The Lemon IndexFirst gear isn't matching the expected engine-to-wheel speed, which usually means slipping in that gear. Full P0731 page
11 owner complaints · one of 274 codes Ford F-Series owners name · 2% of Ford F-Series complaints that name a code (every car: 0.2%)
Middle of 95,000 miles · most between 90,000 and 126,000 (7 owners gave it)
Ford F-Series owners named P0731 in 11 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2013, 2012 and 2011 model years, at a middle of 95,000 miles. The part they name most is the valve body or shift solenoid (2 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Ford F-Series model years that report P0731
Owner complaints naming P0731, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
95,000 miles is the middle of what 7 owners entered. Half were between 90,000 and 126,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the valve body or shift solenoid, in 2 of the 11 complaints (18%). 1 of those mention it being replaced or repaired.
- Valve body or shift solenoid2 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement · what Ford F-Series owners paid
5 complaints mention a recall.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0731
- Transmission slips or shifts hard18%2 of 11 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P0731 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
Other codes named in the same Ford F-Series complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
Ford F-Series valve body replacement cost
Recalls on these Ford F-Series years
- Transmission & drivetrain · 2014 · issued 2026
A loss of signal between the transmission output shaft speed sensor and the powertrain control module (PCM) can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into first gear. NHTSA 26V378000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2015 · issued 2026
A loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear. NHTSA 26V237000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2014 · issued 2024
A loss of signal between the transmission output shaft speed sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed. NHTSA 24V444000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2013 · issued 2019
The software used to reprogram the PCM did not have the necessary updates to prevent the transmission from unexpectedly downshifting into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed. NHTSA 19V433000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2011, 2012, 2013 · issued 2019
The transmission may unexpectedly downshift into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed. NHTSA 19V075000
8 recalls for the same systems (powertrain) on the Ford F-Series model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind P0731. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P0731: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Ford F-Series reliability by year
- 2013 Ford F-Series problems and recalls
Other codes Ford F-Series owners report
P0720 P0722 P2112 P0707 P0706 P1702 P0016 P0721 P0705 P07F7
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0731 means
First gear isn't matching the expected engine-to-wheel speed, which usually means slipping in that gear.
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
- Low or burnt fluid
- Worn clutches
- Solenoid or valve body fault
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11750518, 11647962, 11608267, 11543238, 11467524, 11252350, 11151751, 11132735, 11051305, 11045622, 10925536.
Quick answers
What does P0731 mean on a Ford F-Series?
Gear 1 Incorrect Ratio. First gear isn't matching the expected engine-to-wheel speed, which usually means slipping in that gear.
Which Ford F-Series years have the most P0731 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2013 (4), 2012 (3), 2011 (2) Ford F-Series named P0731 most (11 complaints in all, 2011–2015). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0731 on a Ford F-Series?
Owners most often name the valve body or shift solenoid (2 of 11 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does P0731 show up on a Ford F-Series?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 95,000 miles; half were between 90,000 and 126,000 (7 owners).
Can I drive my Ford F-Series with P0731?
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0731 on the Ford F-Series, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.