Ford F-150 problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 6,163 owner complaints and 84 safety recalls for the Ford F-150. That averages 117.6 complaints per year on the road — far more complaints than typical (index 2.91 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Full-size pickups segment it ranks #5 of 5 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 97.2.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 43% below the 2018 and 2019 models (114 early complaints per model year versus 215).
The 2021 model year has the highest rate (222.9 complaints per year) and the 2020 model year the lowest (81.9). Model years 2018 and 2021 run at least 50% above this model's average of 117.6 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (34.1% of complaints), followed by Engine (19.1%) and Body & structure (10.7%). Transmission / powertrain complaints are 2.9 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 222 complaints (3.6%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 153 injuries and 4 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 1,206 complaints versus 1,561 in the previous 12 months — down 23%. The 2021 model year generated the most recent reports (362). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 44 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 84 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2025 (21), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 5 NHTSA investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “Low-pressure fuel pump failure” (preliminary evaluation, opened 2024-07-29, closed 2025-09-19).
Every other tracked model among Full-size pickups has fewer complaints per year, including Toyota Tundra, GMC Sierra 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ram 1500.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ▲50%+ | 1,920 | 218.5 | 5.41 | 85 | 19 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2019 | 1,012 | 129.9 | 3.22 | 58 | 9 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2020 Fewest complaints | 556 | 81.9 | 2.03 | 50 | 11 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2021 ▲50%+ | 1,290 | 222.9 | 5.52 | 362 | 29 ⚠ | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2022 | 597 | 124.7 | 3.09 | 202 | 23 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2023 | 414 | 109.3 | 2.71 | 181 | 13 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2024 | 230 | 82.4 | 2.04 | 154 | 11 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 126 | 70.5 | 1.75 | 96 | 13 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 18 | 18.0 | 0.45 | 18 | 5 | Engine | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 1,206 · Previous 12 months: 1,561 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Transmission / powertrain ›
2,104 · 34.1% · 2.92 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Engine ›
1,178 · 19.1% · 0.86 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Body & structure ›
660 · 10.7% · 1.18 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Electrical ›
655 · 10.6% · 0.68 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Unspecified or other ›
432 · 7.0% · 0.78 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Brakes ›
251 · 4.1% · 0.68 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Lighting ›
228 · 3.7% · 2.38 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Fuel system ›
161 · 2.6% · 0.6 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
139 · 2.3% · 0.9 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Steering ›
131 · 2.1% · 0.33 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Driver-assist systems ›
97 · 1.6% · 0.27 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Airbags & seat belts ›
76 · 1.2% · 0.32 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
51 · 0.8% · 0.45 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 44 months
What owners report
I put my truck in reverse to get out of a driveway and it kept going and accelerating...the brakes did not work. I ended up goign through a fence at the end of the street and into a shed and my truck finally stopped.
The contact owns a 2025 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the trailer hitch connection fault and blind spot fault messages were displayed.
My F-150 previously experienced an unintended tailgate opening while the vehicle was being driven. I brought the vehicle to Sugar Loaf Ford on May 14, 2025, specifically because of this problem.
Transmission shudders while accelerating and is prone to overheating seemingly sporadically.
I own a 2022 Ford F-150 FX4 with the 5.0L engine and 10R80 automatic transmission. The vehicle experiences repeated severe and unexpected transmission malfunctions, including extremely harsh upshifts and downshifts between multiple gears.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Full-size pickups
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Tundra | 1,578 | 54.3 | 1.35 | Worsening | Rising | 34 | Engine |
| 2 | GMC Sierra 1500 | 3,662 | 90.6 | 2.25 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 32 | Engine |
| 3 | Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 4,756 | 108.4 | 2.69 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 34 | Engine |
| 4 | Ram 1500 | 4,840 | 110.2 | 2.73 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 74 | Engine |
| 5 | Ford F-150 | 6,163 | 117.6 | 2.91 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 84 | Transmission / powertrain |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 84
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 1
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (19) · 2019 (9) · 2020 (11) · 2021 (29) · 2022 (23) · 2023 (13) · 2024 (11) · 2025 (13) · 2026 (5)
Investigations
- Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance Open
On September 23, 2020, Ford Motor Company (Ford) filed a noncompliance recall report under 49 CFR Part 573 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-575), recalling 620,246 Model Year (MY) 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles for a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 111, Rea…
- Low-pressure fuel pump failure Closed
On July 29, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE24019 to investigate complaints of low-pressure fuel pump failures in MY 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles. Some consumers reported that the failure occurred without warning while driving, resulting in a complete loss of motive power with no ability to restart the engine. Ford determined that several other vehicle models contain low-pressu…
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
On July 22, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) granted a Defect Petition (DP22001) and opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22007) to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with 2.7L EcoBoost engines. Complainants were reporting sudden engine failure while driving resulting in a loss of motive power, often without the abilit…
- Windshield trim molding Item detachment Closed
On January 27, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-001 to investigate allegations of A-pillar trim panel detachment on model year (MY) 2011-2019 Ford Explorer vehicles. At the time of opening, the office had received 164 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) reporting this failure. ODI has received 671 VOQs regarding this failure, including 1 alleged crash and 2 alleged injur…
- Seatbelt Pretensioner Fire Closed
On June 18, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE18-008) to investigate complaints alleging post-crash fires at the B pillar in the area of the seat belt pretensioners on MY 2014-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab, and Super Crew Cab Vehicles. On August 24, 2018, Ford Motor Company recalled (FSA 18S27 - NHTSA #18V568) the affected population. Ford's investig…