2020 Ford F-150

I was driving eastbound on city streets at 30 mph with my three young children when the vehicle exhibited abnormal shifting behavior, searching for a gear. Despite being in 9th gear, traveling the speed limit, and lightly pressing the pedal, the vehicle experienced a rough downshift and lost power while going up a small incline over a freeway overpass. I turned on my hazards and attempted to move over to avoid an accident, which I successfully did. The vehicle regained power after restarting with rough shifts in the lower gears. I put the vehicle in manual mode to better control the shifting, though it remained incredibly rough. The kids were shaken and refuse to drive in the vehicle. Since then, I’ve only driven it to have it serviced at our local Ford dealer. They stated everything was fine after the transmission fluid exchange and battery replacement. However, the vehicle still exhibited rough shifting behavior on the short drive home. A friend pulled codes from the TCM/ECU and found P0734-00, P07F7-00, and P2535-00. He assisted, backed up the ECU/TCM, re-flashed the onboard ECU/TCM with the latest mappings, and reset the adaptive learning. He then drove the vehicle with diagnostics equipment connected and recorded the driving data, finding that the transmission was losing pressure and the shift behavior was slightly better but still rough shifts between 2-4 and 7-8 gear. Once the drive/test was completed, codes P0761 and P2702 appeared on the reader. He explained that the issues pointed to a CDF drum defect, which has several TSB’s published. He advised me to stop driving it and reach out to the dealer or local qualified shop. I was quoted between $7,677-$8,978 to replace trans with reman unit. Vehicle has been maintained with all records on file and is in nearly perfect condition with exception of the transmission due to the CDF defect. I would love to see action taken to prevent injury/death as I could see that occurring at some point.

Like a lot of f-150 owners, my 10speed transmission stopped working not allowing me to accelerate or shift into reverse. I was stuck in the intersection luckily I didn’t get into an accident. The truck was stuck in 7th gear! This is dangerous and happens far too commonly, please investigate, this is dangerous and expensive for the average consumer. Please help.

The transmission failed. While driving, it shifts extremely hard and will suddenly downshift without warning. Autonation Ford of North Canton, Ohio, inspected the vehicle on August 13, 2025, and reported that the CDF drum clutches were likely worn. The truck is available for inspection upon request. The sudden downshifts cause the truck to jerk violently and lose speed abruptly. On multiple occasions, this has nearly caused me to lose control and creates a high risk of being rear-ended by other drivers who are not expecting the sudden slowdown. Yes. Autonation Ford of North Canton, Ohio, confirmed the issue on August 13, 2025. Yes. Autonation Ford of North Canton inspected the transmission and stated it was likely due to worn CDF drum clutches. There were no warning lamps or messages. The symptoms began before August 2025 when the transmission started slipping, shifting hard, and then downshifting unexpectedly. The issue occurred just one month after the warranty expired. The dealer quoted me approximately $7,000 to repair it. I have read that Ford has replaced the old pressed bushings in this part with welded ones to prevent this failure, which suggests this may be a known defect in the original design.

* What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Transmission/powertrain; currently available for inspection at time of submission * How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While stopped at stop sign/stop light, the vehicle would have long hesitation before advancing forward. I would initiate hazard lights to prevent driver behind me from crashing into the back of my vehicle. The vehicle would shift harshly and untimely as well as randomly downshift from 10th gear to 1st gear (x2 on 24Aug2025). I would have to pull vehicle off the road and when attempting to resume driving the vehicle would not move. The RPM’s would rev, however the vehicle would not move. I would turn off the vehicle and then restart it and the vehicle would move forward, resuming with harsh shifting. Loss of power, delayed and harsh shifting pose a safety hazard while the vehicle is in operation. * Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes; by independent service center * 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? First check engine light illuminated on August 16, 2025. (Please note the check engine light disappears once the vehicle is turned off and then restarted). I took the vehicle to AutoZone on 25Aug2025. The tech placed the code reader on the vehicle. 2 codes, P0734-00 and P07F7-00, ‘gear 4 incorrect ratio’ and ‘gear 10 incorrect ratio’ respectively were displayed. Vehicle taken to independent service center on 25Aug2025 who also placed code reader on vehicle. I am not in possession of that information at time of writing. Monthly ‘my vehicle report’ has been clear with no issues whatsoever noted until report dated 25Aug2025 (attached)

December of 2020, I purchased 3 - 2020 Ford F150's with 5.0L engines and 10speed 10r80 transmissions for 2 of my companies as PERSONAL DRIVERS (non-commercial use). *Vehicle 1 - at 82,000 miles - was experiencing missed shifts, and harsh engagement. Within a couple of weeks of this happening, unfortunately the vehicle was totaled in an accident unrelated to shifting. *Vehicle 2 - began to experience the same problems, this vehicle would miss a shift and fall completely "out of gear" leaving no power or throttle response (roughly 78,000 miles) and had been service according to Ford specification and mileage with Motorcraft factory filter, gasket, and Ford ULV fluid. Unfortunately this was the only vehicle I purchased an extended warranty for due to long highway trips out of town where a breakdown would be difficult to deal with out of town. Determined as "transmission Failure" and replaced at Billy Howell Ford in Cumming Ga. (via extended warranty) *Vehicle 3 - VIN NUMBER IN QUESTION - at 74,000 miles vehicle is now missing shifts, jumps out of gear. 2 DANGEROUS scenarios this week. Crossing oncomming traffic to turn onto road - 1-2 or 1-3 shift missed and complete loss of power/movement barely avoiding being hit by oncoming cars. Second occurrence, slowing to a red light on wet road. Coasting/Braking as transmission began downshifting from 10th gear,.. when it got to 7/6 it downshifted to Gear 4 sliding/screeching the rear tires as the rear end SLID/DRIFTED sideways causing me to PANIC STOP with brake pedal fully depressed to avoid free sliding or losing control of the vehicle. -100% available for inspection FORD SHOULD ABSOLUTELY RECALL ALL OF THE EARLY 10R80 EQUIPPED VEHICLES. IT'S DANGEROUS!! Vehicle has been checked/duplicated and verified by ASE certified technician, local dealer admitted to problems, there are NO MIL's, and NO FAULT CODES STORED COMPUTER. Dealer wants almost $9000 to replace transmission. Ford DO BETTER! -- THIS IS DANGEROUS.

The first transmission I had in my truck i had. Harsh shifting, Slipping gears, Delayed engagement, Transmission overheating, Loss of power and transmission stuck in higher gear while stopped. They replaced the transmission (at my cost ) now i have over heating issues. There should be a mandatory recall on this transmission, give me my money back and fix the issues for free.