2016 FORD F-150 Power Train Problems

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle suddenly shifted into neutral(N) as indicated by the gear shift indicator. After which, the contact smelled a burning odor inside the vehicle, prompting the contact to turn off the vehicle. After the contact restarted the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Transmission failing due to torque converter issues. It is available for inspection. Sudden loss of power or slipping transmission. It has been inspected by technician. No warning lights prior to experiencing the problem.

The truck will down shift while on the highway. There is also a hard shift from gears 4 through 6. But mostly between 5-6. There are also times when the RPM go high to change gears when taking off. Yes it has put my family and I at risk when it does a sudden down shift while cruising at highway speeds. I am taking it to a shop to be looked at. There was no warning, or lights before this happened.

vehicle going downhill at about 65 mph shifted to lower gear and warning light (wrench image) comes on dash. truck would not accelerate going up next hill for several seconds and then warning light went off and operation/acceleration resumed and secondary light also cleared This had occurred on another occasion but second warning light stayed on. Service station checked code and indicated that the code was for a sensor in the transmission which they cleared. Have had several instances of intermittent warning light and loss of acceleration which have cleared after several seconds or when I pulled off road and put it in Park and then back in Drive

Shifts from 6th to 5th gear without warning. Cruise control is deactivated and can’t shift lower than 3rd gear. Sometimes will only stay in 5th gear. Possible faulty output shaft speed sensor.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear and the engine revved abnormally. The vehicle returned to normal functionality after driving a short distance. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Just pick up son from day care on afternoon of [XXX]. We were heading out of pea ridge and it was raining that day so speed was approximately 52-55 mph when all the light for the traction system starting flashing followed by a metal squealing sound. pulled over and noticed the brake was hot. so limped it home at 25 mph and scheduled it to be in the shop. come to find out the rear axle had broke inside the housing, caliper had locked up. had that axle broke off and slid out of the housing most likely would of been fatal to my [XXX] in his car seat and my self. there was no warning light or anything before it happened, and it happened all withing about 35 seconds to 1 minute. truck was in accident 2 year priors and side swiped on left side, but Geico claims that...

Hard down shifting from 4th to 3rd and 3rd to 1st. Lead frame needs replaced. Only 70,000 miles.

See attached document for complaint.

I was driving down the highway and the transmission started shifting erratically and went to 3rd almost causing me to wreck. Check engine light and wrench icon came on and had to pull over immediately. Code says faulty transmission range sensor and lead frame are the cause.

Uncommand downshift of the transmission at 50MPH causing the rear wheels to skid. This was accompanied by “Blind Spot System Fault”, “Cross Traffic System Fault”, “See Manual” warnings and a loss of transmission position indications (ie.. P-R-N-D-M-2-1). This appears to be similar to NHTSA Recal # 24S37 for 2014 F-150’s

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission independently downshifted. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated before accelerating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to contact the dealer. In addition, the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Driving certain freeway speeds will cause the f150 to downshift and lose speed could cause a serious collision on major roadways. This is happening all the time now.

I was driving my 2016 Ford f150 in Ventura California on August 29th 2025 when my throttle began to accelerate on its own after taking my foot off the gas pedal. My truck sped up out of control, I almost lost control of the vehicle and crashed. Luckily I was able to gain control and get it into neutral and then into park. My trucks rpms raced so high it sounded as if the engine was going to explode. I put it into park and the rpms lowered to a normal level. While this was all happening a wrench icon popped up on my dash. Once the wrench icon came on I noticed my dash wasn’t telling me what gear I was in or if I was in park, neutral or drive. I pulled into the closest parking lot. I put it in park and every time I gave the...

Transmission shift radically and causing car to jump like running over something. When hauling transmission might down shift from 5th speed to 2nd speed at 50-60 miles per hour.

My wife and toddler were returning from dropping off our older child at school this morning. As she approached an intersection, the rear wheels suddenly seized, causing an abrupt stop. A transmission failure code flashed on the digital gauges. The engine shut off, but the electronics remained on, as if in accessory mode. She was able to turn the truck off and then back on, which seemed to reset the system and allow her to drive forward.

My truck has 140,000 miles and I have maintained it to the specs provided by Ford My vehicle began to unexpectedly overheat when I was in 6th gear cruising at a low RPM. I had the coolant fluid tested for exhaust gasses. Exhaust gasses were detected and it was determined I had a blown head gasket. After taking to mechanics, other owners all over the internet, and Ford dealership employees at the dealership I purchased ny truck from. Everyone said the same thing. The 2.7L EcoBoost motor is prone to blowing a head gasket. My own father who has the same truck, just a younger older than mine decided to just replace the whole motor because he too blew a head gasket. This head gasket issue is pervasive and I would not be surprised if over 20% of this generation of motor has the same problem. I

Truck went into an uncontrolled downshift from fifth to first gear while in traffic, causing a large speed reduction in traffic. Risk of being rearended by driver behind me. Dealer confirmed this issue was due to connections in transmission shorting out due to exposed connections and particles in transmission fluid (same as 2014 F-150 recall). There was no warning that this was going to occur. Wrench light came on when it occurred. Part is not available for inspection.

Lead frame issue where truck downshifted hard as I was driving then was stuck in a higher gear. Had to have it towed into Ford for repair. Cost about $2,000

While driving today, my Ford F150 manual light came on while I was driving and then break assistance. Light came on, and it told me to check the brake system. And immediately immediately the truck slammed on the brakes while driving. I almost wrecked with my [XXX] daughter who is [XXX] in the vehicle. This needs to be fixed ASAP. This is very dangerous and could’ve been a lot worse this morning. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended for several seconds before the vehicle responded as intended. The contact stated that while at a stoplight, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the transmission. The contact stated that the 4-WD warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the result was not provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 144,000.

Transmission has a shutter issue with torch converter. Shops are indicating this is a known issue and some models have had previous recalls for our year but our VIN is not showing a recall for that. It does have a power train control module recall # 24E03

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear with the gear shifter indicator light flashing. The vehicle was jerking while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the contact was forced to shift into neutral(N) before shifting back to drive(D) to resume normal driving. The failure persisted until arriving at the intended destination. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The contact was referred to the manufacturer and was provided with the same information. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly decelerated, and the warning messages "Service Advance Track" and "Hill Brake Assist Unavailable" were displayed. The power train warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The local independent mechanic was contacted and advised the contact that the vehicle was likely experiencing a throttle body failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 132,000.

Transmission abruptly downshifts without warning. Cluster displays wrench icon and see manual but does not store a code in OBDII. Truck runs in “limp mode” restarting seems to clear the issue. Ford states no code no problem. I have video of issue happening.

Our truck has been switching gears while driving. It jumps from 2nd to 5th or 1st while in use. There are a few times we end up “stuck” making a turn at an intersection with vehicles coming towards us, almost hitting us due to the truck not switching gears fast enough. It has been happening frequently with the last incident today.

Transmission is no longer working correctly. Downshifting to low gear for no reason and refusing to shift to higher gear with rpms reaching 8000rpm at 35 mph. Onky 73k miles on vehicle . No check engine light. No error codes using reader.

While driving on the Interstate, my transmission suddenly had a dramatic downshift. A few miles later as I was exiting the freeway, it went into a limp mode for about 3 miles. I barely could pull into a fast food parking lot immediately off the exit ramp. After letting the truck sit for about an hour, I restarted the truck. It seemed to drive fairly well and drove it to a parts store to see if any OBD code was apparent. It read PO722-00 (Output Shaft Speed Sensor Circuit No Signal). I had about 57 miles to home (this is Sunday 7/27/2025 at about 5pm). Made it home but am seriously concerned about allowing my wife driving this!

Vehicle has random sudden and violent downshifts to first gear when at highway speeds. Severe risk of accident and/or engine damage.

Intermittent flashing of gear selectors (PRNDM) and gears 1-6. When putting in park it loses what gear it is in and nothing highlighted, so then the truck will not start. While driving and this begins, it gets stuck in gear and gear selectors start flashing as it does not know what gear it is in. Lead frame problem in the 6r80 is what detect it is showing. Please help with getting this covered under a recall!

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her son was driving 55 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that her son pulled over to the side of the road. The contact's son turned off the vehicle and waited for a short while before restarting the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred a short distance afterwards. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and it was determined that the lead frame had failed. The contact was informed that the internal transmission needed to be repaired or replaced. The lead frame was replaced, and the vehicle was reprogrammed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied assistance in covering the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

The molded lead frame, a part ford claims they fixed, failed at 81,000 miles. This lead to my truck going into limp mode and slamming into 3rd gear while driving on the highway. Luckily it didn’t cause an accident. $1000 to fix. Called ford corporate and they didn’t care at all. They said nope, we fixed that. Obviously not!

Going 50mph+ down road and transmission downshifting to 1st gear and won't do anything for a whole minute then kicks back into 5-6th gear. Does it multiple times. Almost wrecked on busy interstate due to this happening. This recall needs to be extended to the 15-17 truck also with 6R80

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, with the check engine and transmission warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 119,845. The VIN was not provided.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while his son was driving 45 MPH in sixth gear, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear and the vehicle skidded. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V164000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve body was not operating as needed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that DTC: P0706, P0707, P1702, and P1912 were retrieved. The vehicle was repaired. The contact mailed a letter to the manufacturer and filed a case, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 58,800.

Started [XXX] transmission jumping from 6 gear to first gear and rear tires to lock up. Carried to Rock Hill ford for repair and they had to replace the lead frame… same repairs make on same recalled transmission. The Tech at Ford said sorry and charged me $1443.29. Hope I can at least get some kind of response from you guys why that is possible. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving at 65 mph the Orange drive selection indicator on the dashboard started flashing. In addition, the column listing the gears on the right side of the screen started flashing as well. Now there is no orange drive selection indicator light and no column listing the gears on the right side of the screen. I attempted to use the tiptronic shifting switch on the shifter and I was getting no response. When I brought the vehicle to a halt while still in drive, the vehicle moved into neutral. I had to shift the vehicle into "M" manual mode to get it to shift into a driving gear. The vehicle still drives and is able to automatically travel through the gears however I have no way of visually confirming if I'm in drive. I ran a diagnostic scan and the results were as followed "P0705 transmission range sensor a circuit...

I began noticing the illuminated instrument cluster indicating that I was in drive, flash from drive, to manual, and my truck began changing gears. Truck wouldn’t start after so I changed the battery. A few days later it was driving fine then the lights began to flash once again. My rear wheels seemed to lock up while I was driving about 50 mph, I believe it shifted into first gear and the truck jolted forward. I received a “wrench” icon that stated to “see manual”. Truck began driving fine once again. I contacted 4 local Ford dealerships and all claimed they have never heard of anything like this.

Transmission downshifting unexpectedly 6 to 1 during hwy speed. Also unexpected hard down shifts. No codes or warnings before or after events. Started having issue June 12th 2025. Does it once or twice daily since it began. Started case with Ford Motor Company. Talked with mechanic and tells me the 6spd transmission in ford have that issue. Mine doesn’t seem to be on recall list. Needs to be fixed, drive grand children around in this vehicle and is my daily driver for work. Thanks for all your help in the matter.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, causing the vehicle to dramatically decelerate. The contact then pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The “Service Transmission” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the powertrain control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 145,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to start. The contact’s husband went underneath the vehicle to maneuver the gear shifter cable and the vehicle was able to start. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and started to decelerate. The contact coasted to the side of the road where the vehicle was turned off. After waiting and after several attempts the vehicle was restarted, and the contact continued driving. The failure had occurred several times intermittently. The contact stated that the gear indicator lights on the instrument panel failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer transferred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle decelerated to 40 MPH. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping. There was an unknown recording alerting the contact of the issue. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and confirmed there was no recall coverage on the vehicle for the failure. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that while the mechanic was driving the vehicle, the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the failure was due to the turbo charger and the transmission. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000. The VIN was not available.

Transmission will slip upon accelerating and down shift without shifting. Causes the truck to pause until it shifts back into gear. This has happened multiple times.

After passing a car on a two lane highway 120 miles from home a wrench light came on and the transmission got stuck in 5th gear. We pulled over, stopped the truck and then it got stuck in 3rd gear and then the check engine light came on. The truck then proceeded to on into limp mode. At that point with the transmission clunking we and the truck shutting down we didn't feel safe driving the vehicle to our weekend destination nor did we feel safe driving it home as we had no idea if the transmission would completely fail. These were two lanes roads with not much shoulder and steep cliffs along the road in many areas and it was very unpopulated so any number of things could have happened to put us at risk. We had the truck towed 120 mileshome and taken to the nearest Ford Dealership,...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V444000 (Power Train), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 215,000.

Throttle body failure lead to loss of power right as I pulled out into traffic. Serious safety issue. No light appeared on the dash after turning truck off and back on and the same thing happened again.

Transmission will unexpectedly downshift on its own while driving at highway speeds causing significant RPM increase and wheel slowdown.

After vehicle warms up. There is a "shudder" in either the engine or the power train. It is random and makes the truck vibrate. RPM gauge also fluctuates.

Truck Shifts from 6th gear to 1st gear at freeway speeds. This only takes place for a matter of seconds and then shift back to 6th gear. During down shift all throttle response is gone and then regains throttle as if it was resetting. My fear is its going to happen and lock up the truck causing a major accident. I recently had the trucks transmission serviced (Fluid, filter and flushed) thinking old fluid may be causing the issue. But sadly the problem is still there with nothing looking broke or out of place according to FORD. Then today i find my trucks year is apart of a Investigation opened into nearly 1.3 million Ford F-150 trucks over unexpected gear shifts [XXX] . This is a major safe concern not to mention very expensive repair,. Looks like ford is back to old ways, this similar Problem was in the 2012-14...

Truck suddenly downshift into 5th gear and bucked for second starting out to get up to 60 mph Wrench light comes on transmission at 60 mph. holding back due to communications from the output sensor and the PCM. Took it to a ford dealer and had transmission flushed it was diagnosed with code PO722. Dealer said earlier years of these type of transmission on F150 had same problems.