"How reliable is the 2020 Ford F-150?"

"Based on 797 NHTSA complaints, the 2020 Ford F-150 has a median complaint mileage of 33000 miles. The most common issue is Power Train."

"What are common problems with the 2020 Ford F-150?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Ford F-150 is Power Train, accounting for a significant portion of the 797 total complaints filed."

2020 Ford F-150: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 797 complaints

797

Total Complaints

33,000mi

Median Mileage

Power Train

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

4,000 25th Percentile

33,000 Median Mileage

72,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Power Train

269

Engine

112

Unknown Or Other

Electrical System

Visibility/Wiper

Visibility

Service Brakes

Warnings

Body

Vehicle Speed Control

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"AFTER 6 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP AND 1000 MILES OF USAGE, I HAD A FEW EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL TRANSMISSION ISSUES. FIRST I HAD A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF CLUNKS WHEN BEGINNING TO DRIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER START UP. A COUPLE DAYS AGO I HAD THE WORST EXPERIENCE YET. AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT TO WAIT FOR A ..."

"BOUGHT TRUCK ON 05/25/2020 . TODAY'S 05/30/2020 . MY TRUCK HAS ONLY 355.7 MILES AND HAS A WARNING ALREADY ' CHARGING SYSTEM SERVICES NOW' . I BEEN DRIVING FROM GALVESTON TEXAS TO WEBSTER TX. AND THE WARNING KEEP POPPING OUT DRIVEN AND EVEN ON FULL STOP. *TR"

"THE BACK RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW SHATTERED FOR NO REASON. THE TRUCK WAS SITTING PARKED AND LOCKED. IT SHATTERED AND BOWED OUTWARD FROM THE CABIN. *TR"

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 269 complaints

25th: 22,750 mi Median: 51,687 mi 75th: 98,550 mi

Engine 112 complaints

25th: 6,675 mi Median: 49,000 mi 75th: 79,700 mi

Unknown Or Other 78 complaints

25th: 3,000 mi Median: 6,000 mi 75th: 15,000 mi

Electrical System 74 complaints

25th: 650 mi Median: 2,650 mi 75th: 12,162 mi

Visibility/Wiper 24 complaints

25th: 750 mi Median: 4,732 mi 75th: 42,375 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 85 FL: 62 CA: 46 GA: 43 PA: 33 MI: 32 VA: 30 NC: 30 OH: 30 IL: 27

Who Files Complaints?

0.8%

Original Owners

99.2%

Second+ Owners

Ford F-150 — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1990	25	76,696	Fuel/Propulsion System	0
1991	357	110,000	Tank Assembly	12
1992	553	130,325	Selector Devices	25
1993	753	140,000	Tank Assembly	32
1994	908	130,000	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	79
1995	788	117,000	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	61
1996	383	113,250	Cruise Control	22
1997	3285	108,000	Engine	205
1998	1624	112,337	Fuel System, Gasoline	96
1999	1322	98,000	Engine	116
2000	1269	91,032	Fuel System, Gasoline	102
2001	1451	98,000	Vehicle Speed Control	113
2002	963	90,000	Engine And Engine Cooling	63
2003	520	64,266	Electrical System	57
2004	2429	59,312	Power Window Devices And Controls	99
2005	1363	62,000	Power Window Devices And Controls	66
2006	735	62,000	Engine	72
2007	623	60,000	Engine	51
2008	455	60,346	Engine	48
2009	397	53,500	Vehicle Speed Control	34
2010	1131	56,183	Electrical System	33
2011	2938	68,500	Power Train	70
2012	2422	59,000	Power Train	57
2013	3849	72,000	Power Train	102
2014	1859	64,000	Power Train	56
2015	2036	48,000	Service Brakes	64
2016	2373	42,000	Power Train	67
2017	1595	46,500	Power Train	47
2018	2627	38,000	Power Train	104
2019	1532	59,142	Power Train	30
2021	1138	40,000	Power Train	19
2022	702	25,000	Power Train	29
2023	494	18,614	Power Train	25
2024	195	3,700	Exterior Lighting	25
2025	112	6,500	Power Train	7

Active Recalls (10)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Bead

Campaign 19V903000 | 18/12/2019

The damage can cause the tire to rapidly lose air pressure or detach from the wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spare tire, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S55.

Headlights

Campaign 20V097000 | 21/02/2020

DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.

Cables

Campaign 19V805000 | 12/11/2019

Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Owners may contact Ford custo

Camera

Campaign 20V575000 | 23/09/2020

Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's

Starter Assembly

Campaign 20V467000 | 10/08/2020

Electrical arcing can increase the risk of a fire.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the starter motor B+ power supply attachment nut, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S40.

Gear Position Indication (Prndl)

Campaign 20V197000 | 03/04/2020

If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S18.

Recliner

Campaign 19V633000 | 28/08/2019

A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Linkages

Campaign 22V250000 | 14/04/2022

Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available 3rd Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 21, 2022. Own

Labels

Campaign 24V852000 | 08/11/2024

Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

Software

Campaign 25V442000 | 27/06/2025

A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

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

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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