F-150 10 speed transmissions - any problems?

[Brian Tymchak]

I've been a Tundra guy for 19 years, and it's time for a new truck. I've had wonderful quality with my Tundra, but the new 2020s lack a few features I like and they seem to gave fallen years behind in engines, particularly wrt gas mileage.

So, I decided to look at Ford F-150s since the supercab has the reverse hinged back door. I love that feature on my old Tundra. I test drove a couple today with the 3.5 V6 turbo + 10 speed transmision. I liked the snappy response. And the trucks seemed overall to be really solid and drove well.

However, I read last night that Ford is getting sued because of problems with those 10 speed transmissions. Not sure what the real issue is but there is no recall (yet). My question to the collective is if anyone has experienced any issues with those transmissions and can relate their experience?

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

Not Ford specific, but the 9- and 10- speed transmissions have been somewhat problematic for multiple manufacturers. Perhaps because of complexity, I don't know. While I know you appreciate that door thing, you may also want to check out the RAM. The 8-speed ZF transmission is VERY solid.

[Brian Tymchak]

Hi Jim, thanks for the reply. Interesting to hear that this isn't just a Ford issue. I wish Ford had mated their 6-speed transmission up to their turbo V6. I might have bought the truck on the spot.

[Ron Selzer]

2 things
drive a Ford Transit 350 at work with the 3.5 v6 twin turbo engine, weigh in at over 9000 lbs, all in town driving as in less than 10 k miles in more than 2 years. 11.9 mpg. Very fast acceleration when you get in to it. Very happy with this van. Does not have the 10 speed auto
As for a Chrysler product I bought a lot of Chrysler,s over the years until had a PT Cruiser that had problem from the get go with warnings about airbags. long story short. In court Chrysler's lawyer stated it was my fault due to my negligence in not informing Chrysler that there was a problem. All work was done under warranty and afterwards at Chrysler dealers, last one even was turned down when asked for factory help solving the problem. Lost that case in court and approx 8k in repair costs had to be eaten by me. NO MORE CHRYSLER CRAP HERE EVER AGAIN. 30+ YEARS OF BUYING CHRYSLER PRODUCTS

[Jim Becker]

Honestly, Ron, there are similar scenarios with pretty much every manufacturer of vehicles...which is sad, but reality. At least there are other choices if one particular manufacturer doesn't sit with us individually. I've stayed away from GM for multiple reasons that while not exactly the same as you experienced with your PT Cruiser, were still pretty disheartening. Those combined with the unreliability that my dad experienced with his beloved Cadillacs just didn't sit well. All the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep products I've owned have been exemplary, although I will admit, I hated the PT Cruiser we owned for a short time since it was woefully underpowered for it's very heavy weight. We're all Subaru now, but if I were buying a pick-em-up truck it would be either a Tundra or a RAM.

[Adam Herman]

yep. and my friends have had terrible problems with their fords. several pickups that have been to the dealer many many times over a short life. computer issues, front suspension problems, which were fixed with a full set of fox shocks replacing the factory ford at about 20k miles, water pump, and now he is trying to figure out why he is getting 20% less mileage than his father with the same truck. among other things. I really think it depends on the day the thing was made and how good your dealer service department is. I have a GMC and the dealer here is amazing. they are willing to do whatever it takes to get you going and fix things properly, and all with an eye for customer service. over 100k on it and some leaky hoses and a radiator, wheel bearing. The ford dealer keeps trying to swindle my friend, and they even scratched his door all up while making a repair and refused to fix it with out a fight. or they replace a part not under warranty and he pays, the problem comes back and then they replace the real problem under warranty.

just talked to him about the fuel mileage issue, and its back in for more coolant leaks. been at the dealer for 4 days.

[Jim Becker]

A really good dealer service department can be make or break with any vehicle brand! That's a local influence to a purchase decision, even if the actual vehicle comes from afar due to cost considerations. Service departments are separate profit centers and some are good and some are not so good.

[Jeff Monson]

A really good dealer service department can be make or break with any vehicle brand! That's a local influence to a purchase decision, even if the actual vehicle comes from afar due to cost considerations. Service departments are separate profit centers and some are good and some are not so good.

That is very true information.

Funny thing, I have had 3 fords in the last few years, the last was a 3.5 ecoboost and it was a wonderful truck as were the 2 before it. The service dept at this dealership is horrible and luckily I only had one issue in the 3 trucks. Now I needed a 3/4 ton truck 2 years ago to pull a horse trailer better so I chose to go with a GM, I'm not a GM fan by any means but I chose to go that route because my local GM dealer has a super good service dept. one of my best friends is the service manager so thats a big bonus also. Going on 2 years this truck has been back to the service dept 6 times, not the best truck but they take care of it with no BS involved.

If I were to go buy a new 1/2 ton truck I'd probably lean pretty heavy towards a new eco boost, they are super nice trucks.

[Bill Dufour]

That is a ford/gm transmission joint product with slight brand differences.
The ford trucks have the best brake controller for electric brake trailers. It can be added afterwards much cheaper then a dealer option. It ties into the main computer so it knows more then the brake lights are on. It knows gas and brake pedal position, engine rpm what gear you are in, road speed, and it pulses the trailer brakes if the antilock brakes activate. Of course it also has internal laser gyroscopes so it can measure acceleration speeds. It is based on the Technosha P3 stand alone brake controller.
Bil lD

[Mark Bolton]

FIL just got an F150 but I believe its a V8 (drove it for a couple weeks here recently but never looked at the specs/motor). Has the 10 speed, know that because its all over the dash what gear your in. Only 20k miles so far but no issues with it at all. Was impressive getting between 19.8 and 20.5 MPG steady. Nice truck. Bit big and oddly I have a bit of an issue getting in and out (Im tall but not that tall at 6'1"+) having to crane my neck a little but 30 years in the construction world Im not so flexible any more which may be the issue.

Nice truck overall. All the gee-gaws make me pretty nervous but it was a very nice truck to drive for a few weeks while they are snow-birding.

[Ron Selzer]

Jim
I firmly believe all company's have a bad product sometime. It is all in how they handle the problem that shows what kind of company they are. Chrysler showed me that they would spend the money to have 3 lawyers and the factory area man in court rather than to help the dealers fix the problem when it kept coming up. THAT is what I am upset about.

I have a Ford, General Motors, Nissan, VW and a Ram right now. The Ram was bought new and I will wear it totally out someday, the PT Cruiser was my ex wife's that got ran to over 200,000 miles even tho it cost more in repairs in the first 110,000 miles than to buy it new. We both really enjoyed driving it, even tho it was underpowered as you say.

[Nathan Johnson]

Most vehicles are pretty reliable these days, but all manufacturers have had issues.
Don't buy the first model year of anything. Consumers are the testers.

[Doug Dawson]

FIL just got an F150 but I believe its a V8 (drove it for a couple weeks here recently but never looked at the specs/motor). Has the 10 speed, know that because its all over the dash what gear your in. Only 20k miles so far but no issues with it at all. Was impressive getting between 19.8 and 20.5 MPG steady. Nice truck. Bit big and oddly I have a bit of an issue getting in and out (Im tall but not that tall at 6'1"+) having to crane my neck a little but 30 years in the construction world Im not so flexible any more which may be the issue.

Nice truck overall. All the gee-gaws make me pretty nervous but it was a very nice truck to drive for a few weeks while they are snow-birding.

Are they still making their beds out of aluminum?

[lowell holmes]

My 2005 F150 only gets 15 mpg.

[Jim Becker]

Are they still making their beds out of aluminum?

F-150 sports aluminum body and bed. Aluminum is getting used more and more for weight reduction which improves fuel economy and is a good solution when properly engineered. Aluminum has to be deployed like aluminum, not steel. When that's done, it performs really well.

[Ronald Blue]

I have no dog in this race. But I happened to just read an article this morning comparing the big 3 half ton diesel pick ups. As far as transmission performance it said hands down the Chevrolet and it's 10 speed worked flawlessly. Even though it and Ford share the same genetics because they developed the basic transmission together. I'm not certain but I think it was Car and Driver. Ironically Jim it said both the Chevrolet and Ram weigh less that the Ford and neither use aluminum.

[Doug Dawson]

F-150 sports aluminum body and bed. Aluminum is getting used more and more for weight reduction which improves fuel economy and is a good solution when properly engineered. Aluminum has to be deployed like aluminum, not steel. When that's done, it performs really well.

With a bed liner. Clever upsell that bypasses fuel economy regulations. Try throwing a load of rocks or even a cord of firewood in an aluminum bed. Then again, it's a truck, it's supposed to have hickeys (but not the appearance of bullet holes or shrapnel from above...)

[Brian Tymchak]

FIL just got an F150 but I believe its a V8 (drove it for a couple weeks here recently but never looked at the specs/motor). Has the 10 speed, know that because its all over the dash what gear your in. Only 20k miles so far but no issues with it at all. Was impressive getting between 19.8 and 20.5 MPG steady. Nice truck. Bit big and oddly I have a bit of an issue getting in and out (Im tall but not that tall at 6'1"+) having to crane my neck a little but 30 years in the construction world Im not so flexible any more which may be the issue.

Nice truck overall. All the gee-gaws make me pretty nervous but it was a very nice truck to drive for a few weeks while they are snow-birding.

Hi Mark, I also thought it was a nice solid truck. I'm right at 6' and I also noticed it was a bit awkward getting into drivers seat. I wrote it off as being a bit higher than I was used to. But once in there was plenty of headroom.

That is great mileage for the V8 if that isn't strictly highway miles. I wonder what gear he might have in the back end. The F150 is the first vehicle I've shopped where there were 4 gear options. I assume the mileage would drop a bit as the ratio rises.

[Brian Tymchak]

With a bed liner. Clever upsell that bypasses fuel economy regulations. Try throwing a load of rocks or even a cord of firewood in an aluminum bed. Then again, it's a truck, it's supposed to have hickeys (but not the appearance of bullet holes or shrapnel from above...)

I looked at a demo truck with 2100 miles while I was at the Ford dealership. Whoever had the demo really beat the crap out of the bed. Every panel had badly scratched paint. They obviously carried something very heavy. There was a dent in the bottom of the bed.

[Mark Bolton]

Hi Mark, I also thought it was a nice solid truck. I'm right at 6' and I also noticed it was a bit awkward getting into drivers seat. I wrote it off as being a bit higher than I was used to. But once in there was plenty of headroom.

That is great mileage for the V8 if that isn't strictly highway miles. I wonder what gear he might have in the back end. The F150 is the first vehicle I've shopped where there were 4 gear options. I assume the mileage would drop a bit as the ratio rises.

Was a mix but there wasn't a lot of city driving in there (stop and go). Rural area so a lot of winding back roads. It was a mix but never went below high 19s but like I say, could be a V6 for all I know. My days of giving a crap about a vehicles specs are pretty much over. All I care about is if when the key goes in the hole it runs, the heat works (years in construction my back cant take cold), and the mileage.

I've had trucks, one ton dumps, 8mpg, etc all my life. I will never ever own a low mileage vehicle if it doesn't serve a regular purpose or make me money ever again. The 20mpg gets in a reasonable zone for that truck in my opinion and I'm sure the manufacturers have 30 40 and 50mpg trucks in their back pocket but are holding them close.

I would drive one of those 60mpg sneaker cars to save gas but I run ab ou it 90 miles a day minimum.

[Jim Koepke]

All I care about is if when the key goes in the hole it runs, the heat works (years in construction my back cant take cold)

Are seat heaters a common option? My 2001 Tahoe has them and it is nice on a cold morning.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

Are seat heaters a common option? My 2001 Tahoe has them and it is nice on a cold morning.

jtk

These days, heated seats are common standard feature on higher trim levels and often offered in option packages on lower trim levels. Same goes for heated steering wheels. I wouldn't have a vehicle with out both at this point...I even use these features in the warmer times of the year sometimes for personal comfort and to combat joint pain.

[Mark Bolton]

Are seat heaters a common option? My 2001 Tahoe has them and it is nice on a cold morning.

jtk

I'm not as flimsy as Jim I guess as a steering wheel heater seems as pointless to me as a roomba or any other array of useless gaws. But yes. It had seat heaters as does my daily driver (Lexus 350). The remote start was a feature I liked that I don't have in my daily. The back issue is an odd one and even a short ride in a cold car can unleash a fury I would not wish on my worst enemy. This cold/back thing will put one into a state where you will either have your hand on the dial 911 button or be praying for death. I guess a similar scenario could affect the hands but I cant see it.

I'm glad we have jim here to point out all the commonalities and trim level options of all vehicles for us. Very handy.

[Jim Becker]

Mark, I had an interesting conversation yesterday while we were doing the "long slog" of the buying process for Professor Dr. SWMBO's new Forester. Our sales person (who we've known for years and now have bought three vehicles from) said that it's not uncommon for customers to say "I don't want or need a steering wheel heater" but they stop saying that after the first time they use it on a cold day. :) It's one of those things that can grow on you really quickly. Is it "necessary"? No. But it sure is nice to have when it's cold or you have hands that have a lot of joint pain.

[Brian Tymchak]

Mark, I had an interesting conversation yesterday while we were doing the "long slog" of the buying process for Professor Dr. SWMBO's new Forester. Our sales person (who we've known for years and now have bought three vehicles from) said that it's not uncommon for customers to say "I don't want or need a steering wheel heater" but they stop saying that after the first time they use it on a cold day. :) It's one of those things that can grow on you really quickly. Is it "necessary"? No. But it sure is nice to have when it's cold or you have hands that have a lot of joint pain.

The 2 F150s I drove both had heated seats, and very effective ones at that, as I had to dial those back quickly. But neither gad heated steering wheels as far as I knew. ..Didn't even know that was a thing...

[Mark Bolton]

I dont doubt any single option out there would be handy and welcomed at some point in time. Nor do I doubt there is an option a salesman wont tell you most people like. This truck had the trailer backup do-hickey/rear camera deal that I know for a fact I would never use as I can back up a 9' trailer with the mirrors at about as fast as I can run, longer trailer even faster. But it sure is handy to have that rear camera at times. I wish you could turn it on while driving (check your load if its low/behind the tailgate).

I just fear all these geegaws over time (the truck the FIL traded in against this one was showing issues with all sorts of sensors and push button 4wd, etc... )

Its just me.

If I had a gangsta roll in the bank I'd get the full load and trade it off every few months or a year but I typically run my vehicles into the ground and I hate vehicles in general so I tend to ride them hard and putem away wet.

[Doug Dawson]

I dont doubt any single option out there would be handy and welcomed at some point in time. Nor do I doubt there is an option a salesman wont tell you most people like. This truck had the trailer backup do-hickey/rear camera deal that I know for a fact I would never use as I can back up a 9' trailer with the mirrors at about as fast as I can run, longer trailer even faster. But it sure is handy to have that rear camera at times.

The brains of small children are on acid 24/7. They think they're invincible, and will think nothing of standing behind a vehicle when it goes into reverse gear, and just smile and wave.