Post Your Transmission Experience

[Savannah Power]

2021 Platinum PB purchase w 14K mi, immediate trans problems, in service bay 5 months of first 11. Semi fixed with software about 1.5 yrs in. Pan off filter change 50k mi. Hybrid drivetrain module replaced at 108k mi, 8k expense.

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[JCsTruck]

I am currently on vacation and have finally put this truck to the test by towing my bass boat 120 miles one way and then driving it all over Maine with and without the boat and with and without mountain biking gear. I agree this transmission is not the smoothest but in its defense it is a heavy duty vehicle designed to be all thongs to as many people as possible while still retaining the capability of a truck.

On the way up about half way up I noticed a vibration in the steering wheel similar to small subdued rumble strips on a lesser scale. I suspect my trailer bearings might be needing to be replaced or the trailer tires are out of balance because the truck is mostly very smooth without the trailer.

I have also noticed the driveline can at times make little subtle clunks or have muted bumps as I apply and back off the throttle under light loads but only occasionally. I suspect this may be the cylinder deactivation going on and off creating the bump in torque as the deactivated 4 cylinders come back on line. Consider there is a lot of reciprocating mass between that V8 engine, heavy duty 10-speed transmission and drive shaft, and that 9.75” live rear axle compared to any other vehicle with much less reciprocating mass.

In normal mode the computer does lug the engine at a leisurely 1100 RPM and it likes to hold it there for as long as possible. The engine has plenty of torque to do this but it also ups the anti in NVH but not to any level I would consider not normal, but it is noticeable with a little more noise and vibration than I’m used to compared to my more refined Kia Telluride or Mazda CX5. Given that this is a heavy duty truck (compared to an SUV) with beefy drive train components, I consider this to be normal. You cant expect the same refinement from a vehicle with much heavier drive train components to match that of the much lighter duty drive train components in a passenger vehicle or unit body based SUV and still be able to haul and tow like the Ford F-150 can. I feel like people forget this was and still is designed as a work truck underneath the skin.

Still, compared to my 6-speed in my 2014 Ford F-150 with the smaller lighter 3.7 V6 the 10-speed is less refined in terms of noise vehicle harshness (NVH) but its also a much more complicated and capable transmission and thanks to that 10-speed transmission my V8 gets better gas mileage and is much faster than my 2014 is by a long shot. Towing my boat (around 150 miles worth) and driving around town (around 200 miles worth) I am at 19.6 MPG right now which is amazing!

My only issues with the truck so far with 8400 miles on it (4000 From me) is the AC occasionally freezes up (TSB for that) and I have a clicking noise emanating from the left front wheel which kind of sounds like a rock stuck in the tire and I have checked the tire.

 

[JayRay]

21 Lariat PowerBoost MaxTow - I bought it used at close to 70,000 miles. Soon after, I was getting a random unhelpful DTC that eventually led to them looking far enough into it to see that the CDF drum needed to be repaired. So, transmission fluid was replaced during the CDF drum repair at 79,000 miles. That didn't fix the DTC, but did fix the random spikes in RPMs I would see while driving down the interstate. I finally "fixed" the DTC by updating all the software on my truck, and there was a TSB out about a software update possibly fixing that DTC.

Every once in a while, I'd get the delayed acceleration issue, usually when coming out of a rolling stop while turning right. It got much worse this past winter and I was able to narrow it down to having to do with shifting down into second gear while the transmission was cold. The dealer kept claiming it wasn't reproduceable, so I finally was able to get Ford to open a case, which eventually got the dealer approved to rebuild the entire transmission at 90,000 miles. When they did, they found a lot of other issues, like gears with missing teeth or missing check balls, etc. So, I got another new round of transmission fluid at this point too. I haven't had any issues in the past 6 months since that work was done.

 

[dmac]

I drove the following today

2017 3.5 Ecoboost 4x4

138000 miles

Fluid drained and refilled @ 110k miles, never rebuilt or reprogrammed.



It was the smoothest 10 speed Ive ever driven... Go figure

 

[Seawolf]

Does FORD read this forum?

2022 F150, PowerBoost, Platinum, 73,000 miles

Early on I flagged clunky gear changes. They could not replicate. Now it's easy to replicate. Jumps when going from 2nd to 3rd, and 3rd to 4th. Inconsistently. Dealer today told me it had something to do with the transmission case and fluids. They reprogrammed everything but essentially said at some point I'd need a new transmission. The good news is that if Ford works with me, it will only be $10 to $12K, otherwise it will be $18K. And then for salt in the wound, they said it's a known problem. WTF... So my options are hope for the best, spend at least $10K to potentially fix it, or buy a new truck.

Of course, I'm probably getting a new truck...but not happy about it. And not happy about today being the last day to get employee pricing...don't think the sales rep didn't try to get the sale today...I would have had a diagnosis two weeks ago, but the transmission guy only comes in so often....

 

[Savannah Power]

I would look for a trans from a newer truck including the trans module and heat exchanger if a PB. Low mileage units on eBay run $1500-2500 and most of the trans problems were fixed by '24.
Ford has dodged this issue for years, slow to re-write software, and wearing down owners untill wnty runs out.

 

[missileboy]

19500 Miles on my 2024 Truck

5.0 Liter Engine-Supercharged w/Whipple Stage 1 tune w/speed limiter @135

Transmission Fluid changed?
Yes @ 4000 miles/added a deep sump PPE trans pan

Issues Encountered: None. Drove my truck for 4000 miles to break it in and then had the blower installed by a Ford dealer. While there, had them do a trans service and add my PPE pan. Truck runs great, trans is smooth and predictable. I took the truck to SickWeek this year and raced it for 5 days and did not baby it. Still runs smooth and feels like new.

 

[Magician]

___ Miles on my 20__ Truck

___ Liter Engine

Transmission Fluid changed?
Yes @ __ miles
No.

Issues Encountered:
-

21k on my 2022

3.5L EB

No on the filter/fluid change

Issues, sloppy jerky downshifts at times, Sport mode is jerky and holds shifts, up and down, to long. Same with Tow mode. Reset tables and turned off data logging for 6mos with little or no difference. Restarted adaptive tables and learning 4mos ago to get as much data for the service manager. Worst part is any sudden unexpected hard acceleration often results in nothing or a shuddering white knuckle experience. That is by far the worst.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

2024 Powerboost
15.5k miles
Zero issues

planning a pan drop and filter change at 30k

 

[Gros Ventre]

21k on my 2022

3.5L EB

No on the filter/fluid change

Issues, sloppy jerky downshifts at times, Sport mode is jerky and holds shifts, up and down, to long. Same with Tow mode. Reset tables and turned off data logging for 6mos with little or no difference. Restarted adaptive tables and learning 4mos ago to get as much data for the service manager. Worst part is any sudden unexpected hard acceleration often results in nothing or a shuddering white knuckle experience. That is by far the worst.

The software is only part of the possible problems. The transmission is a hydraulic machine. They have some very fine clearances. If dirt gets in there it can make shifting of pistons, solenoids, etc, jerky & rough. If I were king for a day, the first thing I'd offer customers is a fluid & filter changeout. My '21 PB transmission remains trouble free. I began the filter & fluid changeout at 15,000 and am doing it every 15,000. The first time you did a software reload and nothing changed, it was time to take another tack. I have many thousands of Wyoming miles on my transmission. (PS I've never liked "flushes" since unless you do it for a long time, you don't really changeout better than a drain & refill, even if only a partial drain).

 

[kasb58]

39951 Miles on my 2021 Truck

5.0 Liter Engine

Transmission Fluid changed?
Yes @ 33000 miles
No.

Issues Encountered:

Harsh shifts, clunking. The truck was purchased with 9,800 miles and has had problems ever since. Have taken it to the stealership twice and was told this is normal. How can a metallic clunking sound ever be normal? Ford refuses to own up to the issues with the 10R80.

 

[miniceptor86]

2025 Powerboost, 3K miles smooth as silk

 

[Groovicles]

89000 km on my 2022 Truck shit wagon

3.5 Liter Engine PB

Transmission Fluid changed?
Yes @ 50000 km
No. 1

Issues Encountered:
- Harsh downshift from 7 to 6 and 7 to 5. CDF drum was found to have scoring so CDF drum was replace.
- With the new CDF drum, harsh downshifts from 7 to 6 and 7 to 5 after a couple of months

I can shift better driving a stick, and I haven't driven a stick in more than 20 years.

 

[TexasTruckGuy]

106,750 miles on my 2021 f150
3.5liter ecoboost engine
Fluid changed at 40,000 miles and 80,000 miles.
Issues encountered - none shifts and drives great.

 

[Covfefe Mofo]

2025 w/ 2k miles now after driving from North Texas to Port Aransas and back. Did the state rd. 77 route so lots of pedal to the metal passing without a hiccup. Gawd I luv that acceleration though!

 

[Gutshot]

32850 miles

2022 3.5 EB 4x4

Deep sump pan, filter, and fresh fluid done at 31,000 miles. (PPE Deep sump with drain plug) for future changes.
No major issues, every now and then it does a firm downshift from 4th to 3rd, no rhyme or reason that I can see.

I do run the Livernois Tune, so there’s that.​

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