NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford F-150. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the oil pan started leaking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the oil pan gasket and valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Transmission range sensor malfunction. Truck would downshift into unknown gear while driving. Similar issues to the 2014 F-150 recall that is currently happening. If truck “forgets” what gear it is in, it will not start at times leaving me stranded until the truck “remembers” it was in park.
after warming up vehicle would not idle right when coming to a stop. it was intermittent at first but then got progressively worse. While sitting at a stop light rpms would go up to about 1000 then surge beyond without any input from me and then drop to below 500 sometimes killing the engine at what was suppose to be idle. there were not codes or check engine light but took to dealership when it first started happening they said they couldn't find anything wrong. during this time i replaced spark plugs, coils and timing sensors trying to fix but it those repairs didn't take care of it. but then it became more consistent and took it back in and they were able to confirm the problem occurring and after testing they recommended and changed out the timing components and all cam phasers, phaser filters and all vct solenoids
My 2016 Ford f150 engine failed. The Ford dealership found the turbo & the valves failed. 2 pistons cracked due to excessive carbon build up & the valves failed. The motor failed causing engine to stop suddenly.
Transmission will down shift to first while driving on highway. Code come up for transmission speed sensor short. Same as in the 2011 to 2013 models. That tab should be extended to later models. It is unsafe and could cause an accident/ death in high speed driving.
A) Phone will no longer connect to vehicle - California is a hands-free state. B) Intermittent screen black-outs so back-up camera not functioning during these times. C) Locks on left rear door will intermittingly not disengage requiring rear-seated passengers to exit out other side or exit through front seats. Dealer stated APIM needed replacement after assessing a $265.00 labor charge. Cost to replace is in excess of $1100.00 (pre-tax).
Engine shut off on me in the middle of the road. Found out the water pump sheared off causing the timing chain to not function properly, bending valves and requiring a engine rebuild
Saturday 2/10/24 my check engine light came on and it is throwing P2005/P2007 which is apparently really common. The intake manifold needs to be changed. The 1st place I looked they have been waiting over a year for parts and it is a pretty expensive repair for something that is well known and very common. It causes idling issues when stopping and other people reported no power when taking off which could be a huge safety issue. I am not sure how FORD can have an issue this big and it not be recalled.
My backup camera is not working, isn't that a safety feature? Every vehicle except mine is being recalled for the backup camera. I want it fixed as I have small grandchildren and I live in a park where there are small children riding their bikes. Thank you Sincerely [XXX] Just want to let you know I did contact Ford Motor Company and they basically told me I could pay to get it fixed because there is no recall on it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
* Brake hose, right front wheel * Wasn't able to stop truck, Made a emergency entrance into a parking lot. * Problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or service center, only a parts store as I used their parking lot to pull into to stop. * No inspection yet on part. * Yes, Low oil light for brakes while driving and brake pedal was going to floor right when brakes failed. Lost of brakes while driving from a ruptured brake line hose on right front wheel. Truck has less than 74,000 miles.
The driver door latch froze during cold outside temperatures and the door would not latch closed. I had to drive while holding my door closed with my hand. This is extremely dangerous. This is a known recall from Ford and the repair was already performed. This happened 2 days in a row. Tomorrow I will be contacting Ford for a solution.
The transmission gear selector light will go out and a see owners manual message pops up with a maintenance wrench. Then the truck will not shift gears or even goes into neutral while driving. Very unsafe when driving in traffic.
The windshield wipers are stuck on the slowest, intermittent speed and won’t turn off. This is a known issue.
Check engine light just came on. Before that engine would shutter then stall. No steering and brakes could end up poorly. Think this is a safety hazard
I was driving home on the 4 lane from baseball practice and my power steering went out all of the sudden and now I have to fight to get it to turn. I took it to the Ford dealership I bought the truck at and they said the steering rack had went out and I needed a new one. That's a $3000 repair and I feel that a truck in that year model under 150,000 miles should lose power steering
While traveling at high speed, 60mph plus, the vehicle unexpectedly shifts into fist gear causing rapid slow down and dangerous near miss condition.
When braking, the brake pedal goes to the floor and makes stopping the vehicle difficult. There is no sign of leaks from the lines, and is acting like the open recall on other VIN numbers on this model however Ford does not have an open recall on this VIN. The recall is the brake booster leaking into the master cylinder.
Galvanic corrosion forming on transfer case because of improper bolts used to connect steel bolts onto an aluminum case corrosion is bad will eventually lead to transfer case failure an safety concern
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the sunroof failed to close properly causing rainwater to enter the vehicle while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the sunroof needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Intermittent wiper operation stop working. Yes it is available for inspection. Had to operate wiper operation manually. No! Not confirmed. No inspection by others. Unknown. Just skip, then stoped intermittent operation.
Driver side door would not close after opening assuming due to frigid temperatures. Had to hold door closed in transit.
Transmission display went blank and truck shifted from 6th gear (?) to 1st gear (?) by itself causing the vehicle to suddenly decelerate while on the highway This has been diagnosed to be a faulty lead frame issue
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the driver’s side front door was unable to open due to being frozen shut. The contact had to aggressively pull at the door handle for an extensive amount of time for the door to open. The contact believed the failure was related to manufacturer communication with the NHTSA ID Number: 10149786 (Locks, Latches, Linkages). The dealer had been contacted but was unable to confirm if the vehicle was included in any recall campaigns. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact learned of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V110000 (Air Bags) and related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front passenger’s side air bag sensor had failed. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V110000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included. The contact was also informed that the part needed for the repair, part number GL3Z6362A22A: CAD/SEAT, was no longer in production. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 666,100.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the driver's front door did not close and lock securely. The contact stated that the door did not lock securely. The contact had to hold the door while driving to prevent the door from independently opening. The contact stated that the failure occurred at times when the outside temperature was below freezing. The contact also stated that the failure occurred two years ago on two occasions and the failure had reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Vehicle downshifts unexpectedly sometimes and it also kicks hard when slowing down or coming to a stop. Brought it to Hempstead Ford and test drove it with Charlie the senior service advisor, he said he understands and feels what I’m explaining, but Ford says its normal.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the independent mechanic was rotating the tires, he was informed that the lug nuts on all four wheels were swollen. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer did not inspect the lug nuts and informed the contact that they were unaware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black or blue image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the visibility while reversing, which prevented the safe operation of the vehicle. After speaking with a friend who was a mechanic, the contact was informed that there were recalls on Ford vehicles for the rearview camera. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention); which he linked to the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.
Vehicle starts to shake and vibrate at certain speeds when accelerating and I have to release the gas to make it stop while driving. This is a safety concern that has almost caused several accidents while driving.
Transmission issue with the shift from 3rd to 4th gear. While accelerating, i,ve experienced grinding and a drop from 4th down to 1st gear, then jumping back up. This causes the RPM to rapidly increase and the truck to lose acceleration immediately. This problem has happened more than once, less than ten times over the past two years. I have not had the local dealership diagnose this yet.
Backup Camera has stopped work has a blue screen. Was told by Ford that it was a wiring harness that is having problems this is the 3rd time that i have had to replace it.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. Once the warning light was illuminated, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle entered LIMP Mode. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the mechanic linked the failure to oil consumption and referenced TSB: 19-2384. The dealer provided an estimate for the repair; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The bolts on the exhaust manifold cannot withstand the torque and heat generated from the engine and turbos. The bolts snap and cause sagging and warping of the manifolds, which allow for unfiltered exhaust fumes to release into the engine bay and sequentialy into the main cabin. This not only causes carbon filled exhaust enter the environment, but it also exposes to passengers as well as any children in the cabin to carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. This is a known design flaw by the engineers at Ford, and they have released a second generation of the manifold including an additional bolt hole. There have also been aftermarket parts created for this with more bolt holes to match the amount of holes that are available in the engine. Being a this is a known design flaw and increases environmental and personal risk, should be formally acknowledged by Ford and a recall should be administered at the cost of the company.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while approaching a stop, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle accelerated to unknown speeds. The driver continuously depressed the brake pedal, but it failed to respond. The driver crashed into a mailbox, brick decorations, a stop sign, a golf cart, a gas line, and a tree. The driver pulled the emergency brake, and the vehicle stopped. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The contact sustained injuries to her hip, but medical attention was not provided. A police report was filed. There was no reported fire or air bag deployment. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
While driving my 2016 F-150 in heavy traffic, the vehicle suddenly loses all forward power as if the transmission were in neutral. The engine is running and the tachometer indicates the RPM's are approximately 1,200, but it will not respond to pushing the gas pedal. The RPM's remain the same, regardless of how hard the pedal is pushed. Shifting the transmission to other forward gears does nothing, it still acts as though it is in neutral. A wrench symbol appears on the main screen, as well as a message that says "Hill Start Not Available". The *ONLY* way to fix the problem is to bring the vehicle to a complete stop, turn it off, wait a few seconds, and then start it again. It starts very roughly at first. After one or two attempts at this, the engine will reengage with the transmission and respond properly. It then drives normally for several days or a week. After considerable research, I found a TSB from Ford that indicates this is a known problem with their Electronic Throttle Body. The TSB number is 16-0139. It is extremely dangerous because it often happens at high speeds. It once happened to me on a narrow causeway, blocking all traffic while I came to a complete stop and restarted the truck. It also happened on a very busy highway. I was able to pull off to a narrow shoulder and restart the vehicle, but it was terrifying in extremely heavy traffic.
Catalytic Converters have failed for second time. [XXX] original catalytic converters failed at 48060 mileage and Ford replaced under warranty including the assembly. [XXX] replacement catalytic converters failed again at 92830 mileage. Neither the original or replacement converters were working at 50,000 miles or reached the National emission warranty of 80,000 miles. Reduced fuel mileage by 30% has been identified. Karl Flammer Ford 41975 US 19 North Tarpon Springs FL 34689 indicates no Ford programs cover $4000 plus repair. Ford Customer Affairs POBox 6248 Dearborn MI 48126 [XXX] responded no programs cover this repair and they work with NHTSA on consumer concerns. The Catalytic Converters shouldn’t fail at low mileage in a Ford F150 especially twice with reduced fuel usage. As a senior, a $4000. plus repair is a hardship for an equipment failure that should be either identified for recall or identified as a lemon. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The component that malfunctioned is the transmission, specifically the internal transmission lead frame and related sensors. This vehicle previously required a transmission lead frame replacement in December 2023 after experiencing loss of power, erratic shifting, wrench warning lights, and limp-mode behavior. After that repair, the vehicle operated normally for approximately two years. Beginning in December 2025, the same symptoms reoccurred, including unexpected downshifts, RPMs not matching vehicle speed, reduced acceleration, flashing or erratic gear indicators, wrench warning lights, and intermittent reduced-power or limp-mode operation. During the recurrence, the vehicle experienced loss of power at highway speeds, creating a safety risk during normal driving conditions and requiring me to quickly pull over. Although no collision occurred, the sudden loss of power at highway speed presented a safety concern for maintaining speed and safely interacting with traffic. Shutting off and restarting the vehicle typically clears the issue temporarily, but the problem may return unpredictably, sometimes within as little as 10 minutes or other times not reappearing for days or weeks. Prior to the most recent failure, intermittent symptoms occurred for several weeks, including occasional wrench warning lights and hesitation. The issue was previously confirmed by an independent transmission service center (AAMCO), which diagnosed and replaced the transmission lead frame. A Ford dealership inspected the vehicle but was unable to identify or resolve the issue. The vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection upon request. Occurred at 97k and 123k mileage.
Had to replace lead frame on the transmission.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle abruptly downshifted to first gear while driving at high rates of speed with several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the lights on the gear shifter used to indicate the gear position had failed to illuminate as designed. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed while depressing the accelerator pedal while driving at various speeds. The contact called several dealers for assistance but due to high demand, the vehicle was not diagnosed or inspected. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.
While Driving at about 25 MPH Powertrain light (orange wrench) came on indicating an issue with the powertrain. Pulled off road and turned truck off and attempted to turn back on, truck would not turn back on. Disconnected battery and reconnected the battery and vehicle started with a check engine light. attempted to put truck into reverse/drive, vehicle would lunge either forwards or reverse and make loud clunking noise. when radiator fan turned on, power train light would turn on. when powertrain light was on, the indicator for "PRND' would not show which I was in. had vehicle towed to dealership. Dealer ship diagnosed vehicle with Lead Frame failure. The 6R80 transmission is known to have these issues and has had a recall for the 2011-2013 F150's with this transmission. Same transmission, same issues, only one recall.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the contact heard a loud exploding sound coming from under the hood. The contact stated that she was able to drive to her destination. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, she noticed that the rear sliding window motor had exploded. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 46,750.
I have excessive corrosion on my transfer case. Some of the aluminum has been eaten away where steel bolts pass through into the transfer case.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle began to misfire and shake. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power. Additionally, the contact stated that while starting the vehicle there was blue smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs, and the coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-2384 Oil Consumption, Rough Idle, Misfire with Or Without Blue Exhaust Smoke (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact relayed the information to the dealer who then determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
The contact’s grandson owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 76-77 MPH, the vehicle accelerated improperly and was jerking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was only 20% compression in cylinder #2. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN or the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, the contact approached a stop sign and depressed the brake pedal. However, the brake pedal was inoperable and the vehicle did not stop. Due to the brake pedal failure, the contact rear-ended the vehicle in front of him. No damage was done to either vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to contact NHTSA to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
Passenger side door lock actuator goes in and out. Sometimes the door will open sometimes it won’t. One time the door opened by it self while driving. I don’t know if it’s a short or what’s going on with it but it seems to be a problem with other ford owners as well.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the rear window defroster failed to operate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the dealer did not have the equipment or capability of repairing the vehicle. The contact was then referred to an independent mechanic who provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
The frame on this truck broke. The frame tore in a manner that the lower control arm became disconnected from the vehicle. I recognize that l live in an area where rust issues are real, however l am also very experienced with metal working and fabrication and can reliably assure that corrosion is not the cause of this failure in the frame of this vehicle. I have attached 4 photos, those are of the front & back of passenger side (good) and driver's side (bad). Note the broken bolt head (toward the front) and the broken frame. This is the actual frame that broke and not a bolted on subframe and to me this is a serious issue. There are so many of these trucks on the roads l feel that l am obligated to make you aware of the problem. I thank you for your time.
The rear window shattered spontaneously after using remote start. Problem has been reported a lot with 2015 and newer F150 trucks.
Engine failure at 90,000 miles Services all done at ford dealership yet the engine still didn’t work somehow. Wheel bearing at 100,000 failing causing rattling of wheels
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026