days I called at least six times and left multiple messages that were not returned. When I reached the service department, they would not inspect the vehicle until the following week, and a service manager offered the same delay. I also contacted Ford customer service and received no help. The vehicle has been at the dealer since September 30, 2026. As of October 7, 2026, there is still no diagnosis or repair. I believe the recall 26s28 remedy either failed to correct the defect or introduced a new powertrain fault that causes loss of motive power at speed. I am asking NHTSA to note this complaint in connection with recall 26v-237 and investigation ea26001, and to evaluate whether the remedy is adequate.

See all problems of the 2016 Ford F-150 🔎.

While parking, the truck accelerated on it own. The vehicle jumped over the parking cement stop.

See all problems of the 2025 Ford F-150 🔎.

Was driving on the interstate and the speedometer stopped working, the truck shifted to first gear and entered limp home mode. This is a know issue with the lead frame and even though I only have 95k miles on the truck, Ford only offered a 10 year extended warranty csp 19n01 to cover it which has expired on time. This is a known issue and could have caused an accident on the interstate. This issue should be scheduled as a recall rather than an extended warranty that can expire. So because we do not drive the truck that often we are now being forced to pay for a known issue that Ford is aware of.

I am writing to formally report a dangerous safety defect involving my 2015 Ford F-150 XLT supercrew cab. While operating the vehicle, I experienced a sudden and total loss of control. Without warning, the gas pedal lost all tension, the truck abruptly downshifted and went into limp mode, and both the check engine and wrench warning lights illuminated on the dashboard. This loss of control while driving created an immediate and severe safety hazard. My investigation into this failure reveals a widespread pattern of similar incidents involving the transmission molded leadframe. It appears that the failure of this component frequently causes an output shaft speed sensor malfunction, leading to the exact dangerous loss of power I experienced given the high frequency of these reports from other owners. This loss of control while driving created an immediate and severe safety hazard. Upon experiencing these symptoms, I promptly scheduled an appointment at my local Ford dealership. Despite the service department confirming that the transmission lead frame is failing, Ford refused to perform the repair citing that my specific trouble codes are not currently approved under their policy. This is unacceptable, as these symptoms are identical to those addressed in recall 26s28 and Ford has previously acknowledged that these specific codes are directlv related to this component's failure in other mode years. My investigation into this failure reveals a widespread pattern of similar incidents involving the transmission molded leadframe given that my vehicle exhibits all the symptoms described in the existing recall, it is clear that this is a systemic manufacturing defect that Ford is failing to adequately address. I request that the NHTSA investigate this issue and Ford's restrictive repair criteria, as this defect poses a significant risk to myself and the public on the road.

The transmission has failed. Hard shifting, random gear switching while driving at any speed. I put it in reverse and it went forward while in reverse. It slows itself down while on the highway. It acts like it wants to turn off while running, its a matter of time before I'm driving down the road and it decides to stop suddenly and cause an accident. I got it diagnosed by truck works garage and they confirmed that the shifting was all over the place with random high rpms. The dealership quoted me $2500 just to diagnose the problem so I had it diagnosed at truck works garage for $160 to confirm the issues matched the TSB's and recalls that they wont acknowledge my VIN for. The failure 1st appeared 5 years ago when I was under warranty, I took it in (and have the work order still dated 10/22/202) for hard shifting and they brushed me off and sent me away with false information about the cause. 5 years ago (25 days before I brought it in for the hard shifting) there was a TSB 21-2315 published for the exact issue on my truck, they ignored it and sent me away without fixing anything or addressing the issues.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford F-150 🔎.

Just over a month ago, I had my local dealership's mobile service come to perform the covered warranty reset on the powertrain module. Last week, while driving apx 40mph, vehicle went into what I now know was "limp mode" 3 times within a few minute span -- felt like vehicle shifted into neutral, wrench light came on, but did not stay on for more than a few seconds. Had a diagnostic appointment yesterday, and was informed that the molded leadframe and oss sensor need replaced, at a cost of over $1600, including the $233 I paid for diagnostics. Today I found my letter from July regarding customer satisfaction program 26n04. Everything in the letter matches my vehicle's issues, but I am being told by Ford that because my vehicle is not displaying the "correct" code per the service bulletin, it is not eligible for free warranty repair. How is it not eligible? this is a confirmed problem with the entire part, but they don't want to fork over the money to repair a cheaply made component, so they are offering bandage fixes, and paring down the eligibility criteria so narrowly that nobody qualifies to have the problem addressed. This seems predatory and negligent.

I bought this truck used about one year ago. Since then I have not had much time to use it. In the last three months I have had some time to drive it. Three times in those months this issue has occurred. Luckily they all occurred on my property and no damage happened except to the truck. First time it happened an exterior mirror was knocked off, a running board was bent, scratches and dings to the to the paint, and a tailight was damaged. This all happened in reverse due to a gate opening I was going through. The motor all of a sudden had a massive spike in rpms and a violent lunge and slide of the vehicle. I learned later that it was due to a flawed part in the transmission called a molded lead frame. Transmission is Fords 6r80 6-speed automatic. Last time it happened was on 09/16/2026. It has not been inspected by any entity because apparenty I live too far in the "boonies" for anyone to come this far but the vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford F-150 🔎.

On [xxx], I was driving westbound from missouri into oklahoma in my 2021 Ford F-150 xl. While traveling approximately 75 mph on the highway, I moved into the passing lane to overtake another vehicle. As I accelerated and applied additional throttle to pass, the transmission downshifted into passing gear. After completing the pass, the vehicle continued to accelerate on its own even after I released the accelerator pedal. The engine remained at a high throttle setting, and the truck increased speed to approximately 85 mph. At that time, I was not using cruise control, nor had I pressed the cruise control switch, which was involved in a previous acceleration-related incident I experienced with this vehicle. To regain control, I carefully created distance from surrounding traffic, applied the brakes, and maneuvered the vehicle onto the shoulder. After coming to a stop well off the roadway, I shifted the vehicle into park and turned off the engine. I then restarted the truck, and the unintended acceleration condition was no longer present. Because of the incident, I did not attempt to use the cruise control system again during the trip, and I avoided using heavy throttle or passing gear out of concern that the condition could reoccur. The vehicle has since been inspected by a Ford dealership. As of this report, their evaluation has not identified the cause of the problem, and no fault has been found despite the incident occurring on the highway. This incident created a significant safety concern because the vehicle continued to accelerate after the accelerator pedal was released, resulting in an unexpected increase in speed and requiring me to pull off the highway and shut off the vehicle to regain normal operation. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I have a 2013 Ford 150 king ranch 4x4 with the 6r80 transmission and approximately 125k miles on it. This morning, I was stopped at a red light and upon accelerating my truck would not shift out of first gear. The speedometer stopped working, and engine light came on. I pulled over and turned off the truck to inspect it. I restarted the truck and it was shifting appropriately for about 5 miles when it all of a sudden shifted into first gear while I was driving approximately 35-40mph, nearly causing an accident until I could safely pull over. I researched symptoms and found information regarding the molded lead frame on the 2013 model f150s. I understand Ford warranty coverage was limited to 10 years, but I believe Ford should continue to honor this known defect in there vehicle. This is a serious safety concern. If it would have been raining, or icy weather, it could have caused a serious accident and/or death to myself or others. Ford is aware of these issues, and yet owners are still responsible for their defective parts after warranty expires. I believe the manufacturer has an obligation to address this known problem. I am requesting Ford review my vehicle and this failure as a safety-related defect and provide assistance with the repair, as well as covering the cost of repair in full. At minimum, I am requesting Ford provide reimbursement based on the known history of the component and the potential safety consequences of its failure.

When driving the vehicle it randomly jumps gears, when taking off it went into limp mode today. My wife almost got slammed by a semi truck! I called Ford and they are not interested in hearing my case only wanting me to pay these outrageous fees. The pcm recall fix did not fix the gears jumping.

My truck was parked on a slight slope in my driveway. I got in to move the truck to my normal parking space. When I started the truck I noticed the emergency brake was on. I put the truck into drive- the truck accelerated with my foot on the brake. The truck struck the corner of my deck and didn't stop until I hit the corner at my house. I had the brake pushed to the firewall and the truck would kept accelerating. Thankfully the airbags did not deploy. Significant damage was done to my house and my truck.

See all problems of the 2022 Ford F-150 🔎.

My 2014 Ford F-150 was previously included in Ford safety recall 24s37 regarding unintended transmission downshifts caused by an intermittent output shaft speed (oss) sensor issue. The vehicle was inspected by a Ford mobile technician on January 20, 2026. No qualifying codes were found at that time, and the recall was closed under my VIN. The recall involved the risk of an unintended downshift into first gear that could result in loss of vehicle control. On August 20, 2026, while my husband was driving approximately 40-50 mph, the truck suddenly downshifted and rapidly lost speed. The vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 10-15 mph and had to be moved into a parking lot to avoid remaining in traffic. After parking, the truck would no longer move under its own power. The wrench warning light illuminated and the vehicle became undrivable. The symptoms experienced appear substantially similar to those described in recall 24s37. The dealership has indicated that the current failure may involve the transmission lead frame and speed sensor system, but I am concerned that this event may be related to the same transmission downshift condition addressed by the recall. I am requesting that NHTSA document and review this incident.

While driving the truck suddenly shifted into first year with the automatic transmission. This was the third time that this has happened.

See all problems of the 2012 Ford F-150 🔎.

When using cruise control (blue cruise fully automated driving or just regular cruise control), the truck changes the speed setting to 90mph without any driver input and begins sudden acceleration. This has happened multiple times in speed limit areas from 70-75 on the interstate. The truck clearly displays the correct speed limit on the dash. The driver set speed of 70-77 is suddenly changed to 90 mph (you can see it on the dash) without any driver input. This has happened multiple times (I live in a rural area). The vehicle only has 1,100 miles. No warning lights come on. Breaking will stop the sudden acceleration. This is a very dangerous situation and needs to be fixed.

Due to a dangerous design flaw in the 2021 Ford f150, I was put in a potentially dangerous situation by completely losing all power in the vehicle on a backroad. Design flaw is the dcn module, which floods into the vehicles electrical system/body of vehicle through the cowel drain that can supposedly be blocked by a singular piece of pine straw. Due to the design flaw, the vehicle completely lost all power and all electronics failed while driving down the road at 45 mph, putting both me and my father (riding passenger seat) in immediate danger. Ford knows and is aware of the design flaw and has refused to issue a recall, not only affecting my safety, but now I am going back and forth with Ford over the fix to the tune of $2800 that they refuse to fix (vehicle is a gold certified cpo, has extended warranty). When asked how to prevent in the future, Ford was and is not aware of how to prevent in the future, and I can not get to the cowel drain clog without professional equipment and Ford performing. There is no way to tell the cowel drain is clogged or not, and there is not anything in the Ford owners manual related to maintenance of the cowel drain. Again, due to the inappropriately designed drain, this caused water leakage into my truck, posing an immediate threat to my life and others around me. I have all of the videos and pictures needed to show the failure of the system to provide to move this forward to get resolved. I had complete loss of power and electronics on the road. I tried to attach video but it would not let me. I can attach via email when requested.

I purchased a 2017 Ford F-150 on July 9th. It is covered under safety recall 26s28 (NHTSA campaign 26v23700). On July 25th, the vehicle entered highway limp mode due to an output speed sensor failure (code p0722). A Ford dealership performed the 26s28 software flash but left the failing physical lead frame hardware in the vehicle. On August 15th, the truck reverted to a dangerous limp mode on the highway due to the same unaddressed p0722 hardware failure. Ford corporate is refusing to authorize the physical hardware replacement under the safety recall framework, leaving the vehicle fundamentally unsafe to drive.

Xxx: I scheduled an oil change online and selected the open transmission safety recall. [xxx] Ford executed recall 26s28 (pcm programming) under verification code rglkt7masipij. The truck had absolutely no shifting issues prior to this flash. Xxx: within two weeks of the software update, the truck began experiencing the exact erratic shifting and violent gear-dropping safety hazards described in the recall. I returned the truck to the dealer. Xxx: after days of complete silence, I had to initiate contact. First by phone, then by physically walking into the service desk on xxx to get answers because the dealer ignored my vehicle. Mid-xxx: after the truck sat on their lot for three weeks, they finally scanned it and retrieved code p2701. The dealer stated the recall wouldn't cover it and immediately quoted me $8,000 to rebuild or $10,000 to replace the transmission. They claimed they would submit the case to Ford corporate. Xxx: having heard nothing, I returned to the dealership in person. I was told they still had no response from corporate. The paperwork contradiction: the technician's notes on page 3 explicitly state: "no update so that one recall cannot be performed, must been updated at some point. " this proves the technician failed to look at their own shop's service history from xxx (page 2), where they signed off on completing the update. Furthermore, they condemned the entire transmission based strictly on a digital code scan; they never dropped the pan or performed any physical diagnostic work. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Execution of manufacturer safety recall service resulted in immediate, catastrophic transmission malfunction and sudden loss of motive power upon leaving the franchised dealership, creating an imminent road hazard. Details of the incident: recall intake: on xxx, the vehicle was driven into the authorized Ford dealership cloninger Ford of morganton in [xxx] under its own power for an open manufacturer safety recall involving the transmission molded leadframe and pcm software update to prevent sudden, unintended downshifts. Immediate failure post-service: after technicians completed the recall service and returned the keys, the vehicle was driven out of the dealership lot. Upon reaching normal road speed and shifting from 3rd to 4th gear (less than 0. 2 miles from the service bay), the transmission violently malfunctioned, lost forward drive engagement, and rendered the truck completely disabled and undrivable in active traffic. No road test was performed by the dealership prior to releasing the vehicle. Safety risk: the sudden failure and inability to shift gears properly left the vehicle stranded in roadway traffic, presenting an immediate collision risk. The vehicle had to be limped back into the dealership service drive immediately. Remedy failure & denial: the dealership acknowledged that the recall-mandated pcm software calibration update triggered the severe transmission failure. However, both the manufacturer and the dealer are now claiming the failure is a "pre-existing condition," refusing to complete the safety remedy without charging the owner $7,000 for a full transmission replacement. The safety defect that prompted the recall was not remedied and was instead exacerbated to total mechanical failure during execution of the recall procedure. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Had the recall done at a dealer and now the the software update didn't solve the problem it is now having the wrench and is downshifting periodically with no notice.

Pcm not communicating with throttle body causes wrench light to come on and we loose control of the gas and slows the car abruptly.

Vehicle suddenly seemed to shift while driving causing a loud sound, jerk and caused a loss of control suddenly.

The clock spring in the steering has failed causing the airbag to no longer work on the driver side. The cruise control turns on and shuts off on its own. Sometimes won’t even let you set it. Volume controls no longer work. Horn no longer works. Steering has a clicking catching sound now when turning. Steering controls no longer light up and none of the buttons work.

I was driving on interstate approximatly 70 mph when it downshifted into second gear and and almost got rearended by a semi truck that was following behind my truck and luckily was able to swerve to miss hitting us. I believe it is the 6r80 transmission conductor plate that is the cause of the issue.

I am the owner of a 2014 Ford F-150 that is experiencing sudden, unexpected downshifts into a lower gear while driving at highway speed. This has happened on multiple occasions and has nearly caused accidents, including loss of vehicle control momentarily. This defect matches the description of Ford safety recall 26s45 (loss of signal between the transmission output shaft speed sensor and the powertrain control module, causing unexpected downshift into first gear). Despite this, my vehicle was not included when I checked recall status, even though I have an open Ford claim number: cxh-08412521-f6l5j4. I am filing this complaint to ensure this incident is on record given the ongoing safety risk, and to request that NHTSA confirm whether my VIN should be captured under recall 26s45 or a related campaign (24s37/24v444). Description: transmission suddenly and dramatically downshifts at highway speed without warning, causing loss of vehicle control and near-accidents.

Ford motor company put out a recall on the pcm. I had the recall performed and it has caused more damage to my truck. It now has eratic shifting, stuck gears, and going into limpmode. Ford forums show that this is an ongoing issue after the reset is performed creating an unsafe vehicle to drive. The check engine light is now on and was not prior to this recall reset.