2021 Ford F-150 problems
The 2021 Ford F-150 has 1,362 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (23%) concerns drivetrain & axles. After that come electrical system (10%) and wipers, windshield & visibility (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,362 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Drivetrain & axles 23% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 19 and 7
- Injuries and deaths
- 10 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 45,000 miles 278 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 72 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 52 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 58 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 42 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 33 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 14 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 7 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 278 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 45,000 miles. For drivetrain & axles specifically, the median reported mileage is about 56,000 miles (70 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 19 complaints mention a crash; 7 complaints mention a fire; 10 injuries reported. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 92% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2021 ranks 5th most-complained-about out of 36 model years of the Ford F-150 with enough data (1,362 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 29 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her husband was stopped, a 2023 Dodge Ram 1500 reversed at approximately 55 MPH, causing the rear to crash into the front of her husband's front of vehicle. No air bags deployed. The contact's husband and grandfather, who was a passenger in the vehicle, were injured. The grandfather sustained neck and facial injuries, primarily around the neck and chin area. The husband suffered injuries to his hands.
On June 17, 2022 while driving to work on highway in Nee York Stare, I put the adaptive cruise control on so I could adjust my drivers side rear view mirror. The truck suddenly lunged to the left striking a guard rail and overturned several times. Despite being a direct high speed impact to the guard rail and overturning , the steering airbag did not deploy. See police report attached.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission shifted hard, and the vehicle jerked while moving forward. The contact stated the vehicle jerked extremely hard and the contact's head jerked forward. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and stalled. In addition, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle briefly lost automotive power before slamming into gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that technicians were not available. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found.