NHTSA Complaint #11716521 — 2016 FORD F-150

Vehicle: 2016 Ford F-150, 5.0L V8, 6R80 automatic transmission Mileage at time of failure: Approximately 118,000 miles Approximate date of occurrence: Late 2025 (Late October to Early November) While driving at speeds above approximately 40 mph, the transmission would randomly and unexpectedly downshift, causing a severe and sudden jerking motion accompanied by extremely high engine RPMs. After several seconds, the transmission would violently upshift back into the original gear. Most occurrences involved the transmission downshifting one or two gears; however, on multiple occasions it downshifted from 6th gear directly to 2nd gear while traveling at highway speeds. This caused the rear wheels to momentarily lock up, creating a dangerous loss of traction and loss of vehicle control. These events occurred frequently, including during short trips, and were not related to driver input, braking, or road conditions. During these incidents, the check engine light and wrench warning light would illuminate. Diagnostic trouble code P0720 (Output Shaft Speed Sensor Circuit) was consistently stored. This pointed to a failure within the transmission molded lead frame, which houses the output shaft speed sensor and related circuitry. Due to the severity of the symptoms and the known issues with the Ford 6R80 transmission molded lead frame, I replaced the molded lead frame myself. After replacement, the erratic downshifting, wheel lockup, warning lights, and fault codes were completely resolved. The vehicle has operated normally since the repair. Ford has a documented history of issues related to molded lead frame failures in 6R80 transmissions, including erratic shifting and loss of speed sensor data. This failure presented a significant safety risk, particularly at highway speeds, due to sudden and uncontrollable deceleration and momentary wheel lockup.