Ford Investigates Almost 1.3 Million F-150s

Ford’s 2015-2017 F-150s are under a microscope

NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) officials stated they’ve launched a preliminary investigation into nearly 1.3 million Ford F-150 models over claims of a gear downshift without warning or driver input, which is often accompanied by a rear wheel lockup. The NHTSA probe, which will determine the possible problem’s severity and whether it warrants further review, follows 138 consumer complaints—the first of which arrived in 2023 from an Ohio driver. According to a Reuters report, the driver stated that “The truck automatically shifted from 6th Gear to first gear, nearly throwing me through the windshield.”

Drivers described rear wheel lockup during rapid deceleration as momentary but claim to have lost control, per the NHTSA’s release, which notes: “Certain consumer complaints additionally allege that the vehicle’s rear wheels temporarily lock, seize, and/or skid during the downshift resulting in a loss of vehicle control increasing the risk for crash and injury.” There have been no reports of crashes, injuries, or deaths related to the possible transmission defect, which could affect up to 1,270,970 Ford F-150s from the 2015-2017 production years. For the 2015-2016 F-150 model years, Ford used a 6-speed 6R80 automatic transmission, which also came standard on the 2017 F-150 with the 3.5L Ti-VCT V6, 2.7L EcoBoost V6, and 5.0L V8 engines. Ford also introduced a standard 10-speed automatic transmission for the 3.5L EcoBoost V6.

However, a Ford spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that the NHTSA’s preliminary investigation applies to 2015-2017 F-150 6-speed transmissions. Ford also told Reuters that the company is “working with NHTSA to support its investigation.” Before issuing a recall, the NHTSA must update the status of these 2015-2017 F-150s from a preliminary investigation to an engineering analysis for closer evaluation. The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is conducting the initial investigation to determine whether an engineering analysis is necessary. A recall will stem from an engineering analysis’ conclusion that the transmission or its control unit is responsible for the 138 consumer reports.

Not the first time the F-150 has had transmission issues

Last year, Ford issued a recall of over 550,000 F-150 models from the 2014 production years with a 6R80 6-speed automatic because of a software problem and intermittent failure of the transmission’s output shaft speed (OSS) sensor that could trigger a sudden downshift to first gear. As of April 2024, Ford was aware of “300 warranty reports, 96 field reports, and 124 customer complaints, corresponding to 482 vehicles in the US and US territories received from March 24, 2014, to March 29, 2024, related to unexpected transmission downshifting on 2014 MY F-150 vehicles,” according to the NHTSA. This recall’s fix involved reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module with updated software safeguarding against OSS failure.

Final thoughts

In 2024, Ford had the second-highest number of US recalls submitted at 67, behind Stellantis’s 72. Leading up to February 2025, Ford was leading recalls in the US at 10—so it’s clear that the automaker has some ground to make up in this area. What’s also concerning is the possibility that Ford’s 6-speed 6R80 transmission on multiple F-150 iterations could establish a problematic reputation—but we’ll wait to see how the NHTSA’s preliminary investigation progresses, as it’s still too early to tell.