2021 FORD EXPEDITION Power Train Problems

The component of the system that failed was an internal failure in the CDF drum in transmission. This resulted in failure to accelerate up to appropriate speeds and lurching of the vehicle when shifting gears. This put the safety of others and self at risk as the vehicle was unable to get up to speed on the road resulting in dangerous conditions that could lead to accidents due to the inability to reach posted speed limits. The vehicle and the components were inspected by a Ford dealership. No warning lights were observed to indicate that a problem existed.

During highway operation, vehicle transmission makes very loud and angry sound and then loses ability to move , almost caused us to get hit at an intersection. Vehicle often jumps violently when shifting to reverse, and often loses propulsion when going uphill and shifting. No issues have been identified by mechanics but I have found several forums on line with drivers reporting similar occurrences. This is very dangerous and if not addressed will result in loss of life. We purchased this vehicle certified by the dealer with 92000 miles on it and it began doing this less than a week after purchase. We took it in for recall work and reported it and they said nothing was wrong with it. Manufacturer failure to rectify this very common problem is going to cause may citizens to be injured or killed.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the engine overheated. The message “Drive Mode Inoperable” was displayed. The contact pulled over for 20 minutes, and the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who confirmed that parts were on back order for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V346000 (Engine). The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the failure was due to the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 99,130.

Have had jerky shifts and hard down shifts while driving 2021 Ford Expedition. Told dealership and was told it was normal. Then went in for oil change told the dealership about lose of power while shifting and hard shifts they advised to have transmission fluid changed. Not even 3 weeks later while pulling out onto a busy road my vehicles engine revved very high but the transmission never engaged past 2nd gear. I was almost hit by a car coming at me on the 2 lane road. After letting off the gas and then reapplying gas the transmission engaged. I drove to the dealership. Today they informed me that the transmission has multiple failures at the shift point between 1-2 and 7-8 along with hard down shifts between 4 and 3 gears. Was informed that the transmission would need to be replaced. I never got any error or warning codes...

While attempting to pass a slower moving vehicle and changing from the right lane to left, I attempted to accelerate past the vehicle when the check manual light appeared on the vehicle display dashboard and I lost all power. I had no acceleration and no power from the gas pedal, after gliding past the slower vehicle and completely taking my foot off the gas pedal, the truck reset itself and power came back to the vehicle and was able to accelerate again, as if nothing happened.

Vehicle stalls out upon driving when trying to accelerate. Has popped up error which states to check fuel pump.

Nn 9/15/2025 While the car was running but parked, we began to smell burnt plastic/electrical. Upon trying to shut off the vehicle several service lamps came on advising to go immediately to a service center and that there was a powertrain issue. Vehicle would also not shut off. Upon arrival at dealership they diagnosed that the battery box had corroded and would need replaced under the 1time battery Junction box replacement campaign (22N19). Upon repair they discovered that the wiring harness was badly melted and would need replace part [XXX] . The problem lies here. This part is backordered with no date for availability. Ford refuses to acknowledge this as a problem, and will not help with rental or loaner assistance, as that repair shouldn't take more then a few hours to complete. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while stopped at a red traffic light and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly lost motive power. Additionally, the contact heard an abnormal thumping sound coming from the transmission, and the vehicle experienced a hard shift before returning to normal functionality. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving, nearly causing the vehicle to be rear-ended on several occasions. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where DTC: 10R80 was retrieved, and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to cost.  The contact stated that the transmission was struggling to shift into the intended gear while driving recently. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately...

10R80 transmission jerky shifting and failing to engage correctly leading to loss of power and unsafe driving/ jerky acceleration.

Wiring has soy based bioplastic insulation which apparently attract rodent damage. This damaged battery, caused spark plug to be damaged and need to be replaced. It has also caused voltage and computer performance problems affecting engine idling and shifting. Issues were extremely unpredictable and hard to diagnose leading to 5 visits to the shop and many failed attempts to repair.

While towing a rented trailer from Tractor Supply, the trailer detached because it was not properly secured by store staff. The trailer struck the rear bumper of my 2021 Ford Expedition, causing visible body damage and raising concerns about hidden damage to the drivetrain and transmission due to the sudden force of the impact. After the incident, the vehicle was taken to a Ford dealership for inspection. Documentation exists showing that additional drivetrain and transmission evaluation is needed to determine the full extent of damage. The rear-view camera is also under active NHTSA recall (25V048), and its poor image quality complicates safe reversing after the incident. The safety risk is significant: the trailer detachment created a roadway hazard and impact, while the rear camera defect reduces visibility and increases crash risk when backing. The vehicle has been inspected by a Ford dealership and is being reviewed under an insurance claim...

Automobile falls out of gear randomly losing all forward power to move the car. While pulling out into traffic, this causes the car to not gain speed with traffic endangering those in the car. Dealer currently has the car and has quoted to replace the Transmission with a rebuilt unit. No warning lights in the car to tell us anything was wrong. Based on research, I believe Ford knows this transmission is faulty, and will not recall due to cost. Issue has scared my wife and family on multiple occasions before finally getting a scheduled check on the car.

The transmission shakes the truck at 5th gear and up. It slips out of gear. Sounds like the toque converter is coming about. Or the High gear clutches are slipping.

I originally leased and have since purchased this vehicle. Since owning the vehicle, it sometimes has a harsh shift between gears. It is so harsh that I have mentioned it to at least two different Ford dealerships during the transmission warranry period. No remedy was provided at the time. The car has continued to have shifting issues and now the car will pop out of gear while driving, which is a major safety issue. We informed a Ford dealership about this experience and they are now telling us we need a new transmission as they found metal in the transmission fluid. The transmission warranty just expired and there is a NHTSA bulletin about this very issue and there is an open recall on the power module for this car. Items for review: Technical Service Bulletin 10R80 Active Recall Campaign 24E13 Documented issue at Tom Masano Ford on 12/02/2021 Documented issue...

Transmission has completely failed at 68,000 miles and 4 years old. Ford is willing to cover cost of the tramission with a “partial good faith” agreement but the dealership who provides the service is charging $5,656 to put in new transmission. This is a widely known transmission problem with safety issues with multiple service bulletins. They are passing the issue onto the consumer instead of recalling. Shameful.

This vehicle continues to exhibit transmission shuddering, slipping, and hesitation during acceleration—despite two full transmission replacements in two years and multiple dealership service visits. These unresolved issues compromise safe operation, especially during highway merging, rapid acceleration, and lane changes. Both dealerships were unable to permanently address the issue after extensive mechanical intervention. Ford has issued multiple Technical Service Bulletins addressing transmission concerns in the 10R80 unit used in the Expedition. The most recent bulletin, TSB 25-2132, revises procedures for harsh and delayed shifting, shudder, and internal hydraulic leakage tied to the CDF clutch drum—which aligns directly with the findings from my own transmission overhaul documented in June 2023. Previous service entries noted suspected internal leakage around the CDF clutch, RPM flare during shifts, gear hesitation, and recurring drivability issues despite component replacement. These match symptoms targeted in prior TSBs, including: TSB 23-2123: Harsh engagement and shift delays TSB 24-2101: Hydraulic...

Transmission Failure Rough or jerky shifting: This occurs when accelerating or decelerating, and even when shifting between gears. Delayed gear engagement: Shifting from park to drive or reverse can be slow, or the vehicle may lunge into gear. Transmission slipping: The transmission slips between gears, causing a loss of power or acceleration. It can also cause a violent grinding/shaking between shifting gearshifts resulting in loss of acceleration.

The transmission shifts gears irregularly and has loss complete power when going up hill. This is a known issue with the 10 speed transmission but Ford has not corrected the issue that is impacting thousand of vehicles. This issue with the shifting happens everyday that I drive it.

Follow up to my previous complaint (11665325)see link below. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

May 17th was trying to get over one lane on service road, gave car gas and it acted like it fail out of gear, let off gas and then it was fine. Did the something again about 4 hours later. Car only has 94,000 miles on it and dealership is saying that it needs a new transmission. I have never hauled anything with this car, only driving on the highway. I did take my Ford in at 57,000 because it was rough sounding when it would change gears. They said they couldn't find anything wrong. Now we need a new transmission and it is out of warranty of course. I just don't see how this transmission could not last longer then 94,000 miles. The note on the car still has a few years left on it. There are not active recall per Ford Relationship Center. I also have a claim...

I purchased a 2021 Ford Expedition and it has 37,000 miles on it and the transmission shifts hard when putting the vehicle in drive. The vehicle jerks violently. Also when driving down hils the transmission jerks. The vehicle shouldn't have transmission problems already. The transmission in this vehicle should have a recall. The Ford company is aware that there is an issue and they should fix the issue or replace the transmission for their consumers. I have a 2012 Expedition that doesn't have this problem and it has 280,000 miles on it.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle became stuck in first gear. The driver was able to maneuver the transmission into fourth gear. The contact turned the vehicle on and off, and the transmission was reset. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V197000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and was diagnosed with CDF drum failure, and that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

The transmission has started to delay engagement into drive and reverse which causes the ability for the vehicle to unexpectedly roll in either direction. The vehicle also shifts erratically and in a rough manner while driving causing the driver(s) to either hesitate acceleration and or cause a sense of urgency to stop. It was brought to my attention from repair/transmission shops that this is a common problem with this particular transmission and calls for a new replacement or rebuild. The issue is very noticeable when driving as stated by the driver(s) and auto repair mechanics/employees.

Power Train went out on our family vehicle at 107k miles. This is a known problem by Ford for this model, and it is a major hazard. It created a dangerous driving situation for our family. The transmission would slip or quickly shift down to lower gears while driving at higher speeds causing the vehicle to malfunction in traffic and creating a very dangerous driving situation for our family. The vehicle is currently at a Ford dealership awaiting repair. Ford is aware there is a safety hazard concerning the transmissions in this model and they need to fix it ASAP.

DTC P07F7 - This is the code that the car is showing which is a CDF Drum failed in the transmission. The vehicle was almost hard braking when shifting gears and throwing us towards the dashboard specifically when switching between 9th and 10th gear. It was hard shifting between multiple gears. The vehicle is only 3 years old with 67,000 miles on it and the transmission has failed. There are also multiple reports and a service bulletin on this particular transmission from Ford.

When driving and car down shifts to 4th speed and accelerator is pressed, the car does not accelerate, rpm’s only increase. The car then jars or jerks into gear with a loud sound. Safety risk is that you are driving at high speed and cannot keep car accelerating with other cars around - especially on freeway. 1st occurrence happened at 31000 miles. Now constant repeat at 43000 miles. No warning lights/lamps, etc. Car has only been serviced by Ford. Ford noted this as a software update needed. In researching this, seems to be a common problem.

I was merging on to the interstate and lost all throttle. Gear dropped to first. I had to hurry and pull off of the interstate to avoid having a wreck. I have also had issues with the car clunking into gear when putting car in drive. Car will also slip gears from 2-4 and 7-8th while driving

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The power train system message was displayed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the clutch hub was damaged. The contact was informed that the transmission and the clutch hub needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

The vehicle has a significant delay in changing from park to drive, drive to reverse, and reverse to drive. The vehicle has been brought to FORD on several occasions, each time the shop has informed me that the vehicle is indicating a low voltage for the adaptive learning module. They reset the adaptive learning module and it corrects the issue for a about 6 months and the issue returns worse each time. On the most recent occasion the delay moving from drive to reverse was more than 45 seconds; which resulted in a near crash with a high speed moving vehicle. Had there been a collision the malfunction would have been the primary cause of the crash and a superseding event. I have taken the vehicle back to FORD and there response is now that the vehicle is out of warranty and the only offer was to again reset the...

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle decelerated, hesitated, and shifted out of gear independently. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2428 (Harsh/Delayed Engagement And/ Or Harsh/Delayed Shift). The failure mileage was 80,000.

Transmission issues: Sudden loss of power while driving 2021 Expedition on interstate when transmission disengaged at approximately 75 MPH in passing lane. This occurred most recently AFTER transmission was re-built at Ford dealership. Transmission has been having these issues for years and they have gotten worse (more frequent) with time. Last time occurred on Thanksgiving day 2024. Large red wrench indicator warning light appeared on dash advising to consult owner's manual. Small wrench indicator light remained at bottom of screen after the larger one disappeared. Dealership has not been able to reproduce the event which occurred about an hour into the trip on the interstate when proceeding up a slight grade. Vehicle is not safe to drive. Work requires frequent travel on interstate day trips. Loyal to Ford. Love Expeditions. Have owned several. No confidence in this one. Value adversely affected since cannot in good faith sell vehicle without disclosure...

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle down shifted inadvertently, and the vehicle lost power. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact state while driving 55 MPH, there were abnormal sounds coming from the engine and the transmission. The temperature gauge warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Chevrolet dealer twice to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. After the second repair the contact noticed that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to a Ford dealer and the transmission was replaced another time. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 89,035.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. During one failure, the contact shifted the vehicle from drive(D) to park(P) and the vehicle began to roll backward as though the vehicle were in neutral(N). The contact then shifted the vehicle back to drive(D) and the vehicle resumed normal operation. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that the only way to diagnose the problem would be to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was given the same information as the dealer. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

When stopped, the auto start stop comes on and the engine turns off. Suddenly a warning comes on and says that the vehicle has to be put in park and push the start button to start the engine again. It will not start automatically when the brake pedal is released. This has happened a number of times. I have not been to the dealer.

At 40,000 miles Transmission skips gears going from 3-4 4-5 and 7-8. Transmission jolts hard when put into reverse. Valve body was replaced which fixed the issue for a couple of months and now the same issues are occurring.

The Powertrain control system has detected an internal PCM communications error PCM will invoke failure mode effect management.

Transmission slams into gear when coming out of park, into drive

Shifting from park to drive on a level surface, the transmission will sporadically slam into gear so hard that the vehicle lurches forward. By the time I got to the dealership, it would not duplicate the problem. This vehicle has had the transmission rebuilt/replaced 4 times for this issue (among other issues), and there is less that 40,000 miles on the vehicle. The transmission also slams into gear on 3rd, 5th, and sometimes 6th (upshift and downshift). It will sporadically downshift when at highway speeds regardless of changes in speed or incline.

The power train failed to accelerate and completely disengaged. While trying to avoid being t-boned by another car, the vehicle failed to accelerate when required. The RPM gauge showed the acceleration demand but it did not transfer to the power train. Luckily the car running the red light swerved to miss us because we were not able to proactively avoid the collision. Ford first replaced the transmission plate, after recurrence is now offering a transmission rebuild under warranty. Now out of warranty, concerned issues will continue as Ford dealer not forthcoming on the repairs being done stating multiple issues are not related.

Expedition has roughly 33,000 miles on it. I took it into the dealer for service b/c the transmission was acting jumpy. By the time it got to the dealer for service, Pacifico Marple Ford deemed it undrivable and it needs a new transmission. I don't think the transmission should have went that quickly.

The transmission in this vehicle has been consistently needing repair. It is available for inspection. Concerned transmission will fail and leave family stranded. The problem has been reported to the dealer and the manufacturer 8 times over the past two years and they are still unable to fix the transmission. The vehicle has also had error messages about the problem.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while at a four-way stop, the vehicle failed to move, and downshifted to first gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

It started with transmission issues and has since been nothing but trouble. Car has been in and out of shop, now the ac is out. Ford takes no accountability

When driving at interstate speeds, the transmission locked into 7th gear and refused to change gears with changes in speed. This was especially dangerous when I exited the interstate and had to drive in traffic at city speeds. Starting from a stop in 7th gear was extremely dangerous and made me a hazard to myself and other cars around me.

Vehicle loses acceleration. When I attempt to pass someone on the interstate, the vehicle does not accelerate. When I push the gas the engine revs, but does not engage. I have to take my foot off the gas for 10-15 seconds for it to go back into gear. Error reads "stuck in park". It has been to Ford numerous times with the same result, they can't duplicate the problem.

Transmissions quickly break down. First signs are hard/loud gear shifting followed by slipping gears then eventual inability to accelerate. Regular transmission drains find metal contamination indicating breakdown of gears. Ford Motor Company is aware of this issue and will replace the transmission with the same failing transmission. Their proprietary system makes it difficult to diagnose and repair leading consumers to have to buy a replacement after 60k miles (which just so happens to be the extent of their warranty).

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a grinding sound coming from the transmission while changing gear. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while upshifting from second to third gear and while down shifting from fifth to fourth gear. During the failure the vehicle experienced hard jerking. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 20,000.

When driving down the road and it does not matter what speed I am going, is when this issue is happening to most. I will be driving and out of the blue the tachometer will just drop to zero (0) and I lose all power and the vehicle starts shaking vigorously back and forth until it decides what gear the transmission wants to be in. It is doing this every single day, and it almost made me wrecked the other day. I do not even have 70,000 miles and it will be three years old in April 2024. I have called Ford and reported the issue as well. I have researched the issues, and many other Expeditions are having the same issue years 2020-2022. I am asking for Ford to take a serious look at all the car crashes from this exact issue. I do know the F150 are recalled...