There are 68 stored owner reports matching the powertrain & transmission leading-label group for the 2001 Ford F-150 in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 68 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)n/a
The car will randomly go forward while shifted in reverse I smashed into my boat trying to back up and when foward
MY VEHICLE HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WENT "FLOPPY," BECAME EXCESSIVELY LOOSE AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY OTHER GEAR POSITION. I HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND SET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN PLACE RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. IT TURNS OUT TWO 27MM TORX BOLTS HAD COME LOOSE ON THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFTER ASSEMBLY INSIDE THE DASHBOARD (A NUT HOLDING ONE OF THE BOLTS HAD ACTUALLY BROKEN INTO TWO PIECES). SEE ATTACHED PICTURES. AS I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM, I LEARNED THAT HUNDREDS, PERHAPS THOUSANDS HAD REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE (THAT AND BUSHINGS BREAKING OR SLIPPING OUT ON THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING A SIMILAR ISSUE), ON F-150'S, F-250'S, F-350'S, WINDSTAR VANS, AND OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THIS HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE A TRAGIC PROBLEM. C'MON, FORD, TAKE SOME OWNERSHIP AND DO RIGHT BY YOUR CUSTOMERS HERE--FIX THIS PROBLEM UNDER RECALL!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE GEAR FAILED TO REMAIN IN DRIVE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC DIAL IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHEN IN REVERSE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPARK PLUG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WHEN THROTTLE IS APPLIED AT FULL CAPACITY, THROTTLE PEDAL STICKS FOR UP TO THIRTY (30) SECONDS BEFORE SELF RELEASING. ENGINE RPM REACHES NEAR MAXIMUM AND VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES UNTIL VEHICLE IS PLACED IN 'NEUTRAL' AND THROTTLE SELF RELEASES. PROBLEM HAS ONLY OCCURRED WHILE ON HIGHWAY AND CAN NOT BE DUPLICATED WHILE STATIONARY OR IN 'PARK.' PROBLEM WAS DUPLICATED BY DRIVER TWO TIMES WHILE ENTERING HIGHWAY ON RAMP AT APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 60MPH. PROBLEM OCCURRED TWO TIMES WITHIN FIVE (5) MINUTES. *TR
(FORD F150 XLT V-8 / 4.6 LIT.) PARKED IN PARKING SPACE AT WAL-MART CAME OUT OF STORE CRANKED UP MY TRUCK PUT IT INTO REVERSE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACK UP. THE TRANSMISSION WITHOUT WARNING COMPLETELY BAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NEVER PULLED A TRAILER OR TREATED HARD IN ANYWAY. BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW AND HAD IT 9 YEARS 49,000 MILES. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER F-150 OWNERS. FORD NEEDS TO OWN UP TO A DEFECT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND EXITED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AS IF THE GEAR WAS PLACED INTO REVERSE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO GAIN SPEED AND DID NOT STOP UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, BUT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGED. THERE WAS A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE LANDSCAPING AS WELL AS A FENCE. THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO HAVE A LOT OF DAMAGE ALSO, BUT IT HAS NOT YET BEEN INSPECTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150 PICKUP. THE CONTACT HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND THE GEAR INDICATORS HAVE SHIFTED ONE INDICATOR TO THE RIGHT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO THE PARK POSITION INSTEAD IT WAS IN REVERSE. IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE GEAR SHIFT HAD TO BE PLACED IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION OR SECOND GEAR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
DRIVING MY FORD 2001 F150 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN A LOUD BANG UNDER FROM MY HOOD AND RENDERED MY VEHICLE USELESS AND A MAJOR TRAFFIC HAZARD AS I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE WITH CARS AND DUMP TRUCKS SWERVING AROUND ME TO PASS BY ME .THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING TO MANY FORD OWNERS THAT HAVE THE TRITON ENGINES. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FORD MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A DEATH OCCURS..FORD DEALER TELLS ME I MIGHT AS WELL GET A NEW ENGINE AT A VALUE OF $ 8000.00. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN TO STOP, THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD INCREASE, THE GEAR ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REMEDY DID NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AT 11,000 MILES AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED HIM TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
I OWN A 2001 FORD F150 IT HAS 36,000 MILES ON IT. I'VE TAKEN GREAT CARE OF THE TRUCK, BUT AS OF LAST WEEK AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF THE TRUCK NOT STARTING. I WAS INFORMED THE COMPUTER NEEDED REPLACED AND TWO COIL PACKS. AND QUOTE" DOES HAVE A TRANSMISSION CONCERN." AFTER WAITING 13 DAYS TO GET MY TRUCK I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO DO ANYMORE AND I WOULD PICK THE TRUCK UP. I DIDN'T GET TWO BLOCKS AND THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT TO A INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP AND ASKED THEM TO CHANGE THE FLUID AND FILTER AND IF THEY SAW ANY PROBLEMS TO GIVE ME A CALL. A FEW HOURS LATER THEY CALLED AND SAID THEY FOUND BALL BEARINGS AND DEBRIS IN THE TRANSMISSION PAN, INFORMED ME THAT IT SHOULD BE REBUILT. I INFORMED THEM TO GO AHEAD REBUILD AND TO SAVE ALL PARTS. THEY FIRST TEST DROVE THE TRUCK TO SEE IF ANY COMPUTER CODES WOULD SHOW UP. NONE DID, BUT THEY DID NOTICE IT DROPPING UP AND DOWN IN GEARS. SO IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A MECHANICAL PROBLEM TO THEM. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT THEY FOUND THAT A NEEDLE BEARING HAD BLOWN UP IN THE PLANETARY GEAR SET. AND HAD INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. FORD SHOULD OWN UP TO PROBLEM AND PAY FOR ANY AND ALL REPAIRS. THE TOTAL REBUILD COST WAS $1943.75 SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN WITH A TRUCK WITH ONLY 36,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
2/28/07 WHILE DRIVING ON RT 3 @ 60 MPH MY TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED & THE O.D. OFF LIGHT FLASHED ON & OFF CONTINUOUSLY. I STOPPED & LOOKED IT UP IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AND FOUND THAT MY TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE SERVICED. TOOK TO FORD DEALER AND I WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION NEEDED WORK AND THAT WARRANTY PLAN EXPIRED 2 DAYS EARLIER. BROUGHT TO TRANS SHOP WAS SHOWN TRANSMISSION PAN FULL OF METAL FROM GEARS NEEDED TO B REBUILT @ 41000 MILES AND NEVER TOWED OR PLOWED,@ A COST OF OVER $2000.00. *JB
2001 F150 LARIAT THE PINION BEARINGS, CARRIER BEARINGS AND THE RACES FOR BOTH WERE PITTED AND IN BAD SHAPE. *TS ***NAR*** PRIOR TO TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THE CONSUMER HEARD A WHINNING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. THE REAR END OF THE TRUCK HAD TO BE REBUILT. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT EITHER THE BEARING ARE MADE OF A CHEAP MATERIAL, THAT THE GEARS ARE BAD OR WHERE THE SIT IS NOT SET UP CORRECTLY. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE THAT THERE WAS A PREMATURE FAILURE IN THE PINION BEARINGS AND THE CARRIER BEARINGS FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 7/13/2006 - THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT STARTED MAKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY AND TOLD THAT THE CARRIER BEARING AND PINION BEARING AND THE RACES FOR BOTH WERE PITTED AND HAD BLACK STREAKS ON THEM. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE IT WOULD NOT MOVE BACKWARD. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN PUT IN PARK THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTED THE PLANETARY GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 05/03/06. *JB
DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING, CLUTCH TO THE FLOOR/NON-RESPONSIVE. UPON TAKING IN TO DEALER PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER FAILURE. THIS RENDERED THE VEHICLE NON-OPERABLE. DEALER REPLACED CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER AND WAS AUTHORIZED TO REPLACE CLUTCH DUE TO WEAR AND LABOR INVOLVED SHOULD IT FAIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE MADE A CLICKING SOUND AND WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE CONTACT PHYSICALLY PUSHED THE VEHICLE INTO THE DRIVEWAY. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DETERMINED THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS BROKEN. THE DRIVE SHAFT BROKE IN TWO ALONG THE WELDS. THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS REMOVED AND TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SUGGESTED SENDING THE PART TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR INSPECTION. UPDATED 2/28/2006 - *NM
THE SLAVE CYLINDER ON THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY LEAKS MAKING THE CLUTCH INOPERABLE AND THE DRIVER UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN WITH FORD F150 OWNERS YET THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ISSUED. *NM
DRIVING ALONG AND THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE JUST CAME ON AND I DIDN'T TOUCH ANYTHING. THE WHEELS FELT LIKE THEY HAD LOCKED UP AND WERE SCREECHING ON THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE BLACK MARKS ON THE DRIVEWAY FROM THE TIRES. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FORD DEALER, THEY CHECKED IT AND TOLD ME THE SHIFT MOTOR AND GEM MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A TSB ON THE PROBLEM. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANT. AFTER READING ABOUT THIS I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS AND THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT COVER THIS PROBLEM. THE FORD MOTOR CO. HAS SAID THAT THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN THE 99-2001 EXPEDITIONS AND F250 LD AND F-150 AND LINCOLN 99-2001 NAVIGATOR. THEY ALSO HAVE SAID WHAT THE NEW PART NUMBER THAT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH. I WOULD THINK IF I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH AND THE 4X4L COMES ON I COULD GET INTO A MAJOR ACCIDENT, SINCE YOU ARE ONLY SUPPOSED TO GO 30 MPH OR LESS IN 4X4L. I HAVE NOT YET HAD THE CAR REPAIRED. REPAIRS ARE GOING TO COST ME OVER $800. I HAVE PAID FOR DIAGNOSTIC FEES OF $68.00. *NM
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: May 4, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.