YearToAvoid

2021 Ford F-250 Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 25 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2021 Ford F-250, about 15% of all 164 complaints for the year. Owners report hard shifting, slipping, and driveshaft issues, with a median failure mileage of 56,000 miles. No related recalls are listed for this problem area.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
25
15% of 164
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
56,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners describe the 10-Speed Automatic Transmission shifting hard or slipping when pulling away from a stop.
  • Some drivers report the transmission randomly changing gears unnecessarily while cruising on the highway.
  • Several complaints describe erratic upshifts and downshifts, particularly between 3rd-5th and 9th-10th gears, feeling like the transmission briefly drops into neutral.
  • Owners report the truck failing to move or hesitating when accelerating from a stop, with RPMs rising but no forward motion.
  • A design issue with the 10R140 transmission's CDF drum bushing is described as blocking fluid transfer ports, causing overheating and clutch slippage.
  • Some owners report driveline and differential problems, including whining or metallic noises from the front differential and excessive wear found in the rear differential.

When 2021 Ford F-250 transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 20, 2021, latest Sep 24, 2026.

2021 Ford F-250 transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month2Oct 2021May 2022Oct 2023Jul 2024Jan 2025Aug 2025Mar 2026Sep 2026
25 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2021 to Sep 2026; peak Jun 2024 (2).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2021 Ford F-250

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by F-250 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200530 (7%)
  2. 200610 (2%)
  3. 20074 (4%)
  4. 200821 (6%)
  5. 20093 (4%)
  6. 20108 (8%)
  7. 201123 (6%)
  8. 201218 (6%)
  9. 20133 (3%)
  10. 20148 (5%)
  11. 201519 (6%)
  12. 201614 (5%)
  13. 201725 (2%)
  14. 201815 (4%)
  15. 201945 (4%)
  16. 202074 (28%)
  17. 202125 (15%)
  18. 202221 (17%)
  19. 20237 (16%)
  20. 20246 (16%)
  21. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2021 Ford F-250 have?
NHTSA lists 25 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2021 F-250, which is about 15% of the 164 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2021 Ford F-250?
No related recalls are listed for the Transmission & Powertrain area in this data.
At what mileage do 2021 F-250 transmission problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 56,000 miles.
What kind of transmission problems do owners report on the 2021 F-250?
Owners describe hard or slipping shifts, erratic gear changes, hesitation when accelerating, and driveline noise or wear, based on NHTSA complaint narratives.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.