Complaint 2220252

Complaint Summary

POWER TRAIN

Owner Narrative

The speedometer on my vehicle recently indicated a speed 10-15 mph lower than the actual highway speed. Approximately one week later, while operating the vehicle with cruise control set at 58 mph and descending a decline, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from sixth to first gear. This abrupt shift resulted in a violent jolt to the rear of the vehicle, nearly causing a loss of control. Upon contacting Ford regarding this issue, I was informed that they are aware of the problem and that an extended warranty campaign is in place for the transmission lead wire frame and vehicle speed sensor. Ford offered to repair this free of charge, with the caveat that the campaign covers vehicles up to 150,000 miles, originating from 36,000 miles. According to various owner groups and online forums, this issue is prevalent in 2013 F-150 pickups equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission, often manifesting well after the 150,000-mile mark, as was the case with my vehicle. While Ford acknowledges this known problem and its potential consequences, the warranty repair cutoff at 150,000 miles could lead to catastrophic outcomes, as demonstrated by my near-loss of control incident. It is important to note that the same transmission and speed sensors have already been recalled in 2014 models, which share an essentially identical powertrain, yet the 2013 models are not included in this recall. This presents a significant safety concern, as the manufacturer is aware of the issue, but their current campaign does not adequately cover the mileage at which many of these problems are emerging.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.