Ford F-150 Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability

Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported deaths, injuries, crashes, and worst problem areas. Updated daily from federal databases.

252
Total Recalls
24409
Total Complaints
1091
Total Crashes
1072
Reported Injuries
52
Reported Deaths
2013
Worst Year
1976
Best Year
0
Poor
Overall Reliability Score (0–100)

Own a Ford F-150? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.

Ford F-150 — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison

YearVerdictRecallsComplaintsCrashesInjuriesDeathsTop Issue
2026Excellent11Electrical SystemFull report →
2025Excellent58342Power TrainFull report →
2024Excellent3109912Exterior LightingFull report →
2023Good53062012Power TrainFull report →
2022Good125351932Power TrainFull report →
2021Caution19719127Power TrainFull report →
2020Good5428813Power TrainFull report →
2019Caution37911726Power TrainFull report →
2018Avoid11133956603Power TrainFull report →
2017Caution107681818Power TrainFull report →
2016Caution912473238Power TrainFull report →
2015Caution9105240622Power TrainFull report →
2014Caution293129303Power TrainFull report →
2013WorstAvoid2194157516Power TrainFull report →
2012Caution4122130231Power TrainFull report →
2011Avoid314222829Power TrainFull report →
2010Good16102018Electrical SystemFull report →
2009Good22092121Vehicle Speed ControlFull report →
2008Good23527282EngineFull report →
2007Good431927262EngineFull report →
2006Good83683622EngineFull report →
2005Caution768236361VisibilityFull report →
2004Caution10118341285VisibilityFull report →
2003Good822517211Vehicle Speed ControlFull report →
2002Good65143444Engine And Engine CoolingFull report →
2001Caution1372451622SeatsFull report →
2000Caution965046461Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
1999Caution106926771Engine And Engine CoolingFull report →
1998Caution118405231Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
1997Avoid14172010310111Engine And Engine CoolingFull report →
1996Good218511102Electrical SystemFull report →
1995Good241128252Service Brakes / HydraulicFull report →
1994Good34934631Service Brakes / HydraulicFull report →
1993Good4398139Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
1992Good53081775Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
1991Excellent218474Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
1990Excellent318243Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
1989Excellent3135242Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
1988Excellent179121Electrical SystemFull report →
1987Excellent36434Electrical SystemFull report →
1986Excellent148Electrical SystemFull report →
1985Excellent2613TiresFull report →
1984Excellent171Electrical SystemFull report →
1983Excellent6Engine And Engine CoolingFull report →
1982Excellent1TiresFull report →
1981Excellent22Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
1980Excellent22Exterior LightingFull report →
1979Excellent41SteeringFull report →
1978Excellent311SteeringFull report →
1977Excellent21SteeringFull report →
1976BestExcellentFull report →
1975Excellent31SteeringFull report →

52 model years shown. Crashes, injuries, and deaths from NHTSA complaint filings. Click any year for full details.

Most Common Ford F-150 Problems

Power Train
4377
Engine
2181
Electrical System
2104
Engine And Engine Cooling
1440
Vehicle Speed Control
1386
Fuel System / Gasoline
1297
Steering
1173
Unknown Or Other
1168
Visibility
1145
Structure
1034
Service Brakes
1026
Service Brakes / Hydraulic
988

Based on 24,409 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years.

Recent Safety Recalls — Ford F-150 (20222026)

#26V1040002026
20/02/2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Remedy: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.

Showing 1 recall from 20222026 model years. See the full year-specific pages for older recalls.

F-150 Years to Avoid

2013 F-150
1941 complaints · 2 recalls · 57 crashes · 6 deaths
Details →
1997 F-150
1720 complaints · 14 recalls · 103 crashes · 11 deaths
Details →
2018 F-150
1339 complaints · 11 recalls · 56 crashes · 3 deaths
Details →

Ranked by combined complaints, recalls, crashes, injuries, and deaths.

Best F-150 Years to Buy

1976 F-150
0 complaints · 0 recalls
Details →
1982 F-150
1 complaints · 0 recalls
Details →
2026 F-150
1 complaints · 1 recalls
Details →

Years with fewest complaints and recalls.

Ford F-150 Problems by Year

Frequently Asked Questions — Ford F-150 Reliability

What year F-150 has the most problems?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2013 Ford F-150 had the highest combined complaint and recall count — 1941 complaints and 2 safety recalls. See the full 2013 report for specific defects.

Is the Ford F-150 reliable?

The Ford F-150 has accumulated 24,409 owner-filed complaints and 252 safety recalls across all model years in NHTSA's database. There have been 52 reported deaths associated with complaints. The 1976 model year shows the fewest reported issues. Always run a VIN check before purchasing any used F-150.

What are the most common F-150 problems?

The most frequently cited problem areas are: Power Train (4377 reports), Engine (2181 reports), Electrical System (2104 reports), Engine And Engine Cooling (1440 reports). Based on NHTSA complaints across all model years.

How do I check if my F-150 has an open recall?

Use the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with auction history, odometer records, and 30+ intelligence signals.

Check a Specific Ford F-150 VIN

Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.

Run a Free Ford F-150 VIN Report →

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