2021 Ford F-150 Transmission Problems

Which parts fail

• Automatic transmission
  4
• Axle hubs
  3
• Axle assembly › Axle shaft
  2
• Driveline › Driveshaft
  2
• Transfer case (4-wheel drive)
  1
• Automatic transmission › Fluid/lubricant › Filter/screen
  1

Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  1723%
• 25k–50k
  1521%
• 50k–75k
  1723%
• 75k–100k
  1318%
• 100k–150k
  1115%
• 150k+
  00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH when a loud grinding noise was emitting from underneath the vehicle. The contact had lost power causing the vehicle to drift to the right. The vehicle ended up hitting a trash can nearby before it came to a stop. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries or medical attention needed. A police report was not filed. The contact had to place the vehicle in 4-wheel drive mode to be able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was not able to diagnose the vehicle at the time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the contact noticed an unusual grinding sound. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact noticed a lot of unusual clicking or rattling sounds. In addition, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that upon exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed a fire underneath the vehicle. In addition, the drive shaft was detached. The contact stated that the fire burned out independently. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact stated that the drive shaft had scorching around it. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. In addition, the contact stated that the recall, NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V986000 (Power Train, Structure), was performed on the contact's VIN about six months ago. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000 (Power Train). The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost drive power in the middle of the road. The contact stated that the failure occurred while crossing a four-lane highway. The contact stated that the contact's brother and the contact's son were additional occupants of the vehicle. The contact and the contact's brother pushed the vehicle across the road to a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the failure was due to the unrepaired recall. In addition, the contact was informed that the parts were not available. The contact stated that the vehicle had been at the dealer for more than five and a half months. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshift. Additionally, the vehicle hesitated and jerked while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions; however, the dealer failed to duplicate the failure. The failure persisted and the dealer disassembled the transmission and replaced the hub assembly, Part Number: ML3Z7H351B; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer where a service technician test drove the vehicle with the contact and the technician stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. After months of waiting for a response, the contact took the vehicle to another dealer for assistance. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 10th gear to 8th gear and then independently shifted into 9th gear and downshifted to 8th gear before independently shifting back into 10th gear. The contact stated that there was an abnormally loud bang. The power train and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and turned off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. The check engine and power train warning lights were off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving on a neighborhood street at approximately 25 MPH, a faint whistling sound could be heard from the rear passenger side, and when accelerating the sound progressed. The sound was also present while turning. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a tire shop where it was inspected and informed that there was a bolt and washer that had been sheered off causing further damage to the axle of the vehicle. The contact was advised that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The vehicle was then taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that NHTSA campaign number 23V896000 (POWER TRAIN) was a probable cause for the failure. The contact has stated that the dealer and manufacturer have not been very transparent with the process of remedying the vehicle and received a loaner vehicle. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that while in reverse and reversing out of the driveway at 5 MPH, the vehicle detected that a door was being opened and activated the safety feature and shifted the vehicle into park. While the safety feature was activated, the gear shifter was over-shifted, and the gear shifter remained in reverse. The dealer was contacted and notified of the failure. The dealer confirmed there was no recall on the VIN related to the power train. Additionally, parts for the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic and was in the process of being diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the Brake warning light illuminated and the "Parking Brake Limited Function - Service Required" message was displayed. The contact immediately drove to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer provided a temporary fix allowing the contact to continue driving the vehicle safely; however, the vehicle had to receive the temporary repair three times. The contact stated that the failure consisted of crunching while shifting gear which occurred after shifting to drive, with a ticking sound progressively becoming worse as the vehicle shifted into the higher gears or in reverse. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F150. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V896000 (Power Train), 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention), 25V455000 (Fuel system, Gasoline), and 25V729000 (Visibility). The contact stated that the part to do the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000(Power Train) was not yet available. The contact stated that the first month that the vehicle was purchased, the vehicle experienced failures. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal clicking and rattling sound coming from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to CarMax and then to the dealer. The dealer confirmed that the rear-end axle hub bolt needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. …

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a loud rattling noise was heard coming from the vehicle, with no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 23V896000 (Power Train); however, the parts required to perform the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to multiple dealers, where it was diagnosed that the left and right rear axle shaft assemblies had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact also stated that the dealer found an axle bolt inside the rim of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired, and the dealers confirmed that the remedy parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to complete the recall repair. …

Related recalls

Transmission complaints in other F-150 years