Which Ford F-150 years have the most transmission complaints?

The 2018 model year leads with 694 complaints and the highest rate per 10,000 sold. The 2019 year is next with 479, followed by 2021 with 315. Newer years show fewer filings, but they have had less time to collect them.

Is it safe to drive an F-150 with transmission problems?

It can be risky. Owners report power loss in intersections, drops to first gear at highway speed, and trucks rolling in Park. Crashes and injuries appear in these filings. A truck with a known shifting fault should be inspected before regular driving.

Does a recall cover F-150 transmission problems?

Several do. Federal records list recalls for a missing roll pin, shift cable clips, false low fluid pressure, a loose bolt affecting Park, and a valve body on 2024 and 2025 trucks. Coverage depends on the VIN, so check it with Ford.

How much does an F-150 transmission fix cost?

Independent repair-cost data puts yearly repairs for the model overall at $788, but a transmission is far costlier. Filings on 2019 trucks quote full replacements around $8,059 to $12,000. Recall repairs are free of charge.

Do dealers fix the shifting problems?

Results are mixed. Owners say software resets often fail, and some dealers find no codes or cannot reproduce the problem. Many owners report that a full replacement was the repair, and some say trouble returned afterward.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Ford F-150 Transmission Problems

F-150 transmissions most often shift hard, slip, or drop gears, and some trucks roll while the shifter shows Park. The 10-speed automatic draws most reports.

Owner complaints: 2,014
Share of all complaints: 36%
Crash / fire / injury reports: 28 / 5 / 17
Related recalls: 14

F-150 transmission complaints by model year

The 2018 model year has the most complaints in this area, 694, and the highest rate per 10,000 sold. The 2019 year follows with 479, then 2021 with 315. The 2020 and 2022 years sit in the middle. Later years show far fewer filings, but they have also had less time on the road to collect them. Treat 2024 and 2025 as unproven, and 2026 has no complaints only because it is too new to judge. Recalls in this area cover 2018 and 2020 through 2025.

2018
694 · 11.4/10k sold
2019
479 · 8/10k sold
2020
203 · 4/10k sold
2021
315 · 6.8/10k sold
2022
166 · 4/10k sold
2023
117 · 2.5/10k sold
2024
26 · 0.5/10k sold
2025
14 · 0.3/10k sold

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA under power train. Newer model years have had less time to collect complaints.

What goes wrong

A 10-speed automatic that shifts hard, slips, clunks, and hesitates when pulling into traffic is the core complaint. Some trucks drop from a high gear to first at highway speed. Others lurch at stops or skip gears. A second pattern is a truck that moves while the shifter and dash both show Park. Dealers often find no codes, and the fix owners end up with is usually a full transmission replacement.

The risk is real. Filings in this area include crashes, injuries, and fires across several model years. Trucks have lost power in the middle of intersections, and parked trucks have rolled into cars, posts, and open doors. Some reports describe a truck that cannot be driven until the transmission is replaced, and trouble sometimes returns after a replacement. This federal category also holds axle and driveshaft complaints, so not every filing is a transmission failure.

Symptoms owners report

Hard, slipping shifts

The truck slams into gear, shudders through the gears, clunks, or slips. Some owners feel a hesitation before it jumps forward when they press the gas. Others describe lurching at stops. Dealers sometimes say they cannot feel or hear it.

Sudden drop to low gear

At highway speed the transmission falls from 10th to 1st, or from 6th to 1st, without warning. The truck loses power and can become hard to control. Some owners report this happening several times before a crash.

Power loss in traffic

Drive disappears while crossing an intersection or turning across traffic, and other drivers have had to swerve. Some trucks come back after a restart. One owner reported a second such failure after an earlier transmission replacement.

Rolling while in Park

The shifter and dash show Park, yet the truck rolls or lunges, sometimes with the parking brake set. Reports describe collisions with parked cars and an open door. A few say the truck was actually in reverse.

Neutral drops and shifter faults

Some trucks fall into neutral while the display shows Drive. Newer trucks report a console shifter that sticks in its stowed position or locks in park or reverse, which can strand the truck. Reduced-power warnings also appear.

When the problems start

Trouble often shows up between 60,000 and 120,000 miles in 2019 trucks, and 2020 reports cluster between 53,000 and 83,000 miles. Owners of 2022 trucks cite 35,000 to 71,000 miles. One 2018 owner had rough shifting at 106,000 miles, and a 2020 truck rolled in Park at 28,000. Newer trucks can fail early: shifter problems appear at 500 to 5,330 miles.

Repairs and recalls

Owners say dealer software resets often fail to fix the shifting, and some visits end with no codes found. The fix most owners report is a full transmission replacement, quoted around $8,059 to $12,000 in 2019 filings. Dealers on 2020 trucks describe dark fluid with metal debris. Federal recall records list free repairs: a missing roll pin check, shift cable clip reseating, control module software updates for false low fluid pressure and shifts into neutral, a loose bolt check that can mean a new transmission, and a valve body replacement for 2024 and 2025 trucks.

Model years	Campaign	Problem
2024, 2025	25V164000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse…
2023, 2024, 2025	25V512000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package and a 9.75-inch heavy duty axle with a 3/4 float axle design. The rear axle hub bolt may fatigue and…
2021, 2022, 2023	23V896000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package and a 9.75-inch heavy duty axle with a 3/4 float axle design. The rear axle hub bolt may fatigue…
2023	23V128000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The front axle pinion may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to fracture.
2022, 2023	23V070000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could…
2021, 2022	21V986000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
2021, 2022	22V623000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
2021	25V169000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 22V-188. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for low transmission fluid pressure may falsely activate…
2021	22V188000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for low transmission fluid pressure may falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into…
2021	21V381000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The two-piece driveshafts may have been improperly assembled, which could result in driveshaft separation.
2020	20V197000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package. The transmission shift…
2018	17V669000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.3L engine, a 6-speed transmission and a column mounted shift lever. Quickly moving the shift lever from Park to Drive may cause a…
2018	18V214000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions and 2018 Ford F-150 and Expedition vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions…
2018	18V213000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been…

Checking a used F-150 for transmission problems

Enter the VIN on Ford's recall lookup and confirm every transmission and shift cable recall was completed.
Drive from a stop several times and feel for hard shifts, clunks, or a pause before the truck moves.
Accelerate gently between 25 and 37 mph and watch for delayed or skipped shifts and sudden surges.
Park on a slope, set the shifter to Park, release the brake, and confirm the truck stays put.
Ask for service records showing transmission work, replacement, or repeat dealer visits for shifting complaints.
Check the dash for powertrain or reduced-power warnings and test that the console shifter moves freely.

14 transmission recalls cover the Ford F-150. A VIN check shows whether the car you're looking at had its recall work done, plus accident and title history.

Look Up a VIN →