2016 FORD F-150 Power Train Problems

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the transmission warning light was intermittently flashing on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the transmission unexpectedly downshifted while driving at various speeds. In addition, the vehicle occasionally shut off while driving, with the "Transmission not in Park" message displayed on the instrument panel, while the gear shifter was in park(P). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that the molded lead frame had caused the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Transmission issue. Driving in 3rd or 4th gear at about 40 MPH when vehicle dropped down into 1st gear. Additionally, Multiple occasions of 1st and 2nd gear not being available while vehicle is at full stop, only 3rd gear and higher.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 6th gear to 1st gear, with the service vehicle's soon-to-be warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V444000 (POWER TRAIN) as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

Driving on freeway at 70mph and suddenly the truck shifted to a lower gear causing my RPM's to shoot to over 6,000rpm. I was able to get to the shoulder and turn off vehicle. I waited about 10 minutes and restarted the truck. When it happened the wrench light came on and then went away before I got to the shoulder. I checked for stored codes and it was showing PO720 Out put speed sensor (lead frame in transmission).

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while exiting a highway at an undisclosed speed, the transmission downshifted hard, and the vehicle jolted forward. The contact stated that simultaneously, the power train warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the molded lead frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 114,476.

Transmission Lead Frame Failed.

Seems like it doesn’t know what gear to be in. At a stop it’s in high gear then slams into low gear then check engine light

My truck while driving will downshift into 1st gear. There are no warnings before hand. This puts me and other drivers in harms way. This has happened 4-5 times previously and then it has happened 2 this past week. When it happens my truck just stops and because my foot is on the gas the engine will rev until I put my foot on the brake. I have been very fortunate that no one has rear ended me. I do have an appt with my Ford Dealership for this coming Tuesday. At this point I’m afraid to drive it until this matter has been taken care of. I have read where there was a recall on the 2014 F150 for the same thing. I’m not sure what else you need from me at this time. Also it usually happens when I driving between 40-50mph, but this last time I was...

Transmission has torque converter shudder

The transmission down shift at high speeds

Vehicle will down shift while traveling at hi way speed. It will almost make you skid.

I have had the torque converter replaced/repaired due to a failing torques converter that caused a "rumble strip" sensation while driving and also have had to have both front and rear differentials repaired due to failed bearings. The truck has also exhibited a "groaning" sound when idling in a parking lot, or coming to a stop that dealership could never determine what cause was. I have also had a indicator light flash in my dash indicating a failed Traction Control Device, which never appeared in any diagnostics. I believe these items can also contribute to the issue at hand in the investigation of PE25002. This has happened multiple times, but I first noticed July 2021.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The failure caused the RPM to become elevated, and the exhaust fan activated without the engine overheating. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off and restart the vehicle to reset the system. The “WRENCH” and the message to “See Owner’s Manual” was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact used a personal diagnostic computer and retrieved DTC: P0715; for a failure of the input shaft speed sensor inside the transmission. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

I Was Highway Driving this afternoon so speed was about 65mph with Cruise Control On, and suddenly the truck downshifted through the gears like it went into low gear and almost lost control of the Vehicle but was able to safely pull over to the side of the road. Warning light came on as this happened that looked like a wrench(never seen before). Talked to my mechanic right away and confirmed the code that triggered the “Wrench”icon and showed 'bad lead frame in the transmission’… I have never had such an experience with a vehicle ( other then that something severely breakdown because of broken part or flat) to cause such an unsafe situation and thus reason for making this my first ever Report to the NHTSA. So hopefully gets documented and seen by the proper authority’s to remedy this before someone could easily have lost control and been severely...

Driving 45mph vehicle down shifted. This has happened twice in the last two weeks.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while at a red light the vehicle failed to move forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a transmission repair facility where it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

To whom it may concern. The vehicle down shifts from a much higher gear to a lower gear which causes a violent slow down and high revs of the engine. This is happening much more frequently and is dangerous because of the rapid deceleration. The reason I think it is downshifting is the RPM's spike and the gear selector flashes when the episode happens. My VIN Number is [XXX] . I have taken the vehicle in a few times to my local Ford Dealer. Hall Ford Elizabeth City NC. They tell me there is nothing more they can do until Ford gives them direction. I had another service appointment today and I pushed Hall Ford Elizabeth City NC to do another inspection and they did see a code which they say they reset but did not know if it was what caused our issue. The code P1921 (Range Sensor) which...

Was driving down highway going about 60/65 mph. Then the transmission shifted from 6th gear to 1st gear very rapidly. Was able to pull over to side of road and truck repeatedly jerked while shifting back into 3rd then back to 6th. Truck drove normally for a while afterward and then it happened again when driving roughly 40 mph. This seems like a major safety issue considering downshifting 5 gears suddenly reduces speed quickly and can cause an accident or loss of control. It seems something with the transmission is the issue. It is available for inspection if requested. There’s been issues with the gears shifting incorrectly and when taken to ford they just say they don’t know what I’m talking about and give the truck back but it’s pretty obvious when driving that there’s a transmission issue. However this is the first instance where it shifted significantly when driving...

Vehicle will suddenly downshift and has locked up the rear tires. Sometimes vehicle won't start because the P (park) light is not illuminated

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was able to pull over to a nearby parking lot, and the vehicle was turned off and restarted to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, Sea Breeze Ford (1701 NJ-35, Wall Township, NJ 07719), who diagnosed that the brakes might have caused the failure. The dealer replaced the brake pads and rotors on all four wheels. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not under a recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 335,000.

I’m a single mother driving a 2016 Ford F-150, my only vehicle, while transporting small children daily. I’ve been experiencing sudden, violent shaking and unexpected downshifting while driving, especially at highway speeds. On more than one occasion, it has felt like the rear wheels try to lock, causing the entire truck to jolt and decelerate rapidly, putting my safety and the safety of my children at serious risk. I’ve taken the truck to the dealership and multiple independent mechanics, but no one can diagnose the issue because no error codes appear related to the transmission or shifting. The only code that comes up is for a faulty catalytic converter, but both catalytic converters have already been replaced. The dealership confirmed that the check engine light keeps coming on anyway, even though there’s no actual issue with the new parts. They said it’s as if the system is being triggered by...

Traveling at a speed of 55 mph, truck downshifted from 6th gear to 2nd gear. Pulled off the road, and truck would not restart. Towed to Ford dealer who replaced the transmission lead frame at a cost of $1200. This is a serious safety concern! Thankfully no one traveling behind me, or an accident would have occurred.

We noticed that the f-150 would down shift and jerk the whole vehicle and the RPM would spike. It would throw you forward when it occurred. We brought it to Hall Ford October 23, 2024. Left it for three days and Hall Ford could not duplicate the issue. We have experienced the issue multiple times and we want to document this issue. It is dangerous. We noticed that NHTSA Investigating 1.3 Million Ford F-150s For Unexpected Downshifts. That is when the light went off that this was exactly what we were experiencing. Please help us get this fixed at the Hall Ford or any Ford dealership near us. 04/16/2025 The contact stated that since the complaint has been submitted the failure has been more frequently. When the contact depressed on the accelerator pedal the vehicle locked up.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. The contacted depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle briefly lost motive power. The vehicle returned to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the automatic transmission valve body. The automatic transmission valve was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

The contact called on behalf of his wife who owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that his wife expressed concerns that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was struggling to shift into gear and then unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed because the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Action Number: PE25002 (POWER TRAIN); as possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

On [XXX] I was pulling a trailer with a 1981 F150 home from Louisville, KY. When we enter onto the Interstate System and reached cruising speed by transmission indicator started jumping around switch between gear and downshifted very hard into first gear while I was navigating traffic - semi trailers and passenger vehicles around us. The truck then went into what I would call limp mood for several miles and we were unable to maintain highway speeds with nowhere to exit the interstate there in Louisville area. Eventually the truck regained normal power and we continued our journey back home to the St. Louis Missouri area. We had to stop several time out of fear to check engine oil, transmission fluid and engine temperature out of precautions. We were very stressed after this hard downshift that almost resulted in striking other vehicles on the interstate from the downshifting and rapid...

My truck is experiencing sudden and unexpected downshifting while driving.

unexpected downshifts to lower gears at highway speeds which leads to temporary rear wheel lock-up, sudden deceleration, and sometimes loss of control.

While traveling on the highway my F150 downshifted to 3rd gear from 6th causing the truck to slow abruptly. I pulled over and it would not accelerate, after turning the ignition off and on a few times the problem seemed to have went away long enough to get home.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the transmission failed to operate as designed and the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted from fourth gear to first gear. The vehicle jerked and made an abnormal grinding sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The transmission fluid was changed; however, no repairs were made to the transmission. The contact stated that the dealer turned off the check engine warning light. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.

Vehicle downshifts unexpectedly sometimes and it also kicks hard when slowing down or coming to a stop. Brought it to Hempstead Ford and test drove it with Charlie the senior service advisor, he said he understands and feels what I’m explaining, but Ford says its normal.

Vehicle suddenly downshifted on highway causing rapid deceleration. Vehicle was then limited to third gear (although dash did not indicate such) with tachometer limited to approximately 1500rpm. After resting for 2 days, vehicle suddenly ran like normal, with no logical explanation.

While driving at highway speed Transmission suddenly down shifted Into 3rd gear on its own.

My husband and I would like to file a complaint about our truck. Our truck transmission shifts down with NO reason and at random times. We have asked our car lot, (Oak Motors, Indianapolis) shop about this at the time of purchase and we were told it is a sealed unit so there is nothing they could do. We have had this truck over a year and this shifting has become more erratic at any speed and it scares me while driving. Now I hear about the investigation and honestly this truck is a safety risk. It causes GREAT anxiety to drive!! Not to mention the added stress and wear on u joints and the rear differential. This truck has not caused an accident yet but one is bound to happen.

In several different cases I was driving around 40-45 mph and when I went to slow down and turn, the transmission downshifted way to early to 1st or 2nd gear. No warning lights came on in any of the incidents.

When accelerating on the highway at approximately 55mph, I had a sudden downshift from 6th to 3rd gear that caused me to slow down unexpectedly and lose control, go off the roadway into the shoulder. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - TRANSMISSION, YES How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? CAUSED ME TO GO OFF THE ROADWAY INTO SHOULDER WITH MY K9 Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? YES - MULTIPLE TIMES OVER LAST 2 YEARS Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? BY MULTIPLE FORD DEALERS AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? ONLY THE TRANSMISSION GEAR HUNTING WHEN ACCELERATING

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the transmission downshifted to a lower gear while attempting to stop at a traffic light. The check engine and the service engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission occasionally downshifted unexpectedly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The independent mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. There were no warning lights illuminated at the time the vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

While driving 35-40mph, transmission downshifted to a low gear and locked up rear wheels. This cause a loss of control for a moment. Check engine light came on, as well as wrench on dash. Engine cooling fans turned on high, and no indication of what gear was selected on the dash.

Transmission malfunction,stop working then slam back hard again working .Took to transmission shop (Hixson Tramsmission) and charged 100 dollars to tell me they found nothing wrong. Had fluids changed in transmission for another 400 dollars on a truck 2016 with 38000 miles on it. It jam back so hard then could find nothing. I was hard enough to make my back and neck hurt. If i had be on busy road it would have caused an accident.No warning light or signals till a couple days after i spent 500 dollars trying to find the problem the engine light came on after the fact.

While driving a 2016 Ford F-150 XLT Supercab with a 6-speed transmission and 5.0L V-8, the truck was acting abnormally where the rear tires locked up and chirped once, then acted normally. The following week I auto-started the truck to warm the engine up prior to leaving for work, the transmission clunked into reverse and moved, then when in forward motion the transmission lagged and heavily shifted upon acceleration. I turned around, came home, and switched vehicles. Upon arriving home after work, I took the truck for a test drive and it functioned normally, so I continued onto the grocery store. While traveling at 35mph, the transmission slammed into first gear and jolted me. The transmission began shifting on its own from 1st to 3rd back to 1st then to reverse. I was stopped in the middle of the road. I shut the truck off and waited approximately 5 to...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 37-39 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from fourth to first gear. The vehicle jerked and made an abnormally loud sound. The contact pulled over and parked the vehicle. The contact waited 30 seconds before shifting the transmission into drive(D) to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE25002 (Power Train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while exiting the driveway driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted. The vehicle failed to accelerate or move forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist who determined that a transmission replacement was needed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall coverage on the VIN. The failure mileage was unknown.

driving down the road and the transmission stopped driving at stop light, forced the gas pedal down, and finally kicked itself into gear to jerk the truck hard into another lane. had a horrible smell afterward

The contact owned a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into second gear. A local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was not provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.

The truck starts up everything fine and then a few minutes later comes up with the wrench and bogs down the truck like they can’t get up and gearing I would have to shut it off a couple different times for it to work good again and sometimes it does it while you’re driving down the road

Dropped from 6th gear to 4th gear while going roughly 70 mph on the highway. It shot up in rpm and I was having trouble slowing down/braking.

The problem is my transmission a 6R80 my safety is put at risk when getting onto the highway. And the truck slips, third, and fourth gear causes me to gradually speed up on an interstate. The truck has been inspected by Ford. They replaced a torque converter, but not even a year later. Now it's slipping, gears and shuddering real bad.

Occasionally on startup will hard shift then get stuck in 5th,3rd,or 1st gear and will move slowly upon accelerating.This will also happen when driving at different speeds.Cooling fan will also be running on high speed.Had lead frame and valve body replaced($2000) but within two weeks symptoms returned.Truck is now in dealer waiting for replacement transmission to come in($7000) Will add receipt when vehicle is returned.

Unknown Downshifts for no reason

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the wrench warning light illuminated, the instrument panel went black, and the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart. A mechanic arrived on the scene and disconnected the negative battery terminal and waited for a while before restarting the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven to the residence where the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with an internal sensor failure inside the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 148,000.