Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My vehicle occasionally gets stuck in a low gear. It has also stalled in a busy intersection. I have taken it to be diagnosed at an independent service center that specializes in transmissions and was told that the problem was the lead frame which has been recalled on later models of my vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford f-150. When the vehicle was placed in reverse, it accelerated backwards and crashed into a neighbor's residence without warning. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact was not injured, but was shaken up and transported to the emergency center by the paramedic. The vehicle was destroyed and was towed to a tow yard. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Dropped off vehicle with Ford dealership service adviser and proceeded to waiting area. Vehicle had a steady yellow engine light indicating service is required. Five minutes later, loud engine racing noise, tires squealing and crash impact sound from service bay area. Knowing it was my truck, I went out to the service bay to see it slammed through the far stone wall, about 75 feet from the service desk. Hydraulic fluid was all over the floor, outside and inside of the truck. Service adviser was stunned and crawled out of vehicle claiming it suddenly accelerated and he could not put the vehicle into neutral or park as the engine raced at full RPM. Service adviser was sent to hospital. Ford service manager was concerned and agreed to check engine codes, he talked like he'd seen this happen before. …
The rear drive shaft between transfer case and rear differential is held by a drive shaft bracket/bearing where the top of it is welded to the frame cross member. During stop and go traffic the poorly welded bracket came loose. As you can see from the picture the weld was poorly done and had no penetration into the metal. The metal was not torn at all and broke completely clean off which dictate a very poor job on the weld itself. To make matters worse this part is basically a dual sharp blades at the weld break, connected to the drive shaft at fast rpms would take little to no time to puncture and ignite the near by fuel tank. As I was traveling at slow speeds I was able to stop the vehicle right away. …
Truck stalled and lost transmission power in the middle of busy highway. Waited 20min on shoulder and truck started and ran fine. This has happened periodically over the last year with no error codes found during diagnostics related. Now happing more frequent and yesterday the truck stalled again and now will not start. Researched and found a class action lawsuit about Ford PCM/TCM failures which described my symptoms perfectly. Next issue is at 55mph the truck tried to go into 4-low, which shut the truck down on the high way and almost went off the road. Error code found during diagnostics was the "communication to transfer case shift motor"
I came home and noticed fluid on my driveway and upon further inspection I found it coming from the wire harness sleeve in the transmission. I called the dealership and they said they are so backed up with this issue and other transmission issues that it would be a month before they could take my truck in. This is a known problem and they are trying to charge $650 dollars to fix it ( $120 in parts and maybe 1 1/2 hrs work).....this needs to be recalled.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was in park and it rolled backwards after removing the key from the ignition switch and exiting the vehicle. The contact also stated that on another occasion, the key was removed from the ignition switch while the gear was in reverse. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure millage was at 95,000.
Since the day I purchased the truck, typically after being on highway for more than 100 miles, when I accelerate it will hesitate then slam into gear. There is a very loud bang that accompanies it along with a violent slam to the entire truck. Frequently happens when ascending hills.
Random downshift to first gear while traveling down the highway at 70mph resulting in wheel lock-up and engine redline.
I wa traveling on I-20 east traveling from vicksburg, ms heading to atlanta, ga. I had been using the cruise control consistently for about 3 hours. I also was using the accelerate & decelerate buttons on the steering column. I approached a slight curve in birmingham, al with the cruise control locked in at 60 MPH, when all of a sudden the vehicle accelerated full throttle. I applied foot pressure to the brake, but the vehicle would not slow down. It continued to accelerate to about 85 MPH. I then somewhat raised up in the seat to apply all the foot pressure I could to the brake. It slowed down slightly. When I took my foot off the brake, it began to speed up again. Next I fumbled with the cruise control buttons to see if they were stuck. The vehicle continued to accelerate. Finally, I moved the gear shift to neutral & the vehicle began to slow down. …
Transmission complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2009 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2009 Ford F-150, 10% of the model year's 324 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Ford F-150 transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2009 Ford F-150, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Ford F-150 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 43% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.