Reliability
Ford

F-150 (13th)

2015-2020 · Full-Size Truck · 7 engines

Verdict Pick a 2015-2017 truck with the 5.0L V8, its 6-speed automatic and a clean transmission service history; the 10-speed 10R80 drives the largest failure category. Run the VIN against all 46 recall campaigns before signing.

7,788 NHTSA Complaints
46 Recalls
92 Fire Reports
220 Crash Reports
Data covers 7 NHTSA model names
F-150F-150 CREW CABF-150 REGULAR CABF-150 SUPER CREWF-150 SUPER CREW DIESELF-150 SUPERCABF-150 SUPERCAB DIESEL
View all 6 generations of the Ford F-150 → Inspection checklist

Reliability Score

5.5 / 10

Reliability score

More owner complaints than similar full-size trucks

The class average is 7.0. Based on complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the engine, transmission or drivetrain.

Complaints of oil consumption, fuel in the oil or overheating run well above similar vehicles. They set this score.

Owners filed 3,820 powertrain complaints. A typical full-size truck fleet of this size and age would have drawn about 2,872.

Scores this low have often eased: the three years after looked about 1.5 points better in the typical case.

Complaints are still climbing.

Breakdown
Complaints overall3,820 complaints against about 2,872 for similar vehicles
6.2
Last three years2,249 complaints against about 1,090 for similar vehicles
4.9
Engine, transmission or drive unit failed or replaced713 complaints against about 464 for similar vehicles
5.8
Oil consumption, fuel in the oil or overheating189 complaints against about 103 for similar vehicles
5.3

Each line scores one view of the same complaints the same way, so the lines overlap. The mark on each bar is the class average. A line needs 20 expected complaints to show a number.

By model year
  • 20157.0
  • 20166.5
  • 20176.2
  • 20184.0
  • 20195.1
  • 20205.2

Similar vehicles are others in the same class, compared at the same age and in the same years. The score counts complaints owners filed with NHTSA, per vehicle built, which is different from the share of vehicles that fail. How the score is worked out

By engine

3.5L 6-cyl (turbo and non-turbo together) 5.7/10
About 30% more powertrain complaints than this generation's other engines, per vehicle built. (1,615 complaints, about 1,212,000 built) Complaints of a failed or replaced engine, transmission or drive unit set this score: 284 against about 168 for similar vehicles.
5.0L 8-cyl 3.4/10
No clear difference from this generation's other engines. (1,140 complaints, about 950,000 built) Complaints of oil consumption, fuel in the oil or overheating set this score: 115 against about 28 for similar vehicles.
2.7L 6-cyl (turbo and non-turbo together) 6.4/10
About 32% fewer powertrain complaints than this generation's other engines, per vehicle built. (710 complaints, about 849,000 built) Complaints of a failed or replaced engine, transmission or drive unit set this score: 160 against about 118 for similar vehicles.
3.3L 6-cyl 8.9/10
About 74% fewer powertrain complaints than this generation's other engines, per vehicle built. (23 complaints, about 85,000 built)
3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel 5.5/10
No clear difference from this generation's other engines. (29 complaints, about 17,000 built)

A complaint counts toward an engine only when its VIN names the engine. Each score is that engine on its own against similar vehicles, worked out the same way as the score above.

On the record · from NHTSA's files, not reviewed by hand

Engineering analysisEA26001
Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up · opened 2026, open, led to recall 26V237

Complaints by Engine Code

Show

3.5-V6-Gas

3.5L 6-cyl / 282 hp
1,908 complaints 304.3 per year Gasoline
17 fire reports 1 fatality
View details

Complaint Breakdown

engine
510
transmission
457
brakes
339
other
215
body
178

Same engine used in

+73 more
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2.7L-4V

2.7L 6-cyl
1,605 complaints 208.0 per year Gasoline
22 fire reports 2 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

transmission
455
engine
329
other
274
body
204
electrical
173

Ford F-150 Unidentified Engine

703 complaints 117.2 per year
8 fire reports
View details

Complaint Breakdown

engine
175
transmission
147
brakes
113
other
97
body
76

TIVCT

3.3L 6-cyl / 290 hp
83 complaints 20.0 per year Gasoline
1 fire report
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
19
body
17
transmission
12
electrical
12
safety systems
11

3.0L-4V

3.0L 6-cyl
56 complaints 18.7 per year Diesel
3 fire reports
View details

Complaint Breakdown

transmission
22
other
8
engine
6
body
6
electrical
5

Same engine used in

Show 2 additional engine variants with limited data
These engines appear in fewer than 10 owner complaints. A low count can mean a clean record, and it can also be a VIN-decode anomaly in NHTSA's data.

FD - 1060

2.5L 4-cyl Turbo / 119 hp
1 complaint 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
1

4.9-I6-Gas

4.9L 6-cyl / 145 hp
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

Reliability Overview

The 2015-2020 F-150 carries 7,788 NHTSA complaints across six model years, with 92 fire reports and 5 deaths attributed to defects. Transmission failures lead the category list at 2,431 complaints. Engine issues follow at 1,824. The generation draws about 35% more powertrain complaints than similar trucks of the same age, and the 10-speed transmission that arrived on the 3.5L EcoBoost for 2017 and spread across most of the lineup for 2018 is the inflection point for the worst of the complaint pattern.

The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is the highest-complaint engine option at 3,187 records combined across two powertrain variants, with 32 fires and 2 deaths tied to it. The 2.7L EcoBoost V6 trails at 1,605 complaints with 22 fires and 2 deaths. The 5.0L Coyote V8 shows 2,152 complaints, 26 fires, and 1 death. The 3.3L base V6 introduced in the 2018 refresh shows 83 complaints and the 3.0L Power Stroke diesel V6 shows 56, both with limited fleet exposure rather than verified durability. The V8 carries the lowest death count of the three, but its volume of serious complaints stays high.

Below transmission and engine, the failure mix runs Brakes at 831 complaints, Body/Trim at 823, and Electrical at 730. Brakes deserve their own line: about a quarter of the generation's 220 crash reports also cite the brakes, and owners report soft pedal feel and master cylinder leakage on EcoBoost trucks that triggered at least two NHTSA campaigns. The 10-speed 10R80 transmission, co-developed with GM and rolled into the F-150 for 2017, generated thousands of owner reports of harsh 1-2 shifts, shudders, and hunting between gears. Ford addressed it through multiple software TSBs and a class-action settlement in 2020. Repair bills on a hard transmission failure still run $4,000 to $8,000 at an independent shop.

The lineup shifted mid-cycle. Launch trucks in 2015 offered a naturally aspirated 3.5 V6 base, the 2.7 EcoBoost, the 3.5 EcoBoost, and the 5.0 V8. The 2018 refresh introduced the 3.3 V6 as the new base engine, the 3.0 Power Stroke diesel, and revised 5.0 V8 internals with dual injection. The 10-speed debuted behind the 3.5 EcoBoost for 2017 and spread across most of the lineup for 2018. That change matters more than any other variable when reading the complaint pattern, which is why 2015-2016 trucks pull ahead of later years on transmission risk even at higher mileage.

Used buyers should brace for above-average repair exposure regardless of engine choice. The 5.0 V8 paired with the 6-speed it kept through 2017 is the safer pick. The 46 NHTSA recall campaigns on this generation cover air bags, fuel system, powertrain, brakes, seat belts, and steering, with the engine block heater cable corrosion campaign on 3.5L EcoBoost trucks generating two passes because the first remedy did not hold. Recall completion status varies by VIN. Verify every open campaign through the NHTSA lookup before signing, and weight a clean service history more than a low advertised price on this truck.

Owner Complaints by System

Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Ford F-150, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.

Transmission: 2,431 owner complaints
Engine: 1,824 owner complaints
Brakes: 831 owner complaints
Body/Trim: 823 owner complaints
Electrical System: 730 owner complaints

Buyer's Guide

The 5.0L Coyote V8 is the conservative pick for the 13th-gen F-150 on used-market math. It carries 2,152 complaints compared to 3,187 for the 3.5L EcoBoost and 1,605 for the 2.7L EcoBoost, and its fire-per-complaint rate runs lower than the 2.7L EcoBoost's. Pair it with a 2015-2017 model year if budget allows, since the 5.0 V8 kept the 6-speed until 2018, when it moved to the 10-speed 10R80 transmission that drives the largest single failure category at 2,431 complaints. The 6-speed automatic those earlier trucks shipped with is not bulletproof, but it does not carry the harsh-shift and class-action history the 10-speed inherited.

Inspection priorities cluster around four areas. Transmission: on 2017-2020 trucks with the 10-speed, drive a full duty cycle including stop-and-go, hard acceleration, and downhill engine braking, listening for harsh 1-2 shifts, shudders, or hunting. Pull any TCM software-update history. Engine: on EcoBoost trucks, check for leaks around the 2.7 V6's oil pan and scan for cam-phaser noise on cold start. On 5.0 V8 trucks, check oil consumption on 2018+ engines with the revised internals. Brakes: test pedal feel at low speed and confirm firm pressure on EcoBoost trucks covered by the master-cylinder recalls. Body and aluminum: inspect bed and cab corners for prior collision-repair quality, since aluminum panels hide corrosion differently than steel.

This generation is a difficult truck to recommend on reliability grounds. The conservative path is a 2015-2017 truck with the 5.0 V8 and clean transmission service history, plus a pre-buy mechanical inspection that runs the VIN against all 46 recall campaigns. Budget for repair exposure that can turn a low advertised price into a financial wash. Recall remedy completion is worth more on this truck than any cosmetic detail.

What to check on a used 2015-2020 Ford F-150

On a used 2015-2020 Ford F-150, the systems with the most NHTSA owner complaints are the transmission and drivetrain (2,431), the engine (1,824) and the brakes (831). Each one has an inspection step below, with counts as of 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.

  1. Accelerate gently through every gear, then once at full throttle. Shift into Reverse and back to Drive.Costly repair. NHTSA has 2,431 owner complaints on the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 about the transmission and drivetrain, all engines combined.
  2. Start the engine cold and listen for the first 30 seconds, then again at idle once it is warm.Costly repair. NHTSA has 1,824 owner complaints on the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 about the engine, all engines combined.
  3. On an empty road, brake firmly from 40 mph with a light grip on the wheel.Safety. NHTSA has 831 owner complaints on the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 about the brakes.
  4. Open and close every door, the hood and the trunk or hatch. Check the latches, the seals and the gaps between panels.Minor. NHTSA has 823 owner complaints on the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 about the body and structure.
  5. Switch on every electrical item in turn: lights, windows, locks, wipers, climate fan, screen and power outlets.Costly repair. NHTSA has 730 owner complaints on the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 about the electrical system.
Open the full inspection checklist for the 2015-2020 Ford F-150

Recalls (46)

26V370000Jun 9, 2026serious
Electrical System

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 17V053. The instrument cluster may lose power after initial vehicle start-up in cold ambient temperatures. Several gauges, including the transmission gear position indicator, may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect."

26V373000Jun 9, 2026serious
Exterior Lighting

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V097. When the headlight switch is turned from "Autolamps" to "Headlamps On," the Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) may remain fully bright instead of dimming to parking lamps as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

26V375000Jun 9, 2026serious
Powertrain

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 17V669. Quickly moving the shift lever from Park to Drive may cause a loss of gear indication on the instrument cluster display and a momentary selection of an unintended gear, such as Reverse or Neutral.

26V237000Apr 14, 2026serious
Powertrain

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150 vehicles. A loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear.

25V442000Jun 27, 2025serious
Back Over Prevention

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

Show 41 older recalls
25V236000Apr 11, 2025serious
Service Brakes

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

24V852000Nov 8, 2024serious
Equipment

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

22V252000Apr 14, 2022serious
Back Over Prevention

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 F-150, Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

22V250000Apr 14, 2022serious
Visibility

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.

22V150000Mar 11, 2022serious
Service Brakes

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

21V983000Dec 16, 2021serious
Latches/Locks/Linkages

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles with manual and power release tailgates. The tailgate latches may unlatch unexpectedly while driving.

21E027000Apr 12, 2021serious
Suspension

Tenneco Automotive (DRiV) is recalling certain MOOG K500359 ball joints, for aftermarket installation on 2015-2018 Ford F-150 trucks. The ball joint may have a misaligned dust boot and may be missing alignment hole and installation warning tag, which may lead to improper alignment of the ball joint.

21V155000Mar 10, 2021serious
Tires

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

20V575000Sep 23, 2020serious
Back Over Prevention

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 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. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

20V467000Aug 10, 2020serious
Electrical System

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 vehicles. An incorrect attachment nut may have been used to attach the battery positive (B+) power supply cable to the starter motor, possibly affecting the electrical conductivity, resulting in excess heat and electrical arcing.

20V332000Jun 8, 2020serious
Service Brakes

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2017 F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid into the brake booster.

20V197000Apr 3, 2020serious
Powertrain

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package. The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually be in a different gear than the gear shift position selected by the driver.

20V098000Feb 21, 2020serious
Engine

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2016 F-150 pick-up trucks equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines and block immersion heaters that were potentially relocated from their originally installed location. The incorrect location could put the heater too close to hot engine components, possibly resulting in a damaged cable.

20V097000Feb 21, 2020serious
Exterior Lighting

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from the "Autolamps" switch position to "Headlamps On." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

19V903000Dec 18, 2019serious
Tires

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 trucks equipped with 17-inch spare tires. The spare tire could have been damaged when it was installed on the rim.

19V805000Nov 12, 2019serious
Electrical System

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and braking or steering assist. The engine could also stall.

19V633000Aug 28, 2019serious
Seats

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

19V278000Apr 8, 2019serious
Engine

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.

18V894000Dec 18, 2018serious
Engine

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.

18V568000Aug 31, 2018serious
Seat Belts

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.

18V392000Jun 12, 2018serious
Fuel System

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition, F-150, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI V6 engines. These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.

18V213000Apr 4, 2018serious
Powertrain

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.

18V214000Apr 4, 2018serious
Powertrain

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions and 2018 Ford F-150 and Expedition vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions (excluding Expedition vehicles with a Rotary Gear Shift Dial on the console). The gear shift cable clip may not be properly seated, allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than indicated by the gear shift lever position.

17V767000Nov 29, 2017serious
Seats

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 F-150 and Explorer vehicles. Loose power seat adjuster pivot bolts may cause the front seat cushions to detach and not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash.

17V671000Oct 24, 2017serious
Powertrain

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 vehicles equipped with ten-speed transmissions. The pin that attaches the transmission shift linkage to the transmission may come out, preventing the transmission from responding to movement of the shift lever.

17V672000Oct 23, 2017serious
Engine

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L engines. The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.

17V669000Oct 23, 2017serious
Powertrain

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.3L engine, a 6-speed transmission and a column mounted shift lever. Quickly moving the shift lever from Park to Drive may cause a loss of gear indication on the instrument cluster display and a momentary selection of an unintended gear, such as Reverse or Neutral before the vehicle achieves Drive function.

17V652000Oct 16, 2017serious
Latches/Locks/Linkages

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the doors opening while driving although they appear to be closed.

17V599000Sep 25, 2017serious
Seats

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. The seat belt anchor may not be adequately welded to the seat cushion frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages," and 207, "Seating Systems."

17V598000Sep 25, 2017serious
Structure

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford F-150 Raptor Super Cab pick-up trucks not equipped with a moonroof. The structural roof braces may be missing rivets at the attachment of the roof rail, thereby reducing the structural integrity.

17V526000Aug 28, 2017serious
Seat Belts

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250 and F-350 trucks equipped with a crew cab. The left rear inflatable seat belt buckle assembly may be inadequately attached to its mounting bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

17V529000Aug 28, 2017critical
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 and Mustang vehicles. The air bag inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may rupture in the event of a crash.

17V331000May 22, 2017serious
Latches/Locks/Linkages

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles originally produced with black or body colored exterior door handles that may have been subsequently equipped with a chrome exterior door handle cover accessory kit purchased from a Ford dealer. These accessory door handle covers may cause the doors to unlatch in a side impact collision. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."

17V332000May 22, 2017serious
Seats

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles equipped with a manual driver's seat back recliner mechanism. In the event of a crash, the seat back frame may not restrain the occupant due to having inadequate welds. As such, these vehicles may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202a, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

17V053000Jan 24, 2017serious
Powertrain

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 trucks equipped with an eight-inch productivity screen. In these vehicles, the instrument cluster may lose power after the initial vehicle start-up in cold ambient temperatures. Several gauges, including the transmission gear position indicator, may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect."

16V475000Jun 28, 2016serious
Seats

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Explorer and F-150 vehicles equipped with a manual recline driver's seat. The seat back frame may have insufficient welds which may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

16V110000Feb 25, 2016serious
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 F-150 trucks manufactured April 27, 2015, to November 22, 2015, and equipped with Multi-Contour Seats (MCS). The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) that calibrates the air bag deployment level may incorrectly classify an adult as a child when the seat massage feature is activated.

15V867000Dec 22, 2015serious
Seat Belts

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford F-150 SuperCrew trucks manufactured January 22, 2015, to March 17, 2015. The affected vehicles may be equipped with driver or front passenger seat belt anchorage assemblies whose pretensioner cable was not properly crimped. As a result, the seat belts may not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies" and 210, " Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

15V614000Sep 30, 2015serious
Forward Collision Avoidance

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford F-150 trucks manufactured March 18, 2014, to August 6, 2015 and equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). While using the Adaptive Cruise Control, the vehicle may falsely detect an obstacle in its path and may unexpectedly apply the brakes.

15V279000May 12, 2015serious
Steering

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford F-150 trucks manufactured March 19, 2015, to March 30, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been built with a steering upper intermediate shaft that was improperly riveted.

15V251000Apr 28, 2015serious
Structure

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford F-150 vehicles manufactured January 30, 2015, to January 31, 2015. The affected vehicles may have loose or missing underbody heat shields.

NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings

Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: No
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: No
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
—
Side Crash
—
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
—
Side Crash
—
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
—
Side Crash
—
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
—
Side Crash
—
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
—
Side Crash
—
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
—
Side Crash
—
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
—
Side Crash
—
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
—
Side Crash
—
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 4/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional
Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
Frontal Crash
5/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (19.1% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Optional LDW: Optional

Alternatives in Full-Size Truck

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2015-2020 Ford F-150 complaints?

Owners have filed 7,788 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015-2020 Ford F-150. The systems they name most often are the transmission, the engine and the brakes.

Is the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 a good used car?

That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 7,788 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015-2020 Ford F-150. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 have?

NHTSA has 7,788 owner complaints on file for the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.

What recalls affect the 2015-2020 Ford F-150?

NHTSA lists 46 recalls covering some 2015-2020 Ford F-150 vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.

What should I check before buying a used Ford F-150?

Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the transmission, the engine and the brakes, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.

What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the F-150?

The 2020 Ford F-150 received an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 5 stars. Side crash: 5 stars. Rollover: 4 stars (19.1% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: Standard. Lane Departure Warning: Optional. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 7,788 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-10-12.

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