2016 Ford F-150 Complaint Log

Steering is binding during turning. Very scary. Beginning at startup and continuing while driving.

My 2016 ford f150 started to harshly downshift non stop no matter how fast or slow I was going and on one occasion going 40 mph getting onto the highway the truck dropped into first gear and caused my wheels to lock up and in result I spun out on the onramp. I then brought the truck to a transmission shop and was told that my lead frame had officially caused my transmission to go out and unusable until a rebuild or replacement is done. now leaving the truck sitting. This is absolutely ridiculous and an extreme safety issue especially when I have done the proper maintenance on time for the transmission for years. I was lucky to not have hit anybody or have gotten hit. This needs to be fixed my ford ASAP.

While driving, the hill descent fault error would pop up on the instrument panel, the truck would begin to shake, and the gas pedal would no longer work. I would have to pull over, shut the vehicle off for a few minutes and restart it. This happened multiple time while driving on the highway and in town. After sitting in the driveway for while trying to get repairs scheduled, the issue got worse, and I would have to pull over every one to 2 minutes due to this issue occuring.

While driving the instrument cluster would flicker and then the truck would down shift gears. The first time it did, it dropped from 6th gear to 3rd gear at 70 mph, and the next time it dropped from 6th to 1st around 65 mph. It also occurred at lower rates of speed.

Both left and right exhaust manifolds have broken studs that have resulted in exhaust leaks from both manifolds. The broken studs can be seen via a visual inspection. Exhaust leaks can be heard at engine start and during higher load operations. This failure is allowing hot exhaust gas to leak into the engine compartment creating an engine fire risk as well as compromising engine performance. The local Ford dealer confirmed the broken studs and exhaust manifold leaks. The failure was noted during a 100,000 mile service but the symptoms began to be noted at about 60,000 to 70,000 miles.

Rear view camera dows not function correctly, black screen, distorted screen, or no visibility. I indicated 9/1/2025 as the date but has been like this for longer

I was driving my 2016 Ford f150 in Ventura California on August 29th 2025 when my throttle began to accelerate on its own after taking my foot off the gas pedal. My truck sped up out of control, I almost lost control of the vehicle and crashed. Luckily I was able to gain control and get it into neutral and then into park. My trucks rpms raced so high it sounded as if the engine was going to explode. I put it into park and the rpms lowered to a normal level. While this was all happening a wrench icon popped up on my dash. Once the wrench icon came on I noticed my dash wasn’t telling me what gear I was in or if I was in park, neutral or drive. I pulled into the closest parking lot. I put it in park and every time I gave the truck gas the throttle would continue to accelerate on its own and would rev extremely high on its own. I also noticed as I was sitting it the parking lot at idol there is now a thumping sound/ jolt when selecting what gear to go into. I don’t know if this was caused from having to slam the car into neutral and then into park so I wouldn’t crash when the throttle accelerated. I shut my truck off and it wouldn’t turn back on. All of my electronics work but it doesn’t even want to try to start or turn over. I had to tow my truck home and it is now sitting in front of my house unusable. I have videos I can provide.

Uncommand downshift of the transmission at 50MPH causing the rear wheels to skid. This was accompanied by “Blind Spot System Fault”, “Cross Traffic System Fault”, “See Manual” warnings and a loss of transmission position indications (ie.. P-R-N-D-M-2-1). This appears to be similar to NHTSA Recal # 24S37 for 2014 F-150’s

My wife and toddler were returning from dropping off our older child at school this morning. As she approached an intersection, the rear wheels suddenly seized, causing an abrupt stop. A transmission failure code flashed on the digital gauges. The engine shut off, but the electronics remained on, as if in accessory mode. She was able to turn the truck off and then back on, which seemed to reset the system and allow her to drive forward.

When shifting into reverse, backup camera screen went to a constant blue screen — no rear image at all now.

Sudden downshifts of my transmission. Traveling on the highway at 65mph and all of a sudden the transmission shifted down to a lower gear, causing my wheels to lock and vehicle to shudder. Then after stopping on the side of the road, it took the vehicle several minutes to re-engage. I was able to limp the vehicle to the dealer where they replaced the Molded Lead Frame and Transmission Control Module. Very unexpected repair cost.

While driving today, my Ford F150 manual light came on while I was driving and then break assistance. Light came on, and it told me to check the brake system. And immediately immediately the truck slammed on the brakes while driving. I almost wrecked with my [XXX] daughter who is [XXX] in the vehicle. This needs to be fixed ASAP. This is very dangerous and could’ve been a lot worse this morning. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Transmission has a shutter issue with torch converter. Shops are indicating this is a known issue and some models have had previous recalls for our year but our VIN is not showing a recall for that. It does have a power train control module recall # 24E03

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended for several seconds before the vehicle responded as intended. The contact stated that while at a stoplight, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the transmission. The contact stated that the 4-WD warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the result was not provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 144,000.

faulty backup camera - resulted in backing incident and tailgate damage. Reported backup camera malfunction to NHTSA in 2022 and emailed photo of camera defect, but multiple news articles about F150's being recently recalled for backup camera issued. These recalls do not include 2016 models to recall for updates and need to be added. Approximate cost of truck tailgate replacement $1500.

See attached document for complaint.

My truck has 140,000 miles and I have maintained it to the specs provided by Ford My vehicle began to unexpectedly overheat when I was in 6th gear cruising at a low RPM. I had the coolant fluid tested for exhaust gasses. Exhaust gasses were detected and it was determined I had a blown head gasket. After taking to mechanics, other owners all over the internet, and Ford dealership employees at the dealership I purchased ny truck from. Everyone said the same thing. The 2.7L EcoBoost motor is prone to blowing a head gasket. My own father who has the same truck, just a younger older than mine decided to just replace the whole motor because he too blew a head gasket. This head gasket issue is pervasive and I would not be surprised if over 20% of this generation of motor has the same problem. I

2016 F150, 6R80 Transmission - threw codes P0720 and P0722, dealer indicated known issue under recall 24S37, but my VIN is not included, but should be. Unexpected downshift to first gear, check engine light, truck enters "limp" mode, only allowing 3rd and 5th gear - real safety issue - especially if Ford knows it has a fix - although parts are in short supply (molded lead frame)

The truck would fall out of gear, going down the highway it would shift into 1 or 2nd gear reving the engine. I would have to put it in neutral and at times have to shut it comeplete down to have it reset.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear and the engine revved abnormally. The vehicle returned to normal functionality after driving a short distance. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 136,900. The contact later discovered that the mileage on the title was 189,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear with the gear shifter indicator light flashing. The vehicle was jerking while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the contact was forced to shift into neutral(N) before shifting back to drive(D) to resume normal driving. The failure persisted until arriving at the intended destination. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The contact was referred to the manufacturer and was provided with the same information. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

The rear backup camera has malfunctioned and it is not working.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that on several occasions, while activated, the rear-view camera started flashing, with stripes going from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,785.

Our truck has been switching gears while driving. It jumps from 2nd to 5th or 1st while in use. There are a few times we end up “stuck” making a turn at an intersection with vehicles coming towards us, almost hitting us due to the truck not switching gears fast enough. It has been happening frequently with the last incident today.

I have a 2016 f-150 5.0 L sport edition truck. Last year I had to replace the OSS on the transmission due to rear wheel lock up and transmission slipping/ down shifting while driving. I don’t see that my truck VIN is under the current recall or investigation that is taking place but I do have receipts of where I paid for a certified mechanic to replace that sensor. The truck has less than 100k miles on it currently and even less when that sensor was replaced. Any help regarding the current investigations or recalls so that I can be reimbursed would be great.

The rearview backup camera on my 2016 Ford F-150 began malfunctioning around July/August 2025. At first, the image would flicker briefly when the truck was shifted into reverse, but it would return to normal after a few seconds or days. After about a week, the issue became constant — the display now stays completely blue whenever the vehicle is in reverse and no rear image is visible. This failure eliminates all rear visibility when backing up and creates a serious safety risk, especially in parking lots or residential areas where pedestrians, pets, or objects may be behind the vehicle. The problem matches the description of Ford’s current backup camera recalls (including 23S23 and 24S59), but my vehicle’s VIN does not appear to be included in those campaigns. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealer or independent service center, but I plan to have it evaluated. The backup camera component remains available for inspection upon request. There were no warning lights, messages, or other indicators prior to or during the failure. Based on reports from other Ford F-150 owners, this appears to be a widespread issue involving the camera or wiring harness that results in a blue or blank screen. I am submitting this complaint to document the failure and safety concern, and to request review for possible recall expansion to include affected 2016 F-150 models. Photos of the blue screen and failure condition are available and can be provided for review upon request.

2016 F150 Lariat - Backup camera warning system is not working. Safety issue - When the vehicle transmission is placed in reverse the backup camera does not function. The touch screen in the cab displays a blue screen with the words "Please check surroundings for safety". The camera image displaying the rear area behind the vehicle should be displayed in the touch screen in the cab. This backup camera warning system malfunction has recently been reported and included in a large recall including 2017 vehicles but does not include the 2016 vehicles.

Driving certain freeway speeds will cause the f150 to downshift and lose speed could cause a serious collision on major roadways. This is happening all the time now.

My manifolds have warped on my truck and is a common issue with Ford trucks. They use 8 bolts instead of 11 and know this will eventually cause the manifolds to warp. The dealership wants $5200 to fix it. Its not affordable so will have to drive it. Unfortunately exhaust can get into the passenger area and is dangerous. This has to be covered as Ford knew it would happen then gouge the consumer and could harm them. Thank you! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Transmission is no longer working correctly. Downshifting to low gear for no reason and refusing to shift to higher gear with rpms reaching 8000rpm at 35 mph. Onky 73k miles on vehicle . No check engine light. No error codes using reader.

Vehicle has random sudden and violent downshifts to first gear when at highway speeds. Severe risk of accident and/or engine damage.

My F150 engine stalls while driving when I am at a1/4 tank or less in hot or cold weather in stop and go traffic, at a stop sign or red traffic signal. I am able to restart the engine after placing the transmission in neutral or park. I have reported this issue to my ford dealer, but they say there is nothing wrong with the vehicle. There is currently a recall (#25S75) for this issue in later model F150s, but my vehicle is not covered. The Ford hotline instructed me to report this issue to NHTSA.

While driving on the Interstate, my transmission suddenly had a dramatic downshift. A few miles later as I was exiting the freeway, it went into a limp mode for about 3 miles. I barely could pull into a fast food parking lot immediately off the exit ramp. After letting the truck sit for about an hour, I restarted the truck. It seemed to drive fairly well and drove it to a parts store to see if any OBD code was apparent. It read PO722-00 (Output Shaft Speed Sensor Circuit No Signal). I had about 57 miles to home (this is Sunday 7/27/2025 at about 5pm). Made it home but am seriously concerned about allowing my wife driving this!

Intermittent flashing of gear selectors (PRNDM) and gears 1-6. When putting in park it loses what gear it is in and nothing highlighted, so then the truck will not start. While driving and this begins, it gets stuck in gear and gear selectors start flashing as it does not know what gear it is in. Lead frame problem in the 6r80 is what detect it is showing. Please help with getting this covered under a recall!

The frame is rotting through. It was on a lift for a new starter; this resulted in the frame bending. It will not pass inspection. Ford refuses to repair /replace the frame as it is past their 5 year rust warranty. The vehicle has only 15000 miles. It has never been immersed in fresh or saltwater. The undercarriage has been sprayed off regularly when driven in the winter.

Transmission abruptly downshifts without warning. Cluster displays wrench icon and see manual but does not store a code in OBDII. Truck runs in “limp mode” restarting seems to clear the issue. Ford states no code no problem. I have video of issue happening.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, an unknown brake message was displayed on the instrument panel. In addition, the failure progressed, and the brake pedal felt loose, and the vehicle would not come to a stop as intended while the brake pedal was depressed. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 20V332000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 22V150000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

The molded lead frame, a part ford claims they fixed, failed at 81,000 miles. This lead to my truck going into limp mode and slamming into 3rd gear while driving on the highway. Luckily it didn’t cause an accident. $1000 to fix. Called ford corporate and they didn’t care at all. They said nope, we fixed that. Obviously not!

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, with the check engine and transmission warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 119,845. The VIN was not provided.

Going 50mph+ down road and transmission downshifting to 1st gear and won't do anything for a whole minute then kicks back into 5-6th gear. Does it multiple times. Almost wrecked on busy interstate due to this happening. This recall needs to be extended to the 15-17 truck also with 6R80

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle suddenly shifted into neutral(N) as indicated by the gear shift indicator. After which, the contact smelled a burning odor inside the vehicle, prompting the contact to turn off the vehicle. After the contact restarted the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

While driving at 65 mph the Orange drive selection indicator on the dashboard started flashing. In addition, the column listing the gears on the right side of the screen started flashing as well. Now there is no orange drive selection indicator light and no column listing the gears on the right side of the screen. I attempted to use the tiptronic shifting switch on the shifter and I was getting no response. When I brought the vehicle to a halt while still in drive, the vehicle moved into neutral. I had to shift the vehicle into "M" manual mode to get it to shift into a driving gear. The vehicle still drives and is able to automatically travel through the gears however I have no way of visually confirming if I'm in drive. I ran a diagnostic scan and the results were as followed "P0705 transmission range sensor a circuit (PRLDN input). When I place my vehicle in park the radiator fans turn on high until I shut the vehicle off. I'm at a gas station now, I can turn the truck on however I am unable to turn the engine back on. I can hear a clicking noise coming from the center console next to the shifter. After 2 min of this noise the orange drive selection light has returned on and is illuminating "P". I can turn the truck engine on, however when I shift I to "D" drive the orange selector light turns off. When I shift back to "P" park, the orange light returns. I shift to "D" press the accelerator and the engine RPM increases. However the vehicle does not move forward. When I shift to "M" the vehicle is in gear and begins to move forward. I still have no control over tiptronic shifting while in "M".

Shifts from 6th to 5th gear without warning. Cruise control is deactivated and can’t shift lower than 3rd gear. Sometimes will only stay in 5th gear. Possible faulty output shaft speed sensor.

I took my 2016 Ford F-150 Lariat in for repairs. I was getting a dash light on Blind Spot Warning and Cross Traffic Warning. My service advisor called and told me I needed a battery junction box but that part was no longer available and that my truck will begin to break down. It only has 46,611 miles and otherwise in excellent condition. I can't believe Ford does not have access the this part to fix my truck. Any suggestions?

The truck suddenly gave all kinds of warning signals like horn honking, side lights flashing, auto door locking/unlocking, etc. I had to disable the horn for not bothering the neighbors. I drove to Ford dealership without horn but with the fear from the BCM signals. The dealer service spent 5 days and eventually found the problem. It is "water intrusion causing BCM malfunctioning". Further diagnosis is that water came from heater box/AC condensation. The truck is 8.5 years old and has only 50K miles. How could it happen? The service manager and all mechanics never saw this happened with a Ford F150. But after searching on internet and consulting ChatGPT, we were told this is a known issue for Ford F150 made in 2015 to 2017 although there is no recall for it. For technical details you may reach Parrish Ford at 2900 River Rd., Goochland, VA 23063. The service manager is Jason Evens. His phone # is 804-556-4444 ext 2145. Thanks.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact while driving at undisclosed speeds, or while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormally high-pitched sound coming from the exhaust manifold. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the exhaust manifold bolts were damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.

I began noticing the illuminated instrument cluster indicating that I was in drive, flash from drive, to manual, and my truck began changing gears. Truck wouldn’t start after so I changed the battery. A few days later it was driving fine then the lights began to flash once again. My rear wheels seemed to lock up while I was driving about 50 mph, I believe it shifted into first gear and the truck jolted forward. I received a “wrench” icon that stated to “see manual”. Truck began driving fine once again. I contacted 4 local Ford dealerships and all claimed they have never heard of anything like this.

Dear Sir/Madam, I own a 2016 Ford F-150. Over the past few months the vehicle will suddenly hesitate and downshift while driving and the mechanics symbol will appear on the dashboard. This happened to me a few times. At the end of June I had two different mechanics look at the vehicle and both kept the truck for a couple of days and drove it around and neither one could see a problem. I drove the vehicle from Rhode Island to Pennsylvania and this happened 4 times during the trip driving on the highway!!!! It then happened again (with a witness in the vehicle) while driving. I could have been killed driving 70 mph on the highway during these times that the vehicle hesitated and downshifted. I researched possible recalls that I might have missed and learned of the investigation into by NHTSA by other consumers and I contacted Ford. When I spoke to Ford and filed my complaint I let them know I knew about the investigation by NHTSA and told them I could have been killed. It has been two weeks and I have yet to hear from them. I would like my vehicle repaired free of charge. We paid thousands of dollars for that truck and since this is a safety issue it should be recalled. Please contact me if you have any other questions. Thank you. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving, the vehicle has been going into limp mode at varying speeds on the roadway or while pulling onto the road. The problem lies within the components of the electric throttle body. The system malfunctions and locks the throttle body closed, thus putting the truck into limp mode. Shutting the vehicle off, waiting, and restarting temporarily resolves this issue UNTIL the PCM detects a fault in the electrical components of the throttle body and sends the truck into limp mode. When this happens, it also triggers a warning message regarding hill start assist. This is an extreme safety issue as pulling onto the roadway or loosing power in traffic and not being able to pull off can lead to collisions especially around blind curves or in heavy traffic. There also isn’t always a location to safely pull off the roadway, potentially leaving the vehicle and its operator in the roadway, increasing the risk of collision and injury