2020 Ford Expedition Power Train

Transmission will randomly jump while accelerating and downshift to the point that we have to get to the interstate shoulder. This has happened many times.

We bought this truck new. When accelerating in “normal” transmission, mode, it would downshift and the turbos would kick in at the same time giving an unwanted surge of power. I found that driving in “sports” mode would give me more normal acceleration. Another issue I had as it got older was getting a big clank from the transmission when putting it in gear, especially in the morning when cold. I described it as hitting an anvil with a hammer. I took it to our local Ford dealer in Carthage, Missouri in early January 2025. The Service Rep said this was normal and I should let the truck warm up before shifting into gear. I told him I parked in the garage and that was not possible. He did not schedule an appointment to check it. About two weeks later on February 5, 2025 with 57,796 miles I returned to the dealer and insisted they check it before the warranty expired. They found nothing wrong. On the weekend from [XXX], I drove approximately 700 miles. During this weekend when accelerating to pass cars at highway speeds the truck would lose complete power like the transmission had shifted into neutral. This happened at least three times. I took the truck back to the Ford dealership on August 7, 2025 with mileage of 66,683. They said the transmission needed replaced. My cost was $9914.95. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My Ford Expedition (2-wheel drive) is experiencing jerking at variety of speeds, (changing gears, slowing down) and will sometimes get stuck in gear when I press the gas. Today, as I was entering the freeway, I pressed the accelerator and the transmission did not engage—there was no power at all until I released the gas pedal and pressed it again, at which point it finally engaged. This issue happens intermittently and is a serious safety concern, especially because I cannot predict whether the vehicle will hesitate or fail to respond when accelerating.

2020 Ford Expedition with 38,094 miles started having delayed and rough shifting a few days after my warranty was out on December 12th. 2024. I had looked up the issue before I took it in and found all these complaints and was worried mine was having this same issue. Took to our ford dealer and it was confirmed that my 10R80 transmission had failed and my CDF drum is worn and quoted 5600 to fix! They refuse to cover the cost knowing I and 1000's of others have had this same issue. FORD refuses to acknowledge it and the consumer is left with bill. I have owned 2 ford Explorers and 2 Expeditions in my driving life and feel like they have screwed me over. This needs to be resolved. They need to be held accountable! I am at a loss here and cant afford this fix so does a practically new ( by mileage terms ) car just sit in the yard and rot now??

The 10-speed automatic transmission has harsh/ erratic shifting, clunking, hesitation and power loss. We were turning on to a 4-lane highway. The expedition lost power and would not go. A vehicle almost ran into the back of the expedition. When we tried to accelerate the transmission made a clunking/ grinding sound and finally went into a gear. Yes, the problem has been reproduced by the ford dealership. It is scheduled to be inspected this week. There were no warning lamps or messages or other symptoms of the problem. The problem started a week ago.

TRANSMISSION CLUCKS WHEN CHANGING GEARS

Component/System Failure: The vehicle is experiencing a catastrophic transmission failure (specifically the 10R80 transmission) beyond what is described in Ford TSB 24-2101. The transmission slips significantly and loses all power transmission while in motion. Safety Risk: My safety and the safety of other motorists are at extreme risk. While driving at highway speeds (approx. 65-70 MPH), the vehicle suddenly loses the ability to maintain speed or accelerate. This causes an immediate, unexpected deceleration in high-speed traffic, nearly resulting in rear-end collisions. The system takes several seconds to "reset" or catch a gear, during which time I have zero control over the vehicle's propulsion. This is an intermittent but recurring failure that makes the vehicle unpredictable and life-threatening to operate in traffic. Confirmation/Inspection: The problem has been confirmed by a Ford dealership service center and a secondary certified independent mechanic. Both confirmed the transmission is failing and cited TSB 24-2101 as the diagnostic path. The Ford dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed that a full transmission replacement is required, but stated they would not provide financial assistance as the vehicle is just past the default warranty, despite the TSB acknowledging a known manufacturing defect. Symptoms/Warning Lamps: Symptoms began approximately August 2025. There were no warning lamps prior to the first failure, although it flashes lights temporarily when the problem occurs. The primary symptom is a sudden "free-spinning" or rattling engine sensation followed by a complete loss of forward momentum. The issue has grown progressively worse over the last months and as such is not safely drivable.

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2020 Ford Expedition, which is currently subject to Recall (24E13) related to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM)> Despite multiple repair attempts, the vehicle continues to experience dangerous transmission and drivability issues. While driving , the vehicle: Loses gears unexpectedly Engine RPMs rev excessively high before the transmission finally engages Hesitates and has delayed acceleration Randomly makes loud clunking noises during shifting Emits a noticeable burning smell during acceleration These issues create serious safety concerns, particularly when merging into traffic, crossing intersections, or accelerating from a stop. The delayed acceleration and gear loss place me and my passengers at risk of collision. The vehicle has been brought in multiple times for the same recall-related issue, yet the problem persists. The repair attempts have not resolved the unsafe condition. I am requesting immediate corrective action to ensure the vehicle is safe to operate. This ongoing defect presents a clear safety hazard.

While driving my 2020 Ford Expedition at approximately 50-60 mph, the vehicle experienced a sudden, unintended downshift without driver input. The dashboard gear indicator abruptly dropped to "1st gear." This caused rapid deceleration and a mechanical "chattering/popcorn" noise as the transmission struggled to find a gear. The loss of power in traffic created an immediate safety hazard and risk of a rear-end collision. A certified Ford dealership (River View Ford - Oswego, IL) has diagnosed this as an internal Transmission failure.

I am suggesting an investigation into the 2020 model Ford expedition relating to the 10 speed automatic transmission in this vehicle and others in previous and newer models. The problem is known and has been well documented that the transmission often fails and pops out of gear especially when accelerating and is extremely dangerous for obvious reasons while passing or climbing hills. There is not a recall for repair or replacement of these transmissions. The recommended service for this transmission occurs at 150000 miles according to the owners manual however failure often begins well before the first recommended service interval. The cost to repair or replace the equipment often exceeds $10000 and service managers are well aware of the issue.

My transmission started jumping gears and slipping at 65k miles. I had it checked out then and the mechanic said that these transmissions shifted rough, but they were not really sure why and that they reprogrammed the computer and that should fix it. It went on intermittently for the next 6 months to a year and I took it in again and was told they couldn't get the transmission to shift rough or skip so I would have to come back once it got worse. The longer I drove it, the worse it got until I would regularly lose all power to the wheels even at high speeds as the transmission failed to find a gear to engage. I finally took it back to the dealer again and this time they found that the front differential had failed and was full of metal shavings, the transmission was shifting really hard and missing gears and the driveshaft seal had failed and begun leaking as well. The vehicle had approximately 90k miles on it, and Ford didn't even recommend a transmission service/fluid change until 100k. I drive almost exclusively highway, rarely use 4WD, and had only towed twice with less than half it's capacity. I pressed the Dealer and Ford on how it's possible that a transmission fails before it's first recommended service. They said it shouldn't have and offered to replace my transmission with a remanufactured one for the low price of over $9,000. I had the transmission rebuilt at a local shop who said they are regularly rebuilding these expedition transmissions and that they fail frequently. The vehicle losing all power to the wheels, with no warning lights and searching for gears with no warning is incredibly dangerous. After doing this several times, it did eventually throw the first loss of power blinking lights across the dashboard, and day transmission fault.

The incident occurred while traveling at 75 mph on the interstate. The car felt like it tried to put itself in park and slammed forward violently, at that time it came up with a shift fault light on the display, it shifted to neutral so there was no movement of the vehicle it was free wheeling, then it slammed itself back in a low gear where the vehicle slammed hard and the car engine was redlined. The transmission then proceeded to shift back up into a higher gear. All this while traveling at 75 mph. My concern, if one of my kids were driving it, or the road conditions would have been wet or snowy we would of had a very different outcome. The vehicle was sent to a Ford dealer where they found a park shift failure and shift issues recommending a new transmission. Ford was not willing to warranty the transmission even with the issues experienced and forced me to pay 60 percent of the cost. I find this hard to believe since a family could've been severely injured or killed. Previous to this incident, there were no warnings, lights, or concerns, the issue came out of the blue.

At highway speed 70mph, I accelerated and the vehicle downshifted to 1st, followed by loss of gear with a loud clunk. Then alarming for transmission. After coasting to about 30mph the teansmission clunked again and powere cane back. Happened while passing a semi truck. This was reproduced multiple times, on demand and I have video documentation. Dealer eventually rehauled the transmission. But now its starting to miss gears / have hard shifts. This transmission is a Huge safety risk.

I got a brand new transmission put in at the beginning of the year but my whole car spits and sputters and shakes going 45 and when I am backing up it throws me forward(almost in the car in front of me) instead of reversing and making a loud clinking noise

My 2020 Ford Expedition Platinum VIN [XXX] miles suddenly began harsh shifting violent kicking/jerking and lunging between gears while driving at highway speeds 65-80mph. The vehicle slams into gear unexpectedly and has nearly caused loss of control on multiple occasions. Dealership diagnosed CDF drum failure in the 10R80 automatic transmission requiring full transmission replacement at a cost of 8,057 (TSB 25-2132 and prior TSBs). This is a known widespread safety defect affecting thousands of 2018-2022 Ford vehicles equipped with the 10R80 transmission. Ford has issued multiple TSBs and is currently facing class-action litigation over this exact failure. Despite the clear safety implications and identical cases being approved for 100% goodwill coverage, ford is refusing full repair coverage in my case. This defect presents an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While overtaking another vehicle on the interstate at 75 mph, a loud clunk was heard and drive power was temporarily lost as the car slowed by 20 mph. The transmission subsequently reengaged, enabling the vehicle to regain speed. At that time, there was no traffic behind. No warning lights appeared, and the dashboard gauge indicated normal transmission temperature. The transmission fluid had been changed approximately 5,000 miles earlier during the 100,000-mile service. Since this event occurred late Friday afternoon, I was unable to contact the dealer.

My 2020 Ford Expedition was repaired by Ford (under the power train warranty) in early 2024 for down shifting and loss of power when attempting to accelerate. That repair took multiple weeks. Last week (March 2025), while driving on the highway at 75mph, the vehicle lost all acceleration and the power train warning light came on. We pulled over since we could not accelerate. The vehicle was brought to the same Ford dealership where they diagnosed another transmission issue. The vehicle remains at the dealership until Ford determines an exact diagnosis and how they will proceed. The vehicle has now had two major transmission issues, the second of which occurred at highway speeds. The vehicle was purchased new in June 2020 and currently has 56k miles.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and attempting to overtake a semi-truck, the vehicle shuddered, lost motive power, and made an abnormal clunking and winding sound. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal and while driving from a complete stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to Krapohl Ford (1415 E Pickard St, Mt Pleasant, MI 48858), where the transmission shifter cables were reset through a computer update; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined; however, the dealer recommended the transmission be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

While driving on the interstate (I-35) and attempting to pass a vehicle, the transmission went out of gear and felt like it was in neutral for a few seconds and then ‘clunked” back into gear finally. This happened 4 times that day. This happens almost every time we go on a trip with this vehicle and is extremely dangerous to my family as well as other drivers. This seems to be a common issue with this model/year. It’s been reported to our dealer multiple times and they attempt to reprogram but doesn’t change anything. They said there’s no other fix. I have extended warranty.

Transmission has exhibited harsh/delayed engagement and/or harsh/delayed shift during lane changes, almost causing me to crash on two occasions.

I’ve owned my 2020 Ford Expedition for just over a year. Initially, the transmission performed flawlessly. However, over time I’ve noticed a few concerning issues: At low speeds, the transmission shifts very hard. While accelerating at interstate speeds, it feels like the transmission is slipping. When I shift the vehicle into gear, it makes a loud clicking or knocking sound.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle turned off and downshifted independently. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V197000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 88,000.

Driving and transmission gear bumping hard when shifting gears. Have pulled out twice to pass and transmission made hard bump and I could not go anywhere. The last time this happened was 7/29/25 and it made a lot of clanking noise and the faulty light came on. I let off the gas and it went back in gear and I made it home and have not drove it since. Ford dealership said there was no recall on transmission but I have read alot of complaints from other 2020 Expedition owners about this problem I have 70,000. plus miles and have taken extreme care of this vehicle.

Failure of transmission, leading to unsafe operation on roadway.

Info sent to Ford in working with cust service w/o action: Our 2020 Expedition had 4 separate instances of slipping out of gear during a road trip (2 instances on 7/11 and 2 on 7/19). During each incident, the vehicle slipped gear at highway speed, RPMs maxed out on the dial, lost all acceleration and significant speed, and the vehicle remained unresponsive for several (3-5) seconds until finally accelerating after the unresponsive period. It goes without saying that completely losing gear at highway speed while navigating traffic is a serious life and safety issue. Having that occur four times on a single round trip presents unreasonable risk. We documented the mileage and engine conditions by taking a picture of the dash after recovering from each occurrence. Those details were shared with the Krieger Ford service center on 7/22. That Ford service team was not able to recover fault codes from this information. Without being able to identify a root cause based on lack of fault codes, Ford Service performed a transmission relearn on 7/22. The service team confirmed this step is an initial measure due to lack of codes and not being able to see inside the sealed transmission. Abandoning further assessment in favor of a potential but unlikely quick-fix may be appropriate with an inconvenience issue, but not acceptable on one with such serious consequences. I recognize that further assessment will require additional cost. The assessment cost relative to the risk associated with not properly addressing the root cause of this dangerous issue is clearly justified. I’ve previously communicated this same situation to Ford when it occurred on a road trip in July of 2024. We contacted the dealership (Germain Ford of Dublin) and were deferred multiple months due to Ford's transmission tech backlog. The codes were not available by the time a service appointment was open. Without error codes and a single occurrence at that time, Ford service was unable to investigate further.