2016 Ford F-150: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 2373 complaints
2373
Total Complaints
42,000mi
Median Mileage
Power Train
Top Issue
67
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
14,181
25th Percentile
42,000
Median Mileage
70,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Power Train
439
Engine
299
Service Brakes
293
Unknown Or Other
238
Body
183
Electrical System
167
Visibility/Wiper
100
Vehicle Speed Control
84
Fuel/Propulsion System
81
Steering
59
Severity Assessment
67
Crashes
36
Fires
71
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"THIS VEHICLE AS DESCRIBED BY THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER HAS A DRIVERS DOOR LATCH PROBLEM, DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY, WILL OPEN BY ITSELF WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMP IS BELOW FREEZING. THIS VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW SITTING ON THE DEALERS LOT, THERE IS AT LEAST 20 OTHER NEW VE..."
"WHEN ITS COLD ONLY THEY WILL NOT SHUT THE DOOR WILL BOUNCE BACK. DEALER TRY TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM IN A WARM GARAGE AND PU NO PROBLEM FOUND ON WORK ORDER. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE AND NO HELP."
"MY AUTO DRIVER SIDE VIEW MIRROR DEFAULTS TO A POSITION WHICH I CANNOT SEE BEHIND ME EVERY TIME I USE THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT FORD MAY HAVE INTENTIONALLY SET THE MIRROR TO BEHAVE THIS WAY. I FORGET TO ADJUST THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS WITH EACH ENTRY AND REALIZE THE MIRROR IS NOT ..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Power Train
439 complaints
25th: 40,000 mi
Median: 72,850 mi
75th: 115,250 mi
Engine
299 complaints
25th: 22,875 mi
Median: 50,500 mi
75th: 80,000 mi
Service Brakes
293 complaints
25th: 9,700 mi
Median: 31,000 mi
75th: 52,200 mi
Unknown Or Other
238 complaints
25th: 13,775 mi
Median: 26,500 mi
75th: 50,000 mi
Body
183 complaints
25th: 5,000 mi
Median: 16,000 mi
75th: 34,500 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
TX: 234
FL: 157
CA: 152
PA: 109
MI: 106
NY: 104
OH: 103
VA: 88
WA: 81
NC: 80
Who Files Complaints?
0.9%
Original Owners
99.1%
Second+ Owners
Ford F-150 — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
| Year | Complaints | Crashes |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 25 | 0 |
| 1991 | 357 | 12 |
| 1992 | 553 | 25 |
| 1993 | 753 | 32 |
| 1994 | 908 | 79 |
| 1995 | 788 | 61 |
| 1996 | 383 | 22 |
| 1997 | 3285 | 205 |
| 1998 | 1624 | 96 |
| 1999 | 1322 | 116 |
| 2000 | 1269 | 102 |
| 2001 | 1451 | 113 |
| 2002 | 963 | 63 |
| 2003 | 520 | 57 |
| 2004 | 2429 | 99 |
| 2005 | 1363 | 66 |
| 2006 | 735 | 72 |
| 2007 | 623 | 51 |
| 2008 | 455 | 48 |
| 2009 | 397 | 34 |
| 2010 | 1131 | 33 |
| 2011 | 2938 | 70 |
| 2012 | 2422 | 57 |
| 2013 | 3849 | 102 |
| 2014 | 1859 | 56 |
| 2015 | 2036 | 64 |
| 2017 | 1595 | 47 |
| 2018 | 2627 | 104 |
| 2019 | 1532 | 30 |
| 2020 | 797 | 30 |
| 2021 | 1138 | 19 |
| 2022 | 702 | 29 |
| 2023 | 494 | 25 |
| 2024 | 195 | 25 |
| 2025 | 112 | 7 |
Active Recalls (13)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Engine
Campaign 18V894000 | 18/12/2018
When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for thi
Engine
Campaign 19V278000 | 08/04/2019
A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Owners may contact Ford custome
Pretensioner
Campaign 18V568000 | 31/08/2018
A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S27.
Latch
Campaign 17V652000 | 16/10/2017
A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall
Rear/Other
Campaign 17V526000 | 28/08/2017
If the left rear inflatable seat belt buckle separates from it's mounting bracket, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained, increasing their risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assembly, replacing the attaching rivet as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed October 18, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may
Latch
Campaign 17V331000 | 22/05/2017
If the doors unlatch and open in a side impact collision, the occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the accessory covers and refund the purchase price. The recall began July 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 17C09.
Recliner
Campaign 16V475000 | 28/06/2016
The seat back may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall begin on August 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 16C11.
Seats
Campaign 17V767000 | 29/11/2017
In the event of a crash, a seat occupant that is not properly restrained has an increased risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tightness of the power seat track upper pivot link bolt, either applying threadlocker or replacing the lift link and hardware, free of charge. Interim letters are expected to go out January 15, 2018. Owners will receive a second notice when the
Occupant Classification
Campaign 16V110000 | 25/02/2016
If an adult is incorrectly classified as a child, the passenger frontal air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Classification System Module (OCSM) with new software, free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S05.
Engine
Campaign 20V098000 | 21/02/2020
A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the block heater's location and its cable, replacing components as necessary, free of charge. If the replacement parts are not available, dealers will disable the existing block heater cable from being used until parts become available. The recall
Master Cylinder
Campaign 20V332000 | 08/06/2020
A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel and feel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, possibly requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake master cylinder and inspect the brake booster, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Ford issued owners an interim notification on June 30, 2020. The recall began on October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-86
Upper Ball Joint
Campaign 21E027000 | 12/04/2021
An incorrectly installed ball joint may cause the ball joint stud to break, which can compromise front wheel control, increasing the risk of a crash.
DRiV will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary replace the ball joint, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Tenneco Automotive customer service at 1-877-489-6659.
Power Assist
Campaign 22V150000 | 11/03/2022
A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter notifying customers of the safety defect were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owner notification le
Extend Your Transmission Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change transmission fluid at manufacturer intervals — not 'lifetime' fluid
- Come to a full stop before shifting from reverse to drive
- Don't ride the brakes on hills — use a lower gear
- Check transmission fluid level and color monthly — dark fluid needs changing
- Address slipping, hard shifts, or delayed engagement immediately
Compare Ford F-150
Vehicle Rankings
Looking for a replacement?
Based on the data above, here are relevant options.
Affiliate link
Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28