Ford F-150 Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy
Every Ford F-150 model year (1975–2026) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.
Ford F-150 Years to Avoid
2 recalls · 1929 complaints
51 reported injuries
6 reported deaths
Top issue: POWER TRAIN
Problem score: 2067
17 recalls · 1720 complaints
101 reported injuries
11 reported deaths
Top issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Problem score: 2028
13 recalls · 1328 complaints
60 reported injuries
3 reported deaths
Top issue: POWER TRAIN
Problem score: 1502
Best Ford F-150 Years to Buy
0 recalls · 1 complaint
Main area: TIRES:SIDEWALL
Problem score: 1
1 recall · 0 complaints
Main area: No significant complaints
Problem score: 3
0 recalls · 6 complaints
Main area: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
Problem score: 6
Found the right year? Verify that specific F-150 with a free VIN report.
Ford F-150 — Year-by-Year Problem Report
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Problem Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 11 | 71 | 2 | — | 108 | Excellent |
| 2024 | 6 | 101 | 9 | — | 137 | Excellent |
| 2023 | 9 | 290 | 9 | — | 335 | Good |
| 2022 | 17 | 518 | 32 | — | 633 | Good |
| 2021 | 20 | 712 | 7 | — | 786 | Caution |
| 2020 | 7 | 427 | 13 | — | 474 | Good |
| 2019 | 6 | 779 | 26 | — | 849 | Caution |
| 2018 | 13 | 1328 | 60 | 3 | 1502 | Avoid |
| 2017 | 14 | 754 | 18 | — | 832 | Caution |
| 2016 | 12 | 1224 | 38 | — | 1336 | Caution |
| 2015 | 12 | 1039 | 62 | 2 | 1209 | Caution |
| 2014 | 6 | 927 | 30 | 3 | 1020 | Caution |
| 2013 | 2 | 1929 | 51 | 6 | 2067 | Avoid |
| 2012 | 2 | 1221 | 23 | 1 | 1278 | Caution |
| 2011 | 4 | 1422 | 29 | — | 1492 | Avoid |
| 2010 | 1 | 607 | 18 | — | 646 | Good |
| 2009 | 2 | 209 | 21 | — | 257 | Good |
| 2008 | 1 | 235 | 28 | 2 | 304 | Good |
| 2007 | 6 | 319 | 26 | 2 | 399 | Good |
| 2006 | 12 | 366 | 22 | — | 446 | Good |
| 2005 | 13 | 682 | 36 | 1 | 798 | Caution |
| 2004 | 12 | 1183 | 28 | 5 | 1300 | Caution |
| 2003 | 9 | 225 | 21 | 1 | 299 | Good |
| 2002 | 7 | 513 | 44 | — | 622 | Good |
| 2001 | 15 | 724 | 62 | 2 | 903 | Caution |
| 2000 | 14 | 648 | 46 | 1 | 787 | Caution |
| 1999 | 14 | 692 | 71 | — | 876 | Caution |
| 1998 | 13 | 840 | 31 | — | 941 | Caution |
| 1997 | 17 | 1720 | 101 | 11 | 2028 | Avoid |
| 1996 | 3 | 185 | 10 | 2 | 224 | Good |
| 1995 | 3 | 411 | 25 | 2 | 480 | Good |
| 1994 | 6 | 493 | 31 | — | 573 | Good |
| 1993 | 10 | 398 | 9 | — | 446 | Good |
| 1992 | 8 | 308 | 7 | 5 | 371 | Good |
| 1991 | 4 | 184 | 4 | — | 204 | Excellent |
| 1990 | 3 | 182 | 3 | — | 197 | Excellent |
| 1989 | 3 | 135 | 4 | 2 | 162 | Excellent |
| 1988 | 1 | 79 | 2 | 1 | 91 | Excellent |
| 1987 | 3 | 64 | 4 | — | 81 | Excellent |
| 1986 | 1 | 48 | — | — | 51 | Excellent |
| 1985 | 0 | 26 | 3 | — | 32 | Excellent |
| 1984 | 1 | 7 | — | — | 10 | Excellent |
| 1983 | 0 | 6 | — | — | 6 | Excellent |
| 1982 | 0 | 1 | — | — | 1 | Excellent |
| 1981 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 11 | Excellent |
| 1980 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 8 | Excellent |
| 1979 | 8 | 1 | — | — | 25 | Excellent |
| 1978 | 4 | 11 | — | — | 23 | Excellent |
| 1977 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 7 | Excellent |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 1975 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 7 | Excellent |
All 52 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.
Ford F-150 Shopping Guide by Era
2018–Present
Best: 2026Recent F-150 models benefit from updated safety systems and revised engineering. The 2026 stands out with just 0 problem points. Always request a pre-purchase inspection and VIN history report.
2013–2017
Best: 2017Mid-decade F-150 units are entering high-mileage territory. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and verify recall completion status. The 2017 shows the lowest problem count for this era.
Pre-2013
Proceed with CautionOlder F-150 models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report.
Frequently Asked Questions
What year F-150 should I avoid?+
Avoid the 2013 Ford F-150 if possible. It has 2 recalls, 1929 owner complaints, and 6 reported deaths. The overall problem score is 2067 — the highest in our dataset.
What is the best year F-150 to buy?+
The 1982 Ford F-150 is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 1. It has only 0 recalls and 1 complaint on record with NHTSA.
Which F-150 has the fewest problems?+
The 1982, 1976, 1983 model years have the fewest documented problems. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.
More Ford F-150 Research
Check a Specific Ford F-150 VIN
Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.
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