2021 Ford F-150 Powertrain (other) Problems

i have had this at the dealer for the recall 4 months with no fix insight

NHTSA ID

11756172

Incident

Mar 3, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11756162

Incident

Aug 10, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11756152

Incident

Jul 29, 2026

Mileage

100,650 mi

On-going issue with 1080R transmission acting weird. Hard downshifts when truck is cold, even slightly warmed up. Lazy shifts, like transmission gets lost shifting from 2nd to 3rd. It pauses the shift and takes about 5 or 6 seconds to find 3rd gear. Seems to be in line with tons of known Ford 1080r cdf drum issues based on info I read online. Dealer has noted and replicated some of the issues. They've done a relearning procedure which temporarily seems to help it but then goes back to issues within a few hundred miles.

NHTSA ID

11755710

Incident

Nov 24, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11754597

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and upon inspection of the rear passenger’s side wheel end hub bolt, the dealer discovered the bolt was fractured. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact was advised that the vehicle should not be driven until the vehicle was repaired under the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

NHTSA ID

11754519

Incident

Dec 1, 2023

Mileage

52,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11754379

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11754313

Incident

Jul 25, 2026

I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving, the transmission would unexpectedly hesitate before engaging the selected gear and then shift harshly with a noticeable bang. On multiple occasions, the engine RPM would flare before the transmission engaged, resulting in delayed or inconsistent acceleration. The transmission has also exhibited harsh shifts, delayed engagement, and unpredictable gear changes. These events occurred during normal driving, including accelerating from a stop, merging into traffic, and driving at highway speeds. The transmission did not respond as expected when I needed predictable acceleration, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Delayed engagement and sudden harsh shifts make it difficult to judge available power when entering traffic or changing lanes. 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, resulting in harsh or delayed engagement and shifting. This condition can cause 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 hesitation, delayed engagement, or loss of propulsion while merging, accelerating into traffic, crossing an intersection, or traveling at highway speed creates an increased risk of a crash. Because I personally experienced these unexpected transmission events, I request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate the 10R80 CDF clutch-cylinder/sleeve condition in Ford F-150 vehicles. Please review Ford warranty claims, dealer repair records, transmission replacements, consumer complaints, and field-failure data to determine whether this represents a safety defect

NHTSA ID

11754194

Incident

Apr 6, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11754193

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

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 downshifts aggressively resulting in the rear tires locking up and sliding for a moment. This occurs while driving in stop and go traffic as well as coming to a stop light/sign, creating a potentially dangerous situation. 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.

NHTSA ID

11754168

Incident

May 1, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11754159

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

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

NHTSA ID

11754154

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11754148

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11754146

Incident

Jul 29, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11754132

Incident

Jul 25, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11751516

Incident

Jul 6, 2026

Mileage

93,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11749767

Incident

Jul 1, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11748935

Incident

Jul 2, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11748418

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

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

NHTSA ID

11747994

Incident

Jun 29, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11747316

Incident

Jun 24, 2026

My complaint is for an issue that currently has a manufacturer recall as well as a NHTSA recall since Dec. 22, 2023. Manufacturer Recall Number - 23S65 NHTSA Recall Number - 23V896 My right rear axle bolt broke off 2 years ago and I took it to the dealer for repair. At that time they took pictures and the vehicle information to start a claim. They told me they needed to order the parts and would contact me when they received them. As of the date of this complaint the dealer tells me they still do not have parts to resolve this recall. I filed a complaint with the manufacturer and they told me parts should be available by the 3rd quarter of this year (2026) If, that were to happen ? It will be 3 years from the time I was notified of the recall to finally resolving the issue. This is unacceptable for a safety issue to take that long to be resolved and the only excuse is that there are no parts available. I use my vehicle daily for work/income and also for personal use towing a heavy trailer. I cannot believe that a potential accident causing injury or death can possibly occur from a known safety issue to continue because the manufacturer can't get parts. Please look into this matter before someone gets seriously injured or killed. I have been very patient but anyone put in this situation would be very frustrated. Please help me to get my vehicle repaired.

NHTSA ID

11746356

Incident

Dec 22, 2023

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)

NHTSA ID

11745197

Incident

Jun 5, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11743218

Incident

Apr 21, 2026