2016 Ford F-150

On March 21, 2025, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE25002) to investigate instances of unexpected transmission downshifting without driver input in model year (MY) 2015-2017 Ford F-150 vehicles (subject vehicles) manufactured by Ford Motor Company (Ford). The complaints allege that, without warning or driver input, the subject vehicles experienced a sudden and rapid deceleration often accompanied by temporary rear wheel lockup, seizure, or skidding, resulting in a loss of vehicle control that increases the risk of crash and injury to all motorists, including those not within the subject vehicles. The MY 2015 and MY 2016 F-150 vehicles were equipped with the “6R80” transmission, while the MY 2017 vehicles were equipped with either the “6R80” transmission or the “10R80” transmission. This investigation was limited to MY 2015-2017 Ford F-150 with the “6R80” transmission. ODI identified 329 Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQs) related to this investigation and sixty percent of these consumers were interviewed to confirm the details of their allegations. Consumers reported that their vehicles’ transmission suddenly downshifted to a lower gear, often to 1st or 2nd gear, without driver input or advance warning. Consumers described the downshift events to be regular and repeated occurrences, with some consumers stating that they no longer drive the vehicle due to safety concerns. Forty-three percent of consumers reported experiencing at least one wheel lockup event, during which the rear tires locked, screeched, or skidded during the transmission downshift.  ODI also found that 114 of the 329 consumers reported having their vehicle’s molded lead frame or valve body assembly (which comes with a molded lead frame) replaced, 80 of which were confirmed through consumer submitted repair invoices. In its response to ODI’s Information Request, Ford provided an assessment of potential root cause of failure for the subject vehicles and how this failure is different from the failure associated with MY 2011-2014 Ford F-150 vehicles that was addressed by four safety recalls (16V-248, 19V-075, 19V-433, and 24V-444). Ford has identified that the defect in the recalled vehicle population involved lead frame supplier production issues resulting in signal loss from the Output Shaft Speed (OSS) sensor. Ford has identified that the alleged defect in the subject vehicle population involved degradation of electrical connections within the lead frame due to thermal cycling and vibration over extended time in service resulting in signal loss from the Transmission Range Sensor (TRS). Signal loss from the TRS can result in an unintended shift to neutral, unintended upshift, or unintended downshift which are regulated by a gear “shift map” based on the vehicle’s speed at the time of signal loss. According to Ford’s “shift map”, at speeds between 35-64 mph, the maximum allowable downshift would be to 2nd gear (i.e. a 6th to 2nd gear downshift event) which Ford has designated to represent the worst-case scenario for subject vehicles. Ford has also acknowledged that the worst-case scenario may also involve temporary wheel lockup. However, Ford has stated that the failure mechanism in the MY 2011-2014 F-150 vehicles—previously addressed through recalls—primarily involved OSS sensor signal loss that could result in 6th to 1st gear downshift events. This OSS-related failure mode is distinct from the TRS-related signal loss identified in the subject vehicle population. ODI has identified an additional potential safety defect associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. Preliminary testing performed by NHTSA’s Vehicle Research Test Center (VRTC) showed that when the TRS experiences an intermittent signal loss, one possible outcome is a change in vehicle direction. Specifically, if a vehicle is operating in reverse up an incline when the TRS signal loss occurs, then the vehicle may shift into neutral causing the vehicle to change directions and roll forward. ODI is opening this Engineering Analysis (EA) to, among other things, perform component-level testing and vehicle testing, as well as review additional technical information to better understand the alleged defect that has been identified. To review the reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

On March 21, 2025, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE25002) to investigate instances of unexpected transmission downshifting without driver input in model year (MY) 2015-2017 Ford F-150 vehicles (subject vehicles) manufactured by Ford Motor Company (Ford). The complaints allege that, without warning or driver input, the subject vehicles experienced a sudden and rapid deceleration often accompanied by temporary rear wheel lockup, seizure, or skidding, resulting in a loss of vehicle control that increases the risk of crash and injury to all motorists, including those not within the subject vehicles. The MY 2015 and MY 2016 F-150 vehicles were equipped with the “6R80” transmission, while the MY 2017 vehicles were equipped with either the “6R80” transmission or the “10R80” transmission. This investigation was limited to MY 2015-2017 Ford F-150 with the “6R80” transmission. ODI identified 329 Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQs) related to this investigation and sixty percent of these consumers were interviewed to confirm the details of their allegations. Consumers reported that their vehicles’ transmission suddenly downshifted to a lower gear, often to 1st or 2nd gear, without driver input or advance warning. Consumers described the downshift events to be regular and repeated occurrences, with some consumers stating that they no longer drive the vehicle due to safety concerns. Forty-three percent of consumers reported experiencing at least one wheel lockup event, during which the rear tires locked, screeched, or skidded during the transmission downshift.  ODI also found that 114 of the 329 consumers reported having their vehicle’s molded lead frame or valve body assembly (which comes with a molded lead frame) replaced, 80 of which were confirmed through consumer submitted repair invoices. In its response to ODI’s Information Request, Ford provided an assessment of potential root cause of failure for the subject vehicles and how this failure is different from the failure associated with MY 2011-2014 Ford F-150 vehicles that was addressed by four safety recalls (16V-248, 19V-075, 19V-433, and 24V-444). Ford has identified that the defect in the recalled vehicle population involved lead frame supplier production issues resulting in signal loss from the Output Shaft Speed (OSS) sensor. Ford has identified that the alleged defect in the subject vehicle population involved degradation of electrical connections within the lead frame due to thermal cycling and vibration over extended time in service resulting in signal loss from the Transmission Range Sensor (TRS). Signal loss from the TRS can result in an unintended shift to neutral, unintended upshift, or unintended downshift which are regulated by a gear “shift map” based on the vehicle’s speed at the time of signal loss. According to Ford’s “shift map”, at speeds between 35-64 mph, the maximum allowable downshift would be to 2nd gear (i.e. a 6th to 2nd gear downshift event) which Ford has designated to represent the worst-case scenario for subject vehicles. Ford has also acknowledged that the worst-case scenario may also involve temporary wheel lockup. However, Ford has stated that the failure mechanism in the MY 2011-2014 F-150 vehicles—previously addressed through recalls—primarily involved OSS sensor signal loss that could result in 6th to 1st gear downshift events. This OSS-related failure mode is distinct from the TRS-related signal loss identified in the subject vehicle population. ODI has identified an additional potential safety defect associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. Preliminary testing performed by NHTSA’s Vehicle Research Test Center (VRTC) showed that when the TRS experiences an intermittent signal loss, one possible outcome is a change in vehicle direction. Specifically, if a vehicle is operating in reverse up an incline when the TRS signal loss occurs, then the vehicle may shift into neutral causing the vehicle to change directions and roll forward. Based on NHTSA’s analysis of consumer data, information provided by Ford, and preliminary testing conducted by NHTSA’s VRTC, this Preliminary Evaluation is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA26001). During this Engineering Analysis, the agency plans to, among other things, perform component-level testing and vehicle testing, as well as review additional technical information to better understand the alleged defect that has been identified from this Preliminary Evaluation. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

On June 18, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE18-008) to investigate complaints alleging post-crash fires at the B pillar in the area of the seat belt pretensioners on MY 2014-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab, and Super Crew Cab Vehicles. On August 24, 2018, Ford Motor Company recalled (FSA 18S27 - NHTSA #18V568) the affected population. Ford's investigation found that some front seat belt pretensioners may generate sparks during deployment in excess of Ford's specification. Sparks in the pretensioner exhaust gases inside the lower portion of the B-pillar may subsequently ignite combustible components contained in the B-pillar, such as insulation or carpet, and may cause a subsequent vehicle fire. ODI also requested relevant information from other manufacturers to assess the potential scope of post-crash pretensioner fires. Ford will notify owners and require dealers to remove B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall notification began September 28, 2018.Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.The VOQs associated with the closing of this investigation are: 11143035, 11130056, 11129828, 11128761, 11127993, 11127880, 11124717, 11123419, 11119651, 11119626, 11114065, 11113160, 11111822, 11097937, 11078447, 11014688

On June 8, 2020, Ford Motor Company issued a safety recall (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-332) of 292,311 model year (MY) 2014-2017 Ford F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines and built from 9/1/2014 to 8/1/2016. Ford stated that the causes of brake fluid loss in the master cylinder are brake fluid contamination that can interfere with rear cup seal function, and rolling of the rearmost cup seal.Prior to total loss of the front brakes, depending on the amount of brake fluid loss in the master cylinder, the driver may receive an audible chime, message center alert and red brake warning indicator in the instrument cluster, and may experience a change in brake pedal travel and increased pedal effort. It should be noted that a small number of late-built MY 2014 and early-built MY 2017 F-150 vehicles are included in the recall along with the subject vehicles (MY 2015-2016).This Recall Query is closed based on the safety recall issued by Ford. The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ID numbers:10734951 10839988 10862418 10872737 10873438 10876359 10881590 10883442 10885352 10888026 10888524 10891826 10891829 10891886 10893632 10894688 10894844 10896122 10896446 10898079 10899093 10899198 10902944 10903776 10904695 10908281 10910101 10913678 10913867 10914016 10914164 10914288 10914361 10914382 10914483 10914507 10915027 10915894 10916302 10916346 10916578 10920258 10925699 10926076 10926148 10926179 10927388 10927402 10927459 10927578 10928457 10928906 10930128 10936207 10940199 10943902 10948941 10950413 10954419 10956798 10969452 10969971 10984389 10985533 10991033 10993430 10993826 10994249 11000331 11000746 11001283 11001291 11001403 11001550 11002014 11002827 11003801 11004795 11005551 11010248 11010341 11011291 11011502 11012944 11013023 11013826 11014954 11015390 11018677 11018771 11020059 11021249 11021632 11022034 11022116 11022243 11023791 11025448 11030416 11030852 11039991 11082190 11082307 11083373 11083998 11089076 11091017 11092142 11093509 11096406 11096501 11097550 11097885 11099405 11099859 11100723 11101189 11101357 11101515 11101631 11102242 11102281 11102299 11102326 11102360 11102481 11104187 11104212 11104877 11109739 11110958 11111028 11111445 11111776 11112143 11112145 11112331 11112445 11112504 11112969 11112970 11114501 11115336 11115612 11118050 11118324 11119688 11119741 11120003 11120625 11120839 11121496 11122946 11123817 11124180 11124313 11124735 11129689 11129763 11129799 11130736 11131008 11132384 11139389 11139955 11154079 11163050 11183075 11189767 11192325 11193564 11195772 11196715 11205224 11205725 11208030 11208558 11209657 11210390 11217868 11218183 11218476 11218533 11218548 11218703 11218773 11219228 11219556 11220778 11221408 11221528 11221888 11222322 11222604 11222909 11228582 11228780 11229191 11229412 11229541 11229673 11230311 11230525 11230553 11230595 11230606 11230664 11231440 11231744 11231985 11232226 11232462 11233423 11233425 11233557 11233595 11233614 11233857 11233864 11234025 11234577 11234715 11234752 11240161 11240184 11240219 11240344 11241143 11241328 11241565 11241737 11241755 11241979 11242032 11242096 11242101 11242222 11242430 11242723 11243775 11244070 11244092 11244223 11244613 11244872 11245199 11245233 11245259 11245846 11246001 11251825 11252130 11252506 11252570 11252595 11252809 11254026 11254116 11254385 11254816 11255210 11255273 11255487 11256470 11257328 11257549 11258458 11258978 11265268 11267540 11269887 11279423 11281670 11287382 11291824 11297512 11298972 11301103 11306644 11310503 11315450 11316153 11318273 11319339 11319344 11319751

2016 f150 transmission downshift recall was preformed, didn’t fix the intermittent downshift at highway speeds. A week and a half after it caused a skid on a wet road. Was told at the dealership, they’re not allowed to do anything else without an active engine code

NHTSA ID

11756409

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

I was at my granddaughters and I went to leave and it was like dead except the wrench came up in the dash panel , I waited before calling my husband and I went back to try and start it again and it started no wrench in the display or anything , this was in February 2026. In March of 2026 I was in the middle turn lane on [XXX] by Tuttle, Ok. And it stalled as I was trying to turn and would not move I put it back into park and then back to drive and it turned . Next incident was in April2026 and I was on [XXX] south of Mustang , Ok. And I was in the passing lane passing a vehicle going 65 mph and it just stalled and went down into 1 st gear I managed to get it to the shoulder of road an then it died it would not start but the radio and lights were still on and there was a wrench popped up in the panel . I waited for about 30 minutes and kept trying to start it after several attempts it started again and I made it home . The next incident my husband drove to doctors office and it did the same thing to him and would not move in the parking lot . About 15 minutes later he got it to start and he made it home . We quit driving it. Then we got a letter from Ford with the recall 26V237 .i waited for 2 nd letter and had not gotten it with a fix for it so I called the Ford Service Repir Center and they got us on the phone connected to a Ford Dealership in Yukon , Ok and they came and got the pickup on August 10 th and took it and brought it back on August 11 th and they did the soft ware update and told us no codes came up and we know better . When I had previously talked to the Ford Repair Center I was told if the wrench came up that they would replace the lead frame at no cost to us and give us a 150000 mile warranty. So it is now our word against the mechanics that the wrench ever came up INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11756379

Incident

Feb 20, 2026

I got the Recall 26S28 done on my truck, and immediately after getting my truck back the transmission is shifting super bad. Really early up shifts, aggressive engagement into drive… truck has 190,000 miles on it and shifted perfectly before the recall was done.

NHTSA ID

11756087

Incident

Aug 10, 2026

There was no incident. Ford announced the recall in May with no remedy until August. I had to rent a truck to pull a trailer to [XXX] from [XXX]. They said there was no compensation as there was no "stop driving" notice on the recall but it stated the the vehicle could abruptly slow down /downshift increasing the risk of a crash. Wanted to go on record that compensation should be covered by Ford as this was a considerable safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11755993

Incident

Aug 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into a lower gear. Additionally, the transmission became stuck in the lower gear, and the wrench icon was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was recently repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN); and a software update was performed. After retrieving the vehicle, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the service codes that were needed to perform a transmission module replacement were not displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ID

11755969

Incident

Nov 1, 2020

Mileage

60,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. While the contact’s wife was driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to 1st gear. During the failure, the vehicle abruptly decelerated and failed to exceed 20 MPH. The contact stated the failure had occurred while driving at undisclosed speeds. The failure also occurred while the vehicle was idling at a stop light. During the failure, the message "Service Advance Track" was displayed. The wrench icon was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was recently repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 135,000.

NHTSA ID

11755905

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

Mileage

135,000 mi

Back up camera malfunctioned, not showing there was a smaller car behind me in my own driveway. Backing up into my driveway at night, it did not pick up or show the smaller car which I back up into, causing $2890 in damages which I had to pay for.

NHTSA ID

11755785

Incident

Feb 6, 2026

The contact’s son owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11755292

Incident

Mar 6, 2026

Mileage

120,000 mi

Customer Satisfaction Program 26N04 Certain 2015-2017 Model Year F-150 Vehicles Equipped with a 6R80 Transmission Transmission Molded Leadframe Replacement

Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation

Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how to retrieve the master code. This guide is located under the Workshop Manual tab > Accessories > Installation > Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide > PPT C > Step C2.<br /><br /> Note: The only available keypad for some vehicles from the assembly plant is the accessory wireless keyless entry keypad. The integrated wired keypad cannot be installed on vehicles not equipped from the factory with a wired keyless entry k

This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to:  Display operation concerns  Navigation inoperative  Voice recognition concerns  Phone connection issues  Dropped phone connections  Applink related performance  Travel Link not present or showing incorrect traffic  Slow system response NOTE: Ford has found some of the APIMs replaced and returned for inspection contained an outdated software level and the APIM did not require replacement. The customer concern may have been resolved by updating the APIM with latest level of software. The SYNC 3 universal thumb drive will be able to update the APIM software without the use of a scan tool and does not require the process to be monitored. Ford will be monitoring APIM replacements to confirm TSB directed software updates have been performed.

Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.

Some 2016-2020 F-150 vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0630 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to aftermarket modifications to the body control module (BCM), such as changes to the tire size or axle ratio in the BCM.