2016 Ford F150

Family: F150 · filed with NHTSA as F-150

Summary

In its first three years the 2016 F150 drew 496 complaints — 1.6× the median of its generation (2015–2020). It is among the most-complained-about years of this generation.
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Complaints are spread across systems: the largest, Powertrain, holds 32% of the 1,925 that name a component.
14 recalls filed for this model year.
4 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

In the news

F-150 downshift investigation EA26-001 stays open after the recall OCT 23, 2026
Ford recalls 1.39 million 2015–2017 F-150s for sudden downshifts OCT 22, 2026
2015–2017 Ford F-150 downshift recall: what owners should know OCT 21, 2026

At a glance

Owner complaints: 2,088
Recalls: 14
Investigations: 4
NCAP overall: 5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG: 16–21
Annual fuel cost: $2,950–$3,900
Median mileage at complaint: 46,000 mi (n = 1,146)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 58 / 25 / 51 / 0

What owners report

Powertrain

612 complaints · 32% of complaints that name a component · median 98,000 mi (n = 235)

Owner report The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the power train warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the following day, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. In ad…

Owner report While driving in normal conditions at approximately 40 mph the transmission shifted to 2nd gear and the PRND began flashing erratically. Afterward the transmission stayed in 5th gear until I was able to park. This caused a great deal of fear and physical pain from the sudden jolt.

Engine

346 complaints · 18% of complaints that name a component · median 56,000 mi (n = 183)

Owner report The contact’s son owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mi…

Owner report .2016 F-150 Ford Truck. Purchased from a used car dealership. While driving the truck on a freeway at about 40 MPH, accelerated to 55 MPH and changed lanes. Engine went into limp mode. Check engine light flashed. Started to deaccelerate. Moved vehicle over to shoulder. Fault codes: P0340, P0344, P0365, P0369. This truc…

Brakes

340 complaints · 18% of complaints that name a component · median 35,000 mi (n = 264)

Owner report I am filing an emergency complaint against Ford Motor Company for failure to provide a safety recall remedy within a reasonable timeframe under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301. My vehicle has an active safety recall (Recall 20S31) for a compromised brake master cylinder, making it entirely unsafe to operate. The vehicle is curre…

Owner report I went to start my truck and the brake went all the way to the floor. I had no braking power and it had to be towed back home over an hour away. There is a recall on 2016 Ford F150 with the 3.5 Eco Boost engine which I have. This recall involves a seal in the master cylinder failing and losing braking power and affecti…

8% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2015–2020)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 308.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2015	1,743	359
2016	2,088	496	most complaints
2017	1,463	256
2018	2,325	501	most complaints
2019	1,342	161	fewest complaints
2020	741	174	fewest complaints

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

26V237000 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Filed 2026-04-14 · 1,392,935 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: Unexpectedly downshifting into second gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 15, 2026.

22V150000 · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

Filed 2022-03-11 · 195,864 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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 letters were mailed April 29, 2022. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-332. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S11.

21E027000 · SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

Filed 2021-04-12 · 2,394 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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.

20V332000 · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

Filed 2020-06-08 · 292,311 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S31.

20V098000 · ENGINE | EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Filed 2020-02-21 · 13,854 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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 began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S08.

19V278000 · ENGINE | EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Filed 2019-04-08 · 131,068 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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 customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S11.

18V894000 · ENGINE

Filed 2018-12-18 · 410,289 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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 this recall is 18S45.

18V568000 · SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER | STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Filed 2018-08-31 · 1,619,112 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.

Remedy: 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.

17V767000 · SEATS

Filed 2017-11-29 · 177,264 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: In the event of a crash, a seat occupant that is not properly restrained has an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: 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 remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S40.

17V652000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Filed 2017-10-16 · 1,101,107 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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 is 17S33.

17V526000 · SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

Filed 2017-08-28 · 117,423 vehicles

Defect: 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."

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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 contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C12.

17V331000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Filed 2017-05-22 · 14,410 vehicles

Defect: 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."

Risk: If the doors unlatch and open in a side impact collision, the occupants have an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

16V475000 · SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

Filed 2016-06-28 · 5,280 vehicles

Defect: 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."

Risk: The seat back may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

16V110000 · AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Filed 2016-02-25 · 2,894 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
EA26001	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)	2026-01-30	open	26V237
PE25002	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)	2025-03-21	2026-01-30
PE18008	SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER	2018-08-03	2018-12-17	18V568000
RQ16001	SERVICE BRAKES	2016-09-28	2020-07-05	20V332000

EA26001: Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up

PE25002: Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up

PE18008: Seatbelt Pretensioner Fire

RQ16001: Brake Master Cylinder Failure

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
F150 2.7L 2WD GVWR>6649 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE	2.7L 6cyl	Automatic (S6)	Rear-Wheel Drive	18	24	21	$2950
F150 2.7L 4WD GVWR>6799 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE	2.7L 6cyl	Automatic (S6)	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	18	22	19	$3300
F150 3.5L 2WD GVWR>7599 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE	3.5L 6cyl	Automatic (S6)	Rear-Wheel Drive	16	22	18	$3450
F150 3.5L 4WD GVWR>7599 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE	3.5L 6cyl	Automatic (S6)	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	15	20	17	$3650
F150 5.0L 2WD FFV GVWR>7599 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE	5.0L 8cyl FFV	Automatic (S6)	Rear-Wheel Drive	14	20	16	$3900
F150 5.0L 4WD FFV GVWR>7599 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE	5.0L 8cyl FFV	Automatic (S6)	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	14	19	16	$3900
F150 Pickup 2WD	2.7L 6cyl	Automatic (S6)	Rear-Wheel Drive	19	25	21	$2950
F150 Pickup 2WD	3.5L 6cyl	Automatic (S6)	Rear-Wheel Drive	17	24	20	$3100
F150 Pickup 2WD FFV	3.5L 6cyl FFV	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	18	24	20	$3100
F150 Pickup 2WD FFV	5.0L 8cyl FFV	Automatic (S6)	Rear-Wheel Drive	15	22	18	$3450
F150 Pickup 4WD	2.7L 6cyl	Automatic (S6)	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	18	23	20	$3100
F150 Pickup 4WD	3.5L 6cyl	Automatic (S6)	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	16	22	18	$3450
F150 Pickup 4WD FFV	3.5L 6cyl FFV	Automatic 6-spd	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	17	22	19	$3300
F150 Pickup 4WD FFV	5.0L 8cyl FFV	Automatic (S6)	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	15	21	17	$3650

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2016 Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x2	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2016 Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x4	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2016 Ford F-150 Supercab PU/EC 4x2	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2016 Ford F-150 Supercab PU/EC 4x4	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Ford issued 283 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2026-07-09	POWER TRAIN	Customer Satisfaction Program 26N04 Certain 2015-2017 Model Year F-150 Vehicles Equipped with a 6R80 Transmission Transmission Molded Leadframe Replacement
2026-03-25	BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING	Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
2026-02-24	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the access…
2025-11-26	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Na…
2025-11-12	POWER TRAIN	Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Contro…
2025-03-15	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Some 2016-2020 F-150 vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0630 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to aftermarket modifications to the body contr…
2024-11-27	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft b…
2024-10-10	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. …
2024-07-24	WHEELS	This article supersedes TSB 22-2219 to update the Parts List and Service Procedure to clarify applicable steps by vehicle application. Some 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) vehicles equipped with 4WD may exhib…
2024-05-27	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-201…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this F150, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford F150 model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.