2021 Ford F-150
This year's complaint volume is within 30% of this model's typical year.
This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.
COMPLAINTS PER YEAR
View as data table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1984 | 2 |
| 1987 | 2 |
| 1989 | 14 |
| 1990 | 21 |
| 1991 | 304 |
| 1992 | 470 |
| 1993 | 586 |
| 1994 | 676 |
| 1995 | 626 |
| 1996 | 324 |
| 1997 | 2758 |
| 1998 | 1381 |
| 1999 | 1044 |
| 2000 | 1074 |
| 2001 | 1236 |
| 2002 | 820 |
| 2003 | 421 |
| 2004 | 2027 |
| 2005 | 1112 |
| 2006 | 584 |
| 2007 | 487 |
| 2008 | 368 |
| 2009 | 324 |
| 2010 | 840 |
| 2011 | 2179 |
| 2012 | 1771 |
| 2013 | 2956 |
| 2014 | 1497 |
| 2015 | 1638 |
| 2016 | 1976 |
| 2017 | 1379 |
| 2018 | 2218 |
| 2019 | 1270 |
| 2020 | 677 |
| 2021 | 934 |
| 2022 | 554 |
| 2023 | 382 |
| 2024 | 178 |
| 2025 | 97 |
| 2026 | 3 |
KNOWN PROBLEM AREAS
29% of complaints: power train — 273 distinct reports on file.
CRASH FIRE INJURY12% of complaints: electrical system — 112 distinct reports on file.
CRASH FIRE10% of complaints: exterior lighting — 91 distinct reports on file.
8% of complaints: engine — 78 distinct reports on file.
FIREShow complaint excerpts
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle suddenly began to shudder and vibrate. Later, the vehicle would not start and message "system failure" had displayed.
NHTSA ODI report, 20220314
7% of complaints: visibility — 65 distinct reports on file.
SAFETY TIMELINE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 and 2020-2021 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and reinstall the windshield, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C06.
Campaign 21V090000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The steering gear may have internal damage, which could result in difficulty steering, or the inability to rotate the steering wheel while driving.
Remedy: Owners are advised to not drive their vehicles until the repair is complete. Vehicles will be towed in for service, and dealers will remove and replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 4, 2021.
Campaign 21V407000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The two-piece driveshafts may have been improperly assembled, which could result in driveshaft separation.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driveshaft, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 15, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S25.
Campaign 21V381000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The electronic brake booster may leak brake fluid into the electronic control unit, which could result in reduced braking performance.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the electronic brake booster assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 28, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S33.
Campaign 21V533000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 Super Cab vehicles. The front seatbelt webbing may be incorrectly routed.
Remedy: Owners are advised to perform a preliminary self-inspection of the front seatbelts. If the passenger-side seatbelt fails inspection, owners should not use the passenger seat until the repair is performed.
Campaign 21V653000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, 2021 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver and passenger front door side impact sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 21V805000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 4, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 21V986000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for low transmission fluid pressure may falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 12, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S15.
Campaign 22V188000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S17.
Campaign 22V193000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling one 2021 F-150 vehicle. A single vehicle may have been assembled without a fuel tank front attachment resulting in an unsecured fuel tank attachment strap.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair (if necessary) the fuel tank strap bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S42.
Campaign 22V414000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft, as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 1, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 22V623000 — check if this car was fixed
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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign 22V250000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front windshield wiper motor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 22, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S12.
Campaign 22V142000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles. The front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front windshield wiper motor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2023. Remedy parts are expected in the 3rd Quarter of 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 22V842000 — check if this car was fixed
Loss of Motive Power
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the wiper arms, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 13, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S10.
Campaign 23V163000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles equipped with a single exhaust system. Contact with the rear axle housing may damage the wiring harness, causing the electric parking brake to activate unexpectedly.
Remedy: Dealers will install a protective tie strap, tape wrap, and replace the harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 12, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 23V509000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Onboard Scales feature. An over-the-air software update to the body control module (BCM) may have disabled both reverse lights.
Remedy: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 26, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S38.
Campaign 24V443000 — check if this car was fixed
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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign 24V852000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 22V-193.
Remedy: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S18.
Campaign 25V132000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 22V-188.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S24.
Campaign 25V169000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package and a 9.75-inch heavy duty axle with a 3/4 float axle design.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right rear axle shaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 9, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S65.
Campaign 23V896000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Onboard Scales feature that were repaired incorrectly under recall 24V443.
Remedy: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S57.
Campaign 25V348000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco, F-150, Edge, Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with either a 2.7L or 3.0L Nano EcoBoost engine.
Remedy: Dealers will perform an engine cycle test and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S55.
Campaign 24V635000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus,...
Remedy: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge.
Campaign 25V315000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, 2021-2023 F-150, 2022 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the moonroof wind deflector as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SB7.
Campaign 25V729000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles.
Remedy: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 26V104000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge.
Campaign 25V455000 — check if this car was fixed
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed August 3, 2026.
Campaign 26V402000 — check if this car was fixed
BUY-SMART CHECKLIST
2021 Ford F-150 — pre-purchase inspection
- Test/inspect for power train issues (273 reports on file for this year).
- Test/inspect for electrical system issues (112 reports on file for this year).
- Test/inspect for exterior lighting issues (91 reports on file for this year).
- Verify recall 25V455000 (fuel system, gasoline) has been completed.
- Verify recall 26V402000 (power train) has been completed.
- Verify recall 21V090000 (visibility) has been completed.
- Verify recall 21V407000 (steering) has been completed.
- Verify recall 21V381000 (power train) has been completed.
- Verify recall 21V533000 (service brakes, hydraulic) has been completed.
- Verify recall 21V653000 (seat belts) has been completed.
- Verify recall 21V805000 (air bags) has been completed.
- Verify recall 21V986000 (power train, structure) has been completed.
- Verify recall 22V188000 (power train) has been completed.
- Verify recall 22V193000 (electrical system) has been completed.
- Verify recall 22V414000 (fuel system, gasoline) has been completed.
- Verify recall 22V623000 (power train, structure) has been completed.
- Verify recall 22V250000 (visibility) has been completed.
- Verify recall 22V142000 (visibility) has been completed.
- Verify recall 22V842000 (visibility) has been completed.
- Verify recall 23V163000 (visibility) has been completed.
- Verify recall 23V509000 (parking brake) has been completed.
- Verify recall 24V443000 (electrical system, exterior lighting) has been completed.
- Verify recall 24V852000 (equipment) has been completed.
- Verify recall 25V132000 (electrical system) has been completed.
- Verify recall 25V169000 (power train) has been completed.
- Verify recall 23V896000 (power train) has been completed.
- Verify recall 25V348000 (exterior lighting) has been completed.
- Verify recall 24V635000 (engine and engine cooling) has been completed.
- Verify recall 25V315000 (back over prevention) has been completed.
- Verify recall 25V729000 (visibility) has been completed.
- Verify recall 26V104000 (electrical system, exterior lighting) has been completed.
OTHER YEARS OF THIS MODEL
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FAQ
Is the 2021 Ford F-150 reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 2021 Ford F-150 is rated "typical".
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Ford F-150?
The most-reported component is power train, accounting for 29% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 2021 Ford F-150 have?
28 recalls on file for this model year.
Data updated 2026-07-11 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.