2016 Ford F-150 problems owners report most
2016 Ford F-150 problems are documented in public: owners have filed 1,774 complaints with NHTSA, the earliest in 2016 and the most recent in 2026. Sorting those by the component the filer named puts the powertrain clearly first, at 396 of the 1,774 complaints, about a quarter of everything filed.
A complaint is not a repair bill and not a defect finding. It is one owner telling the regulator something went wrong. What makes the count useful is the concentration: when one component takes 22 per cent of everything filed on a car, the pattern is doing more than chance.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 396 | 22% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 330 | 19% |
| ENGINE | 285 | 16% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 215 | 12% |
| STRUCTURE | 192 | 11% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 156 | 9% |
Of those complaints, 53 describe a crash and 23 describe a fire. Filers reported 47 injuries.
Recalls on the 2016 Ford F-150
A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator found a safety defect, and the repair is free at a franchised dealer however old the car is. There are 14 recalls on this model year. Your own car may be covered by some, all or none of them, so check the VIN rather than the model.
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.
The 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.
The fix. 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.
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.
The risk. A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix. 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.
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.
The risk. A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix. 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.
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.
The risk. A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix. 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.
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."
The 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.
The fix. 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.
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."
The risk. If the doors unlatch and open in a side impact collision, the occupants have an increased risk of injury.
The fix. 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.
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."
The risk. The seat back may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix. 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.
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.
The risk. In the event of a crash, a seat occupant that is not properly restrained has an increased risk of injury.
The fix. 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.
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.
The 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.
The fix. 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.
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.
The risk. A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix. 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.
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.
The 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.
The fix. 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.
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.
The 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.
The fix. 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.
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.
The 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.
The fix. 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.
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.
The risk. Unexpectedly downshifting into second gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. 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.
In owners own words
These are complaints filed about the powertrain, quoted as written. They are one persons account rather than a diagnosis, and they are here because a symptom described by a driver is easier to recognise than a component name.
On [XXX] I was pulling a trailer with a 1981 F150 home from Louisville, KY. When we enter onto the Interstate System and reached cruising speed by transmission indicator started jumping around switch between gear and downshifted very hard into first gear while I was navigating traffic - semi trailers and passenger vehicles around us. The truck then went into what I would call limp mood for several miles and we were unable to maintain highway speeds with nowhere to exit the interstate there in Louisville area. Eventually the truck regained normal power and we continued our journey back home to
XXX, my Ford F-150 began experiencing serious and unpredictable transmission shifting problems. The truck would downshift unexpectedly while traveling at various speeds. At times, it would not downshift properly when coming to a complete stop, and it would sometimes shift back up into third gear from a complete stop at a stoplight.On one occasion, while traveling approximately 65 mph, the truck unexpectedly downshifted. The sudden change in the vehicle's behavior was extremely unsettling and made me concerned about maintaining control. What made the situation even more frightening was that I h
The automatic transmission has experienced repeated unexpected downshifts and other abnormal gear-selection behavior. Before the recall repair, the vehicle experienced multiple unexpected downshifts, including a shift from 4th to 2nd gear. Safety Recall 26S28 was performed on July 20, 2026, consisting of a PCM software update. The problem continued after the recall repair. Approximately one week later, while operating in 3rd gear, the transmission momentarily shifted into 1st gear and then returned to 4th. On August 31, while operating in 5th gear, it again momentarily shifted directly into 1s
I have a critical safety issue with the 2016 F150 truck I bought from Cavalier Ford, Chesapeake VA. The issue is the 6R80 automatic transmission unexpectedly changes gears while driving. In my case the truck down shifted from high gear to low gear on the interstate while driving about 70 miles per hour. I was fortunate no other cars were near me. My truck almost came to a stop, no brake lights displayed. This occurred the week on Jul 6 2021. It has occurred multiple times since than as well. I had the battery checked, showed bad, and bought a new one Jul 9th. I also had the "Check En
I was at my granddaughters and I went to leave and it was like dead except the wrench came up in the dash panel , I waited before calling my husband and I went back to try and start it again and it started no wrench in the display or anything , this was in February 2026. In March of 2026 I was in the middle turn lane on [XXX] by Tuttle, Ok. And it stalled as I was trying to turn and would not move I put it back into park and then back to drive and it turned . Next incident was in April2026 and I was on [XXX] south of Mustang , Ok. And I was in the passing lane passing a vehicle going 65 mph an
WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY ON 8/30/20, THE TRUCK EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF FORWARD MOTION, BEGAN "BUCKING" AND CODES AND WARNINGS STARTED APPEARING ON THE DASHBOARD. WERE ABLE INITIALLY TO COAST TO A SAFER LOCATION TO STOP. TRUCK WOULD NOT MOVE ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. TURNED THE TRUCK OFF, RESTARTED AND ALL CODES DISAPPEARED. HOWEVER, AS SOON AS WE STARTED AGAIN, WITHIN A QUARTER MILE, SAME FAILURE OCCURRED. IN 20 MILES, THIS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 MORE TIMES AND WE COULD NOT GET SAFELY OFF THE ROAD (NO SHOULDERS WITH DITCH ON SIDE) HAVING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, TURN
Every component, by complaint count
The full breakdown of what owners named when they filed. Components below the top ten are grouped out of this table.
| Component | Complaints | Share of all complaints |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 396 | 22% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 330 | 19% |
| ENGINE | 285 | 16% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 215 | 12% |
| STRUCTURE | 192 | 11% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 156 | 9% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 99 | 6% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 80 | 5% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 80 | 5% |
| STEERING | 57 | 3% |
What parts cost for the 2016 Ford F-150
Prices read from one AutoZone store for this exact year, make and model, covering 8 kinds of part and 245 products. AutoZone year, make and model catalog prices. Engine, trim, transmission and VIN fitment are not confirmed. They are what the shelf said on the day, not a quote.
| Part | Listed | Range | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery | 18 | $99.99 to $379.99 | $219.99 |
| Brake rotors | 48 | $72.99 to $749.99 | $145.99 |
| Brake pads | 67 | $32.49 to $185.99 | $69.99 |
| Engine air filter | 10 | $20.99 to $97.99 | $26.99 |
| Wiper blades | 39 | $10.59 to $51.49 | $26.99 |
| Cabin air filter | 8 | $17.99 to $47.99 | $24.99 |
| Oil filter | 15 | $5.99 to $18.99 | $13.99 |
| Spark plugs | 40 | $1.69 to $47.99 | $13.49 |
The cheapest way to keep it serviced
Taking the lowest listed price in each routine maintenance category, the filters, plugs and wipers for this car come to $57.25 in parts. That is parts alone, before labour, tax and the oil itself, and it assumes the cheapest option fits your engine.
Battery. 18 products listed, from the Econocraft Group Size 48 / H6 Battery H6-E at $99.99 up to the OPTIMA Yellow Top Group Size 94R / H7 Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) Battery DH7 at $379.99. A refundable core deposit of $22.00 is charged on top and returned with the old part. AutoZone's own labels account for 11 of them, starting at $99.99.
Brake rotors. 48 products listed, from the PowerStop Disc Brake Rotor AR85164 at $72.99 up to the Baer Systems Disc Brake Rotor Set 2261043 at $749.99. AutoZone's own labels account for 9 of them, starting at $111.99.
Brake pads. 67 products listed, from the R1 Ceramic Series Premium Brake Pads 2310-1602-00 at $32.49 up to the EBC Brakes Organic Performance Brake Pads ED93034 at $185.99. AutoZone's own labels account for 13 of them, starting at $44.99.
Fitment is by year, make and model only. Engine, trim and transmission were not selected, so confirm the part number against your own car before buying. Prices change and vary by store.
How other model years compare
The same nameplate across the years we hold. Complaint counts fall naturally for newer cars because fewer of them have been on the road for long, so read the column as a rough signal rather than a ranking. In this set the 2018 Ford F-150 has drawn the most complaints and the 2020 Ford F-150 the fewest.
What to check on the transmission and driveline
Powertrain reports usually describe a shift that arrives late, lands hard, or hunts between gears, often worse when the car is cold or towing. Some describe a shudder at a steady cruise rather than a bang between gears.
Buying a used 2016 F-150
Drive it from cold. A transmission fault that hides once warm is the most common thing a short test drive misses. Take it to highway speed, let it settle into top gear, then slow and accelerate again to make it downshift under load.
If you already own one
Get the fluid condition checked before anything else, and ask for the transmission control software level at the same time. Several of these complaints were answered by the manufacturer with a reflash rather than a rebuild, which costs a fraction as much.
- Test drive from cold, not after the seller has warmed it up.
- Ask whether a transmission software update exists for the VIN.
- Check the fluid condition and when it was last changed.
- Get any rebuild quote itemised into parts, fluid and labour.
Where the 2016 Ford F-150 problem data comes from
Every figure on this page is counted from complaints and recalls published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, read October 12, 2026. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by the agency before publication. We count each complaint once per component it names, so a complaint naming two components appears in both rows.
- NHTSA recalls and complaintsRead October 12, 2026
- NHTSA record for the 2016 Ford F-150Read October 12, 2026
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