The Ford F-Series pickup truck has been the best-selling vehicle in America for 44 years. With such a proven track record of success, you would expect Ford trucks to be reliable, quality vehicles.

Unfortunately, the F-150 is not immune to reliability issues. Sometimes those problems can even be dangerous or life-threatening.

According to a proposed lawsuit in Pennsylvania, Ford F-150 transmission problems are causing trucks to shift erratically. This unpredictable shifting has exposed F-150 drivers to dangerous situations on the road.

Ford F-150 Transmission Problems

The proposed lawsuit targets 10-speed transmission problems in F-150s manufactured between 2017 and 2020. Drivers report having difficulty controlling their trucks because of harsh gear shifts. Some drivers claim that the jerking was so bad it gave them whiplash.

The transmission responsible for all these problems is the 10-speed 10R80 automatic. The 10R80 enables the engine to skip gears, which increases fuel efficiency. However, when the gear-skipping feature malfunctions, it can cause the erratic shifting at the root of the Ford F-150 lawsuit.

This lawsuit isn’t the first time Ford has had to deal with transmission issues in the F-150. The company had to recall over 1 million trucks made between 2011 and 2013 because of transmission problems.

Ford’s Response

Ford has so far declined to issue a general recall for vehicles with the 10R80 transmission. The 10R80 is installed in many cars in Ford’s lineup, from the Lincoln Navigator to the Mustang, so a recall would affect millions of vehicles.

The company did issue a limited recall of some F-150s, Rangers, and Expeditions with transmission issues in 2020. According to Ford, a clip connecting the transmission to the shift cable may have been improperly installed.

The company claims that the 10R80 works fine in most situations. It blames the majority of complaints on computer issues.

The computer that controls the transmission is supposed to adapt to driving conditions and learn how to shift more efficiently over time. According to Ford, any reset of that computer system can make the F-150 shift hard for a few days.

Potential Fixes

Updating your F-150’s computer software might solve your transmission issues. If that doesn’t work, you could try replacing the transmission valve body.

While replacing the valve body might work, it could also cost you up to $900. If Ford issued a recall on their problematic 10-speed transmission, it wouldn’t cost drivers a dime to fix.

Ford’s warranty specifies that manufacturing defects should be repaired free of charge. If the proposed class action is successful, it could force Ford to fix millions of trucks for free.

Do You Have an F-150 With Transmission Problems?

If your Ford F-150 has transmission issues, you don’t have to give up and pay for them out of pocket. Car companies like Ford will only face accountability for their mistakes if drivers force them to.

Fortunately, the PA Lemon Law and NJ Lemon Law can help. Contacting a lemon law firm is the first step towards getting you the compensation you deserve.