2018 FORD F-150 Power Train Problems

My 2018 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission is experiencing severe slipping, delayed engagemen (1-2, 3-4), and erratic shifting. Upon inspection, I found significant gold glitter-like metal shavings in the transmission fluid/oil pan, indicating internal wear or failure of components. These symptoms create safety concerns including hesitation or loss of power during acceleration, potential sudden surges or jerks, and risk of the vehicle not responding properly in traffic or when merging, which could lead to crashes, injuries, or being stranded. I have not repaired this yet but will be replacing the transmission soon.

10 speed transmission started to have hard shifts and dead spots. Some shifting issues happened at low speeds(1 thru 5 speeds) and then others showed at highway speeds; downshifts from 10 to 8 gears. Issue with transmission stated at around 142,000 miles but became very problematic at around 145, 000 miles. At this point I had to get a new transmission; cost was approximately $10000.00. This was a remanufactured transmission with 3 years or 100,000 miles. Note - I really like the truck but the Ford recall plans are terrible; I've already had the cam phaser replaced, front wheel bearing, and internal water pump. This probably cost another $7000.00. A lot of money for a truck that has pretty limited miles.

replaced cdf drum, cdf support in transmission, torque converter at 87,143 miles on odometer

Vehicle is experiencing hard shifts pretty regularly in various gears. Look up and read several other owners experiencing the same issue regarding the hard shifts.

We were driving on the interstate and suddenly the truck increased RPMs rapidly with no acceleration when pressing the gas. The vehicle began to decelerate quickly on its own. We turned on our flashers to warn drivers around us. The truck suddenly gained back some acceleration, enough for us to move to the right, and lost full power again, and we coasted to the shoulder. If the vehicle had not gained back some acceleration after the initial deceleration, we may have been rear-ended. We had it towed to the nearest Ford Dealership. They confirmed the transmission had a total failure. They quoted around 4500 for a rebuild, or 9500 for a new transmission. The truck has only about 53,000 miles on it. I wanted to report this concern because I’m now aware there are many reported issues with this 10-speed transmission, and the sudden complete loss of power as we...

While cruising on the highway at 55 to 60mph, the transmission will suddenly and without warning rapidly downshift resulting in unstable and dangerous conditions. This has occurred multiple times on icy or frosty roads and the vehicle becomes difficult to control. My safety and that of oncoming traffic was compromised. A "wrench" light comes on in the dash following the event. Once the vehicle is power cycled, the wrench disappears.

Hard clunks when shifting Hesitation or delay when accelerating RPM flares between gears Jerking when slowing down or taking off Slipping or feeling like the truck goes into neutral Shuddering

My 2018 Ford F-150 experiences harsh, erratic, and unpredictable transmission shifting. The truck frequently hesitates during acceleration, followed by sudden and violent gear engagement. It also makes abrupt downshifts while driving, causing unexpected deceleration that can be dangerous in traffic. The truck will shift from 8th, 9th, or 10th gear down to 1st at highway speeds. This causes abrupt deceleration and significant loss of speed on the highway. On multiple occasions, the transmission has delayed engagement when shifting from a stop, creating hesitation when entering intersections or merging, followed by a sudden surge of power. This creates an unsafe driving condition and increases the risk of rear-end collision or loss of control. The shifting behavior is inconsistent and unpredictable, occurring during both in traffic and highway driving. The problem is worsening over time. Given the frequency and severity of these events, I believe this transmission behavior represents a significant safety...

with only 70000 miles on vehicle, complete failure of the 10speed automatic transmission. Transmission shifts extremely rough and between 2 and 3 gear it loses engagement while driving for several seconds and then reengages. Vehicle has also downshifted from 4th gear to 1st gear unexpectedly.

My truck would drop from 10th gear down to 2nd or 3rd on the highway. Then it would shift rough and jerk my truck hard. Started losing gears and having lots of transmission issues. Ended up taking it to a shop and had to get a new transmission

The vehicle intermittently experiences delayed gear engagement and hesitation during acceleration, most noticeably when the transmission is cold. During several incidents, when pulling out from a stop onto a main road and attempting to accelerate into traffic, the vehicle failed to shift or engage power normally. The engine remained running, but the vehicle did not accelerate as expected, creating a temporary loss of forward momentum. After a delay, the transmission would suddenly engage and the vehicle would accelerate normally. This condition creates a safety risk because when entering traffic from a stop sign or side road, other drivers expect normal acceleration. The hesitation or delayed engagement creates a risk of being struck by oncoming traffic. The issue occurs most frequently when the vehicle is first driven after sitting for several hours, especially in colder temperatures. After the vehicle is fully warmed up, the condition is less noticeable or may not...

At about 70,000 miles, my truck's transmission began to shift extremely hard in the low gears, between first and fourth, and at times of sudden acceleration (from a stop sign or on ramp) the transmission would fail and I would need to put the vehicle in neutral then back into drive. This happened a few times before I had to have my transmission replaced at a cost of about $9,000. I read that there is an investigation into this issue but the investigation does not include 2018 trucks. The investigation should include 2018 to 2021 models as well.

Recently noticed sharp downshifting of auto transmission. Usually going up or down grade when I take foot off accelerator. Last week someone behind me needed to brake hard and change lanes in an emergency manner. The transmission change it hard and drops two or three gears. Very scary.

About the safe issue I have the transmission when you wanna have the throttle you wanna pass a car the transmission had don’t go down and make a limp control and I scanned the transmission. It’s no code. It’s not safe when you in the highway you want a best truck or best car and switch down shift to limb control.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted before slamming into gear. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the transmission. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was rebuilt; however, the failure persisted. Most recently, while driving 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission downshifted unexpectedly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

At around 68K miles, we started experiencing rough shifting and aggressive clunking into gear while driving. On getting the transmission checked, we were told we would require a new transmission in the near future. At this time, however, no codes came up on the reader, and no warning lights were on. Dark fluid and metal shavings were found by the transmission professional's inspection at both a Ford dealership and a private transmission shop. On driving home from the shop, the rough shifting and bucking became so severe, we felt unsafe completing the drive home and turned back to the shop. There were still no warning lights on, however it was determined that the transmission had failed completely and the truck was no longer drivable. This resulted in a new transmission having to be installed with the truck only having 68K miles on it.

While driving this truck with just 113000 it will occasionally go into neutral.while in the drive position and causes a big safety concern while pulling out into traffic or even while going down the road and I'm afraid of being in or causing an accident. Multiple times this has happened.

The transmission shuffles between gears and while driving down the road it will shift from 4th to 1st to 8th back to 4th gears the shift to 5th gear and it is a hazard driving this truck down the road. I can’t even drive this vehicle because I am worried when it’s going to go out and cause a accident and possibly cause severe injuries to me or someone else

Vehicle was having issues with acceleration. It started subtle where I could tell it was taking a little more time to catch or switch gears as I accelerated. It quickly progressed as I drove it more (within weeks of noticing the issue) that I could not safely turn on to higher speed roads from a slowed or stopped speed. For example if I turned on to a high way, whether merging or from a stop sign, I could not accelerate in a timely fashion to safely merge at high way speed and had to pull over on the shoulder to let other cars pass until the truck could accelerate. I did take it to a Ford dealership to be diagnosed and fixed. There they discovered the issue was the CDF clutch. They replaced the CDF clutch and found that a valve body had some damage as well so that was...

Once Transmission get at a hot temperature, the Transmission have a hard time shifting and down shifting. I have taken my trust a Transmission shop and I was told everything looks good and suggested I just get service. And I also was told that it could be a sensor problem. And the mechanic really didn't understand because I only have 147,000 miles and having Transmission problems.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while in fourth gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle jerked abnormally with the “WRENCH” warning light illuminated, and the "See Owner's Manual" message displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and DTC: P0734 (CDF Drum) was retrieved. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure, and an estimate was provided for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Action Number: EA26001(Power Train) and associated the failure with the NHTSA Action Number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

Sudden down shift at high speeds. It put it self park while driving. Skip gears while driving.

Vehicle is at 88k miles. Vehicle has hard shifting/delayed shifting between 1-3 and 5-7 gears. At highway speeds, vehicle tries to downshift from top gear. Have lost rpm's while driving-lasting about 3-5 seconds before engaging the gears again. Took to a dealer, was informed it was a "known" issue and would need the transmission replaced. Extended warranty will not cover since it is a known issue. No warning lamps or messages in the display center. The loss of rpm's and delayed shifting issues could cause stalling and put me and others at risk with possible loss of power/motion while moving. Especially while driving on the highway.

Ford installed parts into transmissions that are the reasons for certain years 2017-2022 models with the 10R80 transmission to fail. Ford has since remanufactured the same parts to prevent this problem with models after 2022. Ford refuses to admit it was their manufacturing defect, but will repair your transmission at a hefty cost to you when Ford vehicles with the affected transmissions fail. There are numerous TSBs (technical service bulletins) stating that Ford is aware of the problems that occur with these faulty transmissions. Ford will only post these TSBs on its website and not mail them out to consumers; the consumers have to find them for themselves. There are videos online clearly explaining the problem. I am leaving links to both of them. https://youtu.be/4SQjPinDAm0?si=k14FHcC-VV3WHelg https://youtu.be/H1Rl97OUOa4?si=wO1KmxWX2jNStXmV

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started in the morning and shifted into drive(D), the vehicle hesitated and then jolted into gear. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had become a recurring failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was also slipping out of gear. While driving 45 MPH, the transmission downshifted to 1st and the vehicle slowed down unexpectedly. There were no warning lights illuminated. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the engine was making an abnormal clattering sound. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced, and stated that the cam phasers were possibly causing the engine to make an abnormal sound. The transmission was replaced; however, the engine failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign...

CDF Drum - Transmission Transmission unable to find gear, repeatedly skips when downshifting. Slips when engine braking. Unable to safely exit traffic on the highway. Problem is reproduced at dealer. A common issue nation-wide. Hefty repair bill on a young truck. (90,000 miles) No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms.

Since buying my Ford 2018 F150 Raptor, I have had constant issues and problems with the 10R80 Transmission shifting irradictly, harsh engagements, stalling between gears while losing power, loud metal noises in the transmission/under the truck, and damage already done to the transfer case and transmission resulting in a truck that needs a new transmission, CDF, and transfer case. I have had this truck worked on 8 times on the transfer case, and constant reprogramming of the PCM because the technicians at the dealerships did not know how to completely fixed it and just followed the TSBs that were given by Ford. Most of which they just reprogrammed the PCM and the adaptive learning program which Ford said it was most likely causing the issues. In 2023 they found damage inside the transfer case with metal bore damage and two valves, which they replaced, it worked for a year, and...

While attempting a left-hand turn across two lanes of oncoming traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of motive power. Upon acceleration, the 10R80 transmission slipped out of gear, causing the engine RPMs to spike (rev) without transferring power to the wheels. This left the vehicle momentarily stationary in the path of oncoming traffic, nearly resulting in a broadside collision. After a delay, the transmission violently engaged, causing the vehicle to lunge forward with enough force to spin the tires and nearly cause a loss of steering control. There were no prior warning lights, "limp mode" indicators, or messages on the dashboard before or during the failure. The vehicle was taken to a Ford dealership, where technicians confirmed a failure internal to the 10R80 transmission. The service department stated this is a "known issue" with this transmission model and recommended a full replacement. This failure represents a significant...

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission independently shifted gear. The contact stated that when the failure occurred, there was a hard banging sound coming from the transmission. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission had skipped gears and had independently shifted into neutral(N) intermittently. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised that a diagnostic test was needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact was advised by a member of an online forum to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the known failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

F150 errors shifting, clunky shifts. Transmission rebuild at 105,000 mi, then again at 160,000 mi, then again at 163,000 miles. And total replacement at 163,300 mi.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon returning to the residence in another vehicle, the contact became aware that the vehicle was missing. The contact's son soon became aware that the vehicle was in the woods by the residence. Upon locating the vehicle, the contact noticed that the doors were locked and that the vehicle was still in park(P). The contact stated that the vehicle had shifted out of gear and had rolled backwards into the wooded area. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and an appointment was scheduled to have the vehicle diagnosed by a dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and after a diagnostic was performed, the dealer discovered no defects with the vehicle....

My 2018 Ford F150 only has 30,500 miles on it. There is a well known issue with the 2018-2022 Ford 10 speed transmissions, where the CDF drum fails and causes many transmission related issues. I started to show symptoms of this failure, very rough shifts from 1-3 gear, transmission would hesitate and not shift into the next gear, sometimes it would even aggressively downshift while just maintaining vehicle speed. The symptoms quickly got worse. I ended up stuck at a light because after it turned green, my vehicle wouldnt move, and i notcied it was stuck in 7th gear. I tried to manually downshift, but it wouldnt, as cars behind me were honking at me as i held up traffic. Eventually i started to accelerate from a stop in 7th gear, and then the transmission slammed into 1st gear. I brought my truck to Ford the next morning and they...

I have a 10 speed transmission in my 2018 f150. I started noticing harsh shifting and came to fine out it is from the known issue that ford has acknowledged. The cds clutch drum slipped do ti fault parts. I contacted ford and they refused to help and said that my vehicle was out of warranty even though they acknowledged the service bulletin they stated that there was no recall at this time. I had to pay over $8,000 out of pocket and be without a truck for over a month.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-40 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and shifting abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the failure was related to DTC: P076F/10R80, and the dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no recall coverage for the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.

This vehicle has the 10R80 10 speed transmission, the same transmission that is in the Mustang that is under recall now. That was reset at a Ford dealership in 2023 I believe. It was not acting up at that time, they "fixed" it then while it was in. Now a few years later this problem is VERY PERSISTANT now, constantly missing, skipping, and losing power trying to accelerate trying to get on to busy roads and highways, it loses power and skips through all the gears from 1st to 10th back down to 4, then 6 then 2 then back to 9 and 10. I have almost been hit numerous times from this action. It is also causing the dash lights to turn off and come back on. Also effecting my 4 wheel drive, it will not engage. This should be a SAFTEY RECALL and Ford needs to take of...

Engine is ticking and whistling. Drive train issues cam phasers was told beginning of the problem

At 50k miles the transmission started to have a hard time finding a gear at low speeds, often “in neutral” - between gears for 1-2 seconds and on occasion up you 5-7 seconds. During this “neutral”, the engine could still rev freely and often built revs too high for the next gear, causing a hard ‘jerking’ motion when the next gear is engaged. This proved to be moderately dangerous when merging into traffic with propulsion being cut. At 52000 miles, 10th gear would have trouble holding at highway speeds and would disengage for that same 5-7 second gap, only to eventually resort to 9th gear. Being left powerless on the highway can be extremely dangerous if you are caught traveling up a steep grade or passing another vehicle. At 53000 miles, the above mentioned 10th gear symptom arose at a steady 70 mph, and when 9th gear was engaged the...

Ford has issued multiple TSBs regarding THE DEFECTIVE 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission, particularly in F-150s (2017+). The issue is around the CDF drum in Ford F-150s (and other vehicles with the 10R80 transmission) is a known issue where an internal bushing can slide, causing significant fluid pressure loss, erratic shifting, and potential transmission failure, especially in models from 2017-2023. Ford was aware of this because they released multiple bulletins, and they even redesigned the CDF drum with JL3Z-7H351-B to fix the problem, but never issued a recall notice. I was leaving my house, and my truck did not move. It revved up to 5 thousand rpms, and then a loud bang noise happened, and then the truck moved. I took it to the dealership, and they said the CDF drum failed, and now they quoted me $7,000 to fix the known issue. When I called Ford to ask for some...

The truck had a horrible shift from 3-5 that makes it hard to even get up to speed correctly and when getting up to around 2.5k-3k rpm it seems to slip makes a loud bang and the catch again and continues to go. It makes the truck annoying to drive and also feels like it’s just going to completely give out one day

Ford Consumer Affairs was sent a letter with this information, too. My 2018 F150 truck had issues with the 10 speed transmission. It’s been jumping, skipping gear, down shifting for no reason. Yesterday, 12/28/25, we were returning home from a holiday trip on I-95’s left lane of the highway when the truck down-shifted from 10th gear to around 3rd or 4th gear spiking the RPM to over 5,000 RPM’s for no reason on 3 different occasions. We had to move to the right lane after the 3rd time due to the wrench light coming on and the transmission temperature gauge maxed out at super hot and turn on the hazards due to only doing 50 MPH in a 70 MPH highway until we could exit. This was dangerous in so many ways due to the volume of traffic on the highway. Downshifting that much instantly was like slamming on brakes...

On December 24, 2025 at around 2:00 pm While driving my 2018 Ford F-150 from Hidalgo, Texas to Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, a distance of approximately 220 miles, my vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous transmission failure that placed myself, my family, and other motorists at significant risk. For the first approximately 130 miles, the vehicle operated normally with no warning signs. While traveling on a two-lane highway, I attempted to pass an 18-wheeler. During the passing maneuver, the transmission began harsh and jerky shifting, slipping, and delayed gear engagement, followed by an immediate and significant loss of power and acceleration. As soon as I completed the pass, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly and lost power, leaving me exposed in a dangerous situation with limited ability to increase speed. Because the road only had one lane in each direction, this created a high-risk scenario involving oncoming traffic. Within seconds,...

Truck has a lag then hard catch going from 7th to 8th gear and sometimes skips gears causing burnt transmission fluid and lower rear seals along with water pump seals all seals and gaskets are bad being ford used plastic gaskets that year and ford recommends changing to more current seals and gaskets but don't want to cover costs , my truck is sitting in a shop with 4,900.00 in repairs do to ford parts for that year faulty

Driving the vehicle when it tries to reach the 7th gear it loses power then drops to 1st gear and won’t pass 6th gear the check engine light came on and the maintenance light. Took the vehicle into the dealer to learn that the transmission is bad and I need a new one. Solenoid stuck position A. P0752

Ford F150 10 speed transmission failure. Trying to cross intersection and transmission failed. I avoided an accident. Transmission had to be replaced at dealership. No warning lights or messages. Vehicle worked perfect until time of failure.

Bad transmission shifting at 80k miles. Apearently is a known problems. There has been a few times it shifted so hard that my neck hurts the rest of the day also take a minute to accelerate sometimes leaving in in front of oncoming traffic. No codes or anything, I’ve been told that it’s normal

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The transmission warning light illuminated, and the message to "See Owner’s Manual" was displayed. The contact coasted the vehicle to the dealer, who determined that the transmission had failed. The transmission was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

My 2018 f150 has a 10r80 transmission. I was driving through heavy traffic on US Route 93 southbound, moving at about 60MPH when the transmission suddenly lost all power. Because there was no left-side shoulder (I was in the left lane), I needed to throw on my hazard lights and make my way to the right shoulder across 4-lanes of traffic. Multiple near collisions as I had no propulsion to do this.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle would shift roughly and would hesitate before accelerating. The failure would occur at various speeds. There were no warning lights. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving at 40 MPH, and the vehicle stalled. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission had failed. A mechanic affiliated with their warranty coverage also inspected the vehicle and determined that the Clutch/Direct/Forward (CDF) drum had failed. The transmission and the CDF had to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was 84,000.

Previous issues with the 10r80 transmission with is holding onto 4th gear too long then dropping hard into 6th gear. Vehicle also slams into reverse from park or driv when cold. Reported to dealership at 20k miles, but they only did a computer reset before. This was before the CDF Drum issue TSB. Ford now refuses to acknowledge the issue and inspect it post warranty despite a history of the issues being symptomatic with a failing transmission.

The 10R80 automatic transmission exhibits harsh/delayed shifts, gear-slipping, and occasional unintended downshifts, especially at highway speeds. More specifically, gears 3 and 5 exhibit hard shifts at lower speeds in heavy traffic, such as stop-and-go city driving. The 8th gear specifically will have issues at higher speeds on the highway when you apply more gas, and the vehicle will drop out of 10th gear and have a very hard shift into the 8th gear, almost like the transmission is about to come apart at dangerous speeds. This appears to be a well-known issue that Ford has issued a TSB 21-2357 back in October of 2021. The specific problem has been confirmed with a dealer and ASE-certified mechanics from the dealership documenting the gear issues, as well as the CDF drum that is a known culprit in the earlier versions of the 2017-2020 F150, based on the poorly designed bushing inside of...