Ford F-150 Shifts Gears Without Warning—the Feds Investigate
Published: March 25th, 2025.
You might want to pay attention if you drive a Ford F-150 or if you drive near one.
Federal safety officials just opened an investigation into nearly 1.3 million Ford F-150 trucks after drivers reported a shocking and dangerous issue: the trucks suddenly downshift into lower gears while cruising at highway speeds—without any warning or the driver doing anything.
In some cases, the sudden downshift reportedly caused the rear wheels to lock up, sending the truck skidding and putting the driver at risk of losing control entirely.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed it’s launching a preliminary evaluation into model years 2015 through 2017. So far, 138 complaints have poured in, one as recently as last year from an Ohio driver whose 2016 F-150 downshifted from sixth gear to first at 70 miles per hour. That driver said it nearly sent them through the windshield.
If this all sounds vaguely familiar, that’s because it is. Ford recalled hundreds of thousands of F-150s from other years—2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014—for a similar problem.
Some of those recalls were even expanded after more complaints and further investigation. This latest probe raises the question: Did Ford fix the problem, or is it back in a new batch of trucks?
A Ford spokesperson said the company is cooperating with the NHTSA and confirmed the issue relates to F-150s with six-speed automatic transmissions.
The F-150 isn’t just any truck. It’s the best-selling vehicle in the United States—for years running. You’ve seen them everywhere. You probably drive next to at least five of them on your daily commute.
That means this isn’t just a Ford owner problem. It’s a traffic safety problem. If one of these trucks unexpectedly downshifts in front of you on the highway, your safety is at risk, too.
And if you're an F-150 driver? You deserve to know what your vehicle might be capable of doing without warning. No one should be forced to gamble with control of their truck at 70 mph.
Currently, the NHTSA is in the early stages of a preliminary evaluation. They could move to a more in-depth engineering analysis if they find enough evidence that the issue is a widespread and potentially dangerous defect. After that, if necessary, they could order a full-scale recall.
No crashes, injuries, or fires have been officially linked to this investigation. But the pattern is starting to look a little too familiar.
To make matters worse for Ford, this investigation joins a growing list of problems. Last year, they recalled over 668,000 F-150s from 2014 for the same downshifting issue. Another 950 F-150 Lightnings were flagged for battery defects. Other Ford vehicles have had brake software recalls.
Ford says it’s addressing the issues. But for drivers and passengers on the road, the stakes are high. Whether you’re behind an F-150 or anywhere near one, the priority is your safety.