10R80 transmission cost: rebuild, replace, CDF drum, and fluid in 2026
The 10R80 ten-speed automatic (and its near-identical GM sibling, the 10L80) sits in millions of Ford and Chevrolet trucks, SUVs, and performance cars built since 2017. It is a capable transmission with three well-known cost drivers: a software-and-solenoid family of issues that are cheap to fix, a CDF drum failure that is expensive, and a fluid service that prevents most trouble in the first place. This page covers what each repair actually costs, what the CDF drum is and why it matters, the Mercon ULV fluid spec and capacity, and the full list of vehicles that use the unit.
Fluid service: $250 - $650. Lead frame / solenoid: $350 - $1,200. Rebuild: $2,800 - $4,500 at an independent specialist. Reman replacement: $4,500 - $7,500 installed. A failed CDF drum usually means a full rebuild or replacement ($3,500 - $7,500). Dealer pricing runs 30 to 50% higher than independent. Mercon ULV fluid is mandatory.
What the 10R80 is
The 10R80 is a ten-speed longitudinal automatic that Ford and General Motors developed jointly and each builds in its own plant. Ford brands it the 10R80; GM brands its version the 10L80 (with a higher-torque 10L90 variant). The two are mechanically close enough that the failure patterns and service procedures translate directly, which is why this page covers both. The design debuted in the 2017 F-150 EcoBoost and the 2017 Camaro ZL1, then spread across both lineups as the corporate replacement for the six-speed 6R80 and 6L80.
The wide ratio spread (a low first gear for launch and a tall tenth for highway cruising) delivers genuine fuel-economy and acceleration gains. The cost of that complexity is more clutch packs, more solenoids, and a tighter fluid-pressure and thermal margin than the unit it replaced. That margin is at the root of the CDF drum problem covered below.
10R80 / 10L80 cost matrix
| Repair | Independent | Dealer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid + filter service (pan drop, ~6 qt) | $250 - $450 | $350 - $600 | Mercon ULV + FT-215 filter. Single most valuable preventive service. |
| Full fluid exchange (~12.7 qt) | $400 - $650 | $500 - $800 | Replaces the entire fill rather than half. |
| Single shift solenoid | $350 - $700 | $500 - $1,000 | Internal, requires pan drop. |
| Lead frame replacement | $600 - $1,200 | $900 - $1,500 | Common past 80k miles. Houses the solenoid wiring. |
| Valve body replacement | $900 - $1,800 | $1,400 - $2,400 | Often paired with lead frame. |
| Torque converter replacement | $1,200 - $2,200 | $1,800 - $2,800 | Transmission must come out. |
| CDF drum failure (full rebuild required) | $3,500 - $5,500 | $5,000 - $7,500 | Usually destroys the unit. See section below. |
| Full rebuild | $2,800 - $4,500 | $4,000 - $6,000 | Soft parts plus hard parts as needed. |
| Remanufactured unit (installed) | $4,500 - $7,500 | $5,500 - $8,000 | Revised internals + 36 mo / 100k warranty. |
| New OEM unit (rare) | n/a | $7,000 - $9,500 | Dealer only, usually not stocked. |
// 2026 ranges. Independent assumes a shop with documented 10R80 / 10L80 experience. For Ford-specific TSB and warranty detail see the F-150 page.
The CDF drum failure, explained
The CDF drum is the clutch drum that houses the C, D, and F clutches inside the 10R80. It is the single most consequential failure point on the transmission. The failure mode is mechanical: a bushing inside the drum assembly migrates out of its bore under sustained heat and pressure. Once it shifts, it uncovers a fluid passage and bleeds off the pressure that feeds roughly half of the transmission. The result is not a gradual decline; it is a sudden, often catastrophic loss of drive.
Because the failure starves clutches of pressure while they are still being commanded to hold, it commonly burns clutch material and contaminates the whole unit on its way out. That is why a CDF drum failure rarely ends as a tidy parts swap. By the time the symptoms appear, the practical repair is a full rebuild ($3,500 to $5,500 at an independent) or a remanufactured replacement ($4,500 to $7,500 installed). Dealer quotes for a CDF-driven repair commonly land between $5,000 and $7,500 once a torque converter and full clutch set are included.
There is a preventive path. Upgraded CDF drums and bushing-retention kits machine a lip into the drum so the bushing cannot walk out, and some are paired with increased lubrication pressure. As a part the upgrade is modest, but the labour to reach the drum requires the transmission to be removed and largely disassembled, so the job is priced close to a rebuild regardless. The economics favour the upgrade only when the transmission is already out for other work, or for owners deliberately building the unit for towing or performance duty.
Fluid type, capacity, and service cost
The 10R80 requires Motorcraft Mercon ULV (ultra-low-viscosity) automatic transmission fluid, sold under part number XT-12-QULV. The same fluid serves the GM 10L80. This is not interchangeable with older Mercon LV or generic multi-vehicle ATF; the ULV viscosity is part of how the transmission achieves its shift speed and economy, and the wrong fluid is a documented route to failure.
- [+]Full dry-fill capacity is approximately 12.7 quarts. A pan drop and filter change refills roughly 6 quarts (you cannot drain the torque converter on a pan service).
- [+]The correct filter is FT-215 (Ford part L1MZ-7A098-A). Replace it whenever the pan is off.
- [+]A pan-and-filter service runs $250 to $450 at a shop; a full exchange that cycles the entire 12.7-quart fill runs $400 to $650. DIY parts cost is $80 to $150.
- [+]Ford lists a long "normal" interval, but independent specialists widely recommend a fluid service every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, and sooner for towing or sustained high-temperature use.
The level must be set at the correct fluid temperature using the fill-plug procedure; there is no dipstick. Overfilling or checking cold both produce a wrong reading. For a fuller maintenance walk-through see our fluid maintenance page, or transmissionfluidchangecost.com.
Vehicles that use the 10R80 / 10L80
| Unit | Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Ford 10R80 | F-150 (2017+), Expedition, Mustang GT and EcoBoost (2018+), Ranger (2019+), Explorer and Lincoln Aviator (2020+ RWD platform), Bronco (2021+), Navigator |
| GM 10L80 | Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 (2019+), Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Escalade (2021+), Camaro SS and ZL1 |
| GM 10L90 | Higher-torque variant: Cadillac CT4-V / CT5-V Blackwing, some GM HD gas applications |
For the Ford F-150 specifically, including TSB references, warranty status by year, and the older 6R80 and four-speed generations, see our dedicated F-150 transmission repair cost page.
Common questions
How much does a 10R80 transmission rebuild cost?+
A 10R80 rebuild runs $2,800 to $4,500 at an independent transmission specialist and $4,000 to $6,000 at a dealer. The dealer figure typically includes a new torque converter, valve body, the CDF drum and shaft, and all new seals and clutches. The independent rebuild market for the 10R80 is thinner than for older units because it is a newer transmission, so confirm the shop has documented 10R80 experience before authorising the work.
What is the 10R80 CDF drum and how much does it cost to fix?+
The CDF drum is the clutch drum that carries the C, D, and F clutches inside the 10R80. Its bushing can migrate out of position under heat and pressure, which starves roughly half the transmission of fluid pressure and causes a near-instantaneous failure. Because a failed CDF drum usually damages the rest of the unit, the real-world repair is a full rebuild or replacement: $3,500 to $7,500 depending on how far the damage spread. Caught preventively, an upgraded drum with a retained bushing is a parts-level fix, but the labour to reach it requires the transmission to come apart, so the job still lands near rebuild cost.
How much does a 10R80 transmission fluid change cost?+
A pan drop and filter change runs $250 to $450 at a shop (about 6 quarts of Motorcraft Mercon ULV plus the FT-215 filter). A full fluid exchange that replaces the entire fill of roughly 12.7 quarts runs $400 to $650 because of the larger volume of ULV fluid. DIY parts cost is $80 to $150. The Mercon ULV specification is mandatory; substituting generic ATF is one of the fastest ways to damage a 10R80.
Which vehicles use the 10R80 transmission?+
Ford uses the 10R80 in the F-150 (2017 on), Expedition, Mustang GT and EcoBoost (2018 on), Ranger (2019 on), Explorer and Lincoln Aviator (2020 on the rear-drive platform), Bronco (2021 on), and Navigator. General Motors co-developed and builds a near-identical unit branded the 10L80, used in the Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 (2019 on), the Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, and Escalade (2021 on), and the Camaro SS and ZL1. The higher-torque 10L90 variant appears in some Cadillac V and GM HD applications. The C8 Corvette does not use it; that car runs an eight-speed dual-clutch.
How much does it cost to replace a 10R80 transmission?+
A remanufactured 10R80 installed runs $4,500 to $7,500. The reman unit alone is $4,000 to $5,000 and includes revised internal parts and the latest software calibration. A new OEM unit from the manufacturer runs $7,000 to $9,500 plus labour and is rarely chosen outside warranty replacement. At high mileage with internal damage, the reman is usually better economics than an independent rebuild because it carries a 36 month / 100,000 mile warranty.
Is the 10R80 a reliable transmission?+
The 10R80 is fundamentally a capable design, but it has three well-documented failure patterns: harsh shifts and gear hunting addressed by Ford software TSBs, lead-frame solenoid faults, and CDF drum failure. The first two are inexpensive to resolve when caught early. The CDF drum is the expensive one. Regular Mercon ULV fluid service and prompt attention to shift complaints are the most effective ways to avoid a major repair.