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 2020 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked due to an unknown electrical door lock malfunction. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle would inadvertently roll forward while stopped without input from the driver. The contact depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the vehicle was stopped and the gear shifter was in park(P). The contact stated that after exiting the vehicle, the vehicle rolled forward, struck, and ran over a passenger before coming to a stop. The passenger suffered head injuries and sought medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with a defective gear shift indicator. The contact was informed that the gear shift indicator needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was locked and parked on the street with the engine running and unoccupied, the transmission erroneously shifted into gear and the vehicle drove forward. The contact stated that the vehicle crashed into another parked vehicle and landscaping and missed crashing into another vehicle that was driving in the opposite direction. The contact expressed concerns because no one was present inside the vehicle during the failure. The contact stated that the Police Department was contacted but no officers showed up on scene. No injuries were reported. The cause of the failure was not determined. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the PCM needed to be reprogrammed; however, the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was driven to a nearby rest stop. The power train malfunction warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission had overheated. The vehicle was turned off to allow the transmission to cool down. The contact stated that occasionally while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was later taken to the 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 contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly failed to accelerate and shift gear as needed. The contact coasted to the side of the road and waited for the transmission to shift into gear before being able to continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The failure became more persistent over time. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the failure with the year, make, and model vehicle. The dealer diagnosed a failure inside the transmission with an incorrect size gear, causing the gear failure while shifting gear. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was inspected by a certified mechanic, and it was confirmed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle jerked abnormally before downshifting with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the transmission while shifting into gear. The contact stated that the messages "Power train Fault", "AWD Malfunction" and "Schedule Service" were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with a transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact stated that prior to the failure; the vehicle was taken to the same local dealer where a transmission oil flush was performed; however, the failure occurred. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the transmission shuddered. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that a tune-up was needed. The tune-up was performed; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under an unknown recall and the PCM was reprogrammed. The unknown recall repair was performed the day prior to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving in 10th gear, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to 3rd gear, and then to 1st gear. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to shift into the intended gear, shifted hard into drive(D) or in reverse(R), and the vehicle overheated intermittently. The contact stated that while driving 70-75 MPH, the vehicle decelerated to 40 MPH in the middle of the interstate. The power train warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the warning light disappeared. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, an abnormal sound was coming from the vehicle. In addition, the contact and her husband became aware that the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V197000 (Power Train). The local independent mechanic advised the contact to avoid driving the vehicle because the failure might worsen the failure. The local dealer was contacted and advised the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V197000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond and shuddered. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact released the accelerator pedal until the vehicle stopped shuddering. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist, where it was diagnosed that the torque converter had experienced a mechanical failure. The dealer determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist due to the mileage on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle was hesitating and downshifted unintendedly. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become a recurring failure. The contact stated that he had taken the vehicle to a dealer and was advised that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated while the transmission was downshifting. The contact had taken the vehicle to the same dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the long block and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but advised the contact that the vehicle was over the mileage for the warranty and not covered. …
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (PRNDL)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020.
Transmission complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 357 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Ford F-150, 48% of the model year's 737 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Ford F-150 transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 20V-197 (gear position indication (prndl), Apr 3, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2020 Ford F-150 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 25% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries 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.