Some 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) vehicles equipped with 4WD may exhibit grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area. This may be due to partial engagement of the integrated wheel ends (IWE). To correct this condition, follow the Service Procedure to remove and cap the vacuum supply line or to reprogram the transfer case control module (TCCM) and replace any worn vacuum and/or IWE components.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2007 Ford F-150 powertrain problems
severe 52 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
52
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
3crashes
5injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 52 powertrain complaints filed for the 2007 Ford F-150, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 52 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 16 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This SKU is a Transmission Oil Cooler Line. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for the port size being too large. If the port size is too large it will not fit the mating component which would prevent installation, and would therefore have no impact on the end user besides time to complete installation.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SOME 2004-2014 F-150 AND 2006-2008 MARK LT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) MAY EXHIBIT NOISY OR ENGAGED FRONT HUBS WHEN OPERATING IN TWO-WHEEL DRIVE (2WD) MODE. FOLLOW THE SERVICE PROCEDURE STEPS TO CORRECT THE CONDITION.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗FORD: IF THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT LACK OF POWER, SURGE, OR HESITATION WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES WILL OVERRIDE ACCELERATION.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2007 F-150s describe a range of powertrain failures Ford has not recalled. Driveshaft problems dominate the complaints: welds at the transmission yoke break or center support bearings fail, causing the shaft to separate or hang below the vehicle. This happens at low mileage—sometimes under 100,000 miles—and can occur without warning. Owners note that dealers claim individual bearing parts are unavailable, then push full driveshaft replacement at roughly $1,000.
Transmission problems are equally common. Internal failures occur at very low mileage (as early as 344 miles), with metal debris appearing in fluid lines. Some vehicles enter limp mode or slam to a complete stop. Shifters stick in park or move freely without brake input, allowing unintended vehicle movement. One owner was dragged by the door and severely injured when the truck rolled.
Engine issues center on the cam phaser system. Misfires trigger cascading ignition coil failures across multiple cylinders, and replacing coils on one bank triggers failures on another—suggesting the phaser, not the coils, is the root cause. Owners report engines stalling, losing power, and refusing to go into gear. One mechanic recommended a cam phaser delete kit as the solution.
Unintended acceleration at stops—where the engine surges forward or backward despite hard brake application—appears in multiple complaints. Dealers offer temporary computer reprogramming that fails within weeks. Owners also report sudden loss of reverse gear, brake failure during low-speed driving, and complete driveline failure at highway speed. Ford repeatedly denies recalls and refuses warranty claims.
Same Ford F-150 powertrain reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010
Failure modes owners describe
Driveshaft failure at weld/yoke junction
Driveshaft breaks at the weld at the yoke of the transmission, separating and hanging below the vehicle. Owners report loud thumping before failure. At low speed, loss of power transmission; at highway speed, potential for driveline to dig into asphalt and flip the truck.
When: Varies: reported at 32,000 miles and under 100,000 miles; failures occur during normal driving and reversing
Symptoms owners cite: Loud thumping sound when accelerating or placing vehicle in gear; Complete loss of forward motion; Driveshaft visible hanging from transmission
Repairs/costs cited: Complete driveshaft replacement required; no individual weld repair available. Dealers initially claim no parts availability, though owners locate parts online. Cost not consistently stated.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford denies recalls; customers report Ford customer care center claims no complaints or recalls despite multiple online complaints
Driveshaft center support bearing failure
Center support bearing slips out of housing or fails completely, causing driveshaft to slip backward, detach from transmission, or bounce around in bearing bracket. Can occur suddenly with no warning at low speeds (10–20 mph) and causes severe vibration making vehicle difficult or impossible to control.
When: Reported between 32,000 and 100,000+ miles; failures sudden and unexpected
Symptoms owners cite: Severe vibration at low speed; Driveshaft slipping or detaching from transmission; Carrier bearing slipping out of housing; Vehicle unable to move more than 1 mph without severe vibration
Repairs/costs cited: Entire driveshaft must be replaced (non-serviceable bearing); cost ~$1,000. Dealers claim individual bearing unavailable but can be ordered online from Ford parts website.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls issued; Ford dealers resistant to acknowledging design flaw, attempt to force full driveshaft sale rather than bearing repair
Cam phaser malfunction
Cam phaser design flaw causes engine misfire, stalling, loss of power, refusal to go into gear, and knockng at low RPM (around 1000 rpm). Multiple owners report ignition coil failures cascade—replacing coils on one bank triggers misfires on another bank, indicating root cause is not the coils. Owner reports mechanic identified cam phaser as source and recommend cam phaser delete kit.
When: Reported at various mileages starting mid-service life; pattern indicates system-wide design issue
Symptoms owners cite: Engine chugging like old diesel; Engine surging/revving at stops; Misfiring with cascading ignition coil failures; Stalling without warning; Knocking at 1000 rpm when coming to stop; Loss of power; Refusal to go into gear after phaser activation
Codes mentioned: P0355 (ignition coil circuit malfunction), Misfire codes on multiple cylinders (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7)
Repairs/costs cited: Ignition coils and spark plugs replaced, but failures recur; some owners cite ~$1,200 for all 8 plugs and coils; engine replacement mentioned in at least one case. Aftermarket cam phaser delete kit recommended by mechanics as permanent fix.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Eight TSBs issued for engine issues but no recall; Ford ignores problem and does not fix design flaw; customers report Ford will not take responsibility until NHTSA mandates recall
Transmission failure with metallic debris
Transmission internal failure with metal particles found in transmission cooler and lines, or catastrophic internal breakdown causing vehicle unable to shift, go into gear, or move. Some failures occur at very low mileage (3,100 miles). Vehicle enters limp/protect mode or stops moving entirely.
When: Reported from 3,100 miles to 126,000+ miles; wide range suggests multiple failure modes
Symptoms owners cite: Grinding sound from transmission; Transmission malfunction warning light; Vehicle slammed to a stop; Transmission will not engage or shifts out of gear; Vehicle stalls and jerks while driving; Popping sound followed by inability to exceed 25 mph; Metal debris visible in transmission fluid
Codes mentioned: P0720 (output shaft speed sensor)
Repairs/costs cited: Full transmission replacement required; costs range from $1,600 to $3,600+ depending on labor and source. Some dealers offer free repairs under warranty (2008 incident mentioned); aftermarket transmissions also fail with same symptoms. Rebuilding attempted but failures recur.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued; some dealers acknowledge defect but offer no coverage; manufacturer referred customers to NHTSA
Engine oil seal failure and oil leakage
Small oil seal behind camshaft fails, causing hot oil to leak onto engine block and create fire hazard. Occurs early in vehicle life. Dealer misdiagnosed as customer maintenance failure and quoted $5,600 for new engine before warranty claim accepted.
When: Reported at 61,000 miles on vehicle purchased at 28,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine chugging/rough running in low gear (2nd gear at low speed); Hot oil leaking onto engine
Repairs/costs cited: Required engine replacement. Warranty claim covered cost after extended warranty ($2,700) applied; dealer attempted forced labor at $5,600 initially. Replacement engine had same defect; second replacement resolved issue. Dealer notes original factory paperwork showed previous wiring harness replacement before vehicle left factory.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Attempted to deny warranty claim based on maintenance history; accepted claim under extended warranty; no recall
Transmission shifter stuck in park or loose/sloppy operation
Gear shifter becomes stuck in park and difficult or impossible to move out. Also, shifter can be moved freely without depressing brake or release button, allowing child or accidental bump to shift vehicle into gear while driving or parked. Aluminum shavings found around shifter.
When: Reported at 87,000 miles and up to 171,000 miles; can occur at any time while driving or parked
Symptoms owners cite: Shifter stuck in park; Shifter moves freely without brake or button depression; Aluminum shavings visible around shifter; Difficult or impossible to shift gears
Repairs/costs cited: Shifter cable repair attempted multiple times by independent mechanics but failures recur; shifter replacement required. Cost cited as over $800. Salvage parts expensive because problem is common.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford unwilling to help; no recall issued; customers forced to pay full repair cost
Sudden unintended acceleration / engine surge
Engine surges or revs to high RPM when vehicle is stopped in gear (drive or reverse), causing vehicle to lunge forward or backward despite driver applying brake with both feet. Occurs multiple times over months or years. Dealer reprogramming provides only temporary relief (about 1 month). Also reported as sudden acceleration in reverse when depressing accelerator.
When: Reported at various mileages; recurring episodes over years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revving suddenly at high RPM while stopped in gear; Vehicle lurching forward or backward despite brake application; Skid marks from hard braking attempts; No warning lights initially; check engine light after repeated occurrences
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer computer reprogramming attempted but temporary; issue recurs. One complaint involves sudden reverse acceleration (300,000 miles) that crashed into building; vehicle totaled.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer states fail-safe is built in and owner not in danger; offers computer reprogramming but does not fix root cause; no recall
Low-speed vibration and shaking
Vehicle shakes violently at low speeds (5–15 mph), making it difficult to control and unsafe to drive with children. Owners report driveline vibration at 55 mph that persists after tire replacement. Dealers initially blame tires; tire shops identify driveline issue.
When: Reported at various low mileages; one case started at ~50,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Violent shaking at low speed; Driveline vibration at 55 mph; Vibration persists despite new tires
Repairs/costs cited: Tire shops recommend driveline rebalancing; no cost cited for actual repair. One owner attempted self-repair due to inability to afford dealer diagnosis.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers claim shaking is normal for Ford trucks or blame tires; no recall
Transmission slipping and loss of power
Transmission slips in reverse, does not engage properly, or loses power during driving. Vehicle unable to tow. Output shaft speed sensor code P0720 reported in at least one case.
When: Reported at various mileages; one issue noted as dating back to 2002 models
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission slipping in reverse; Vehicle unable to shift into reverse or move backward; Loss of towing capability
Codes mentioned: P0720 (output shaft speed sensor)
Repairs/costs cited: No specific repair cited; issue appears long-standing across model years
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall; issue ignored across multiple model years
Transfer case / all-wheel drive system malfunction
Electronic all-wheel drive shifts from two-wheel to four-wheel drive independently and without driver input while driving at highway speed. Front tires lock up when failure occurs, causing vehicle to slide and driveline to split in half.
When: Reported at 50,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Unexpected shift from 2WD to 4WD while driving; Front tires locking up; Vehicle sliding to a stop
Repairs/costs cited: Driveline split in half; complete driveline failure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or response documented
Transmission cooling system failure
Transmission cooling line routed through radiator fails, causing engine coolant to mix with transmission fluid. Results in catastrophic transmission failure at highway speed.
When: Reported at highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission cooling line failure; Coolant mixing with transmission fluid
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission rebuild and radiator replacement required
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall documented
Driveshaft fracture
Driveshaft fractures during low-speed driving, causing complete failure and loss of power transmission. Inspected at 3 mph.
When: Reported at 99,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal noise from driveshaft; Fractured driveshaft visible
Repairs/costs cited: Complete driveshaft replacement required
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford notified; case opened but no recall
Front hub bearing failure
Left front hub bearing fails, causing left wheel assembly to come loose. Second truck in same company purchase group develops clicking noise in left front hub; dealer acknowledges problem but cannot fix it after three visits. Safety concern for both highway and daily use.
When: Reported with ~100 miles per day usage on commercial trucks; failures expected around or after 50,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Clicking noise in left front hub; Wheel assembly coming loose
Repairs/costs cited: Hub bearing replacement or wheel assembly repair needed; dealer unable to diagnose
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer acknowledges issue but cannot fix; no recall; suspected Ford avoiding acknowledgment due to financial implications
Transmission parking pawl / park engagement failure
Vehicle does not remain in park. Gear slips out of park when parked, causing vehicle to roll. In one case, owner exiting vehicle was caught by door and dragged, sustaining significant injuries when truck came to rest on his leg. In another case, owner had to move vehicle forward until hearing a click to ensure it stays in park. Problem recurs even after correct procedure attempted.
When: Reported early in ownership (1,536 miles) and sporadically over 7 years
Symptoms owners cite: Gear slips out of park; Vehicle rolls downhill when parked; Required to drive forward and hear click before park engages
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission service or replacement may be required; owner sustained major leg injury in one incident
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer unable to determine cause; suggested transmission at fault but no fix offered; no recall
Transmission case failure and fluid leakage
Transmission case fails due to faulty/stripped threaded plugs in transmission case, causing transmission fluid to leak and burning smell. Failure occurs extremely early (344 miles).
When: Reported at 344 miles (current mileage 2,100)
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission fluid leaking; Burning smell from transmission
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission case replacement required
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer replaced case; no recall
Brake failure during reverse or low-speed operation
Brakes fail to stop vehicle when depressed firmly during reverse or low-speed driving. Vehicle continues to accelerate or move despite brake application. Requires throwing transmission into neutral to stop. Occurs multiple times.
When: Reported during reverse and low-speed operation
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes ineffective during reverse; Rear wheels spinning with brakes applied firmly; Vehicle unable to stop despite hard brake application; Skid marks from emergency braking
Repairs/costs cited: One incident resulted in collision with another vehicle at intersection
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No response documented
Engine stalling and check engine light
Engine stalls without warning during normal driving at various speeds. Check engine light may or may not illuminate. Vehicle may restart but failure recurs. Multiple attempts at spark plug, coil, injector replacement and oil pressure testing do not resolve issue.
When: Reported at 59,000 and 87,400 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden stalling without warning; Check engine light (intermittent or persistent); Abnormal noise from engine compartment; Misfiring
Repairs/costs cited: Spark plugs, injectors, and various components replaced without resolving issue; engine and transmission replacement recommended by independent mechanic
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Eight TSBs issued but no recall; manufacturer provided no solution
Synthesized from 52 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Pickup would not stop at stop sign with the brake on. The rear wheels were spinning with the brakes on firmly. This has now happened twice and both times I threw the transmission into neutral to stop the malfunction.. *tr
Started to accelerate out of a parking lot and heard a loud thumping so I pulled over got out looked at the driveshaft seen it had slid back. A bit out of the transmission also out of the carrier bearing. *tr
Gear slipped out of park as I was exiting vehicle. I had not yet closed the door and the truck began to move down the driveway. I was caught by the door and dragged along until the door threw me to the ground, injuring my back. The truck came to rest on both of my legs. I was able to pull out my left leg easily resulting in just a few cuts, scrapes and partial black and blue spots. Wounds all…
The contact owns a 2007 Ford F-150 The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and jerked. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired;…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2007 Ford F-150?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2007 Ford F-150?
It's a meaningful issue. 52 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 47 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 32,000 and 120,000 miles, with the median around 74,100. A quarter of owners report trouble before 32,000; a quarter make it past 120,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Ford/F-150.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.