NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Ford F-150. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
In March 2024, my F150 started hard/miss shifting. Between 3,4 & 5 gear. Ticket to Mount Ford dealer and they informed me the that the transmission need to be either rebuilt or replaced.I was informed parts to rebuild were on back order. Because Ford was having lots of issues with the 10R80 10 speed transmission. So I had to get a remanufactured one.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost all motive power, after which the contact became aware that the gear selector was stuck in the drive position. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose the failure but informed the contact that the transmission control module had been reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer an additional five times, with the dealer not being able to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 17,000.
The under carriage splash gaurd keeps tearing off and hangs down. This is a widely known issue and presents a fire hazard and road hazard.
1 year ago I started getting the “Charge System Fault” alert on my truck, took to the shop and they advised the battery needed to be replaced. After replacing, a few weeks later it started happening again, so they did further testing and advised the alternator was bad. Replaced the alternator and 6 months later the alert started intermittently again. It has been sporadically ever since when at an idle and doesn’t stay on long enough to have on a reader to reflect what is really wrong. I’ve attached the error from my FordPass app that comes thru once in a while but it’s frequent on the truck dash while it’s running, at idle whether in park or at a stop light. It’s not every time the truck is running, but becoming more frequent again.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the "WRENCH" symbol and the check transmission warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle decelerated to 20 MPH. The contact was able to exit the highway and pull into a parking lot. The contact looked underneath the vehicle and saw that transmission fluid was leaking from the transmission. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 24-2046 for harsh or delayed transmission shift (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
This truck when shifting from 4th to 5th will snap your neck! sometimes it just slips in gear., when I back up ity will stop like its in neutral and then bang into gear. sometimes you pull out on the road and it will not go just sit in neutral then bank in gear and take off. This is totally unsafe with this 10 speed trans.
On [XXX] I took the truck to Ford dealer after noticing the front floor passenger side carpet was wet and door locks and electronic tire pressure indicator failed to operate correctly. Ford service dept found a/c drain was letting water back into passenger compartment and caused body control module (bcm) failure. Bcm was replaced after 2 1/2 months in the service dept. Returned on 8/26/24, 9/18/24, and 10/22/24 for same water intrusion problem. Different repair done on 10/22/24 to remedy problem. Service dept contacted Ford national office and learned this was considered a design flaw by Ford. Expected a recall will be issued. Remedial treatment for mold was applied because I had been smelling a vinegar smell in the truck cab which is typical smell for presence of mold. This is the primary safety issue I believe exists, but failure of body control module could cause other safety problems. . No recall issued yet.
My 2020 ford truck driver side door locks freeze when temperatures get below freezing. When this happens the door does not open and when I open it from the inside the door doesn’t latch. I have to use a bungee cord to hold the door closed if I’m going to use the vehicle. Also the rest of the doors don’t lock when driving the vehicle. I believe other year ford trucks have had this issue and they also were recalled for a fix. I have had the truck to the dealer several times with no luck. The last time when the truck was under warranty they replaced the door lock actuator which didn’t help. I believe this is very much a safety issue and I shouldn’t even be driving this truck but I need it.
The windshield wiper did not shut off anymore Ever 20 seconds it went back and forth once. After searching the internet I found 100s of links related to the same issue with Ford vehicles and the Multifunction switch mounted on the steering wheel. I consider this a safety issue because people try to fix the wiping issue while driving. Also being on the road it could cause damage to the windshield wiping in a dry environment. Dust and debris can scratch the screen over time and inhibit a clear vision while driving. Looking at several videos it seams that the multifunction switch contacts are prone to corrosion inside the driver cabinet of the vehicle. Going from Hot in the sun 130 degree F + to 65 Degree F. The switch connection and contacts are not sealed and open to condensation,creating a corrosive environment.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, there was a pulling sensation or hesitation at various speeds before accelerating. The contact stated it felt as though the vehicle was going into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that there was a choking and clunking noise emitting from underneath the vehicle and the vehicle would do a hard shift whenever down shifting especially between 6th and 5th gear. The contact stated that the transmission was stuck in 6th gear intermittently. The DTC code: P061A was displayed on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the mechanic was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 147,831.
I have brought our Truck and our Car to the dealer several times and had other service that I paid for completed and they refuse to perform Recall 20C19 I have attempted to contact Ford and they have refused to respond to my concern.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a routine oil change, the contact was informed that the front passenger’s side lug nuts were swollen. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 53,057.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering did not function as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle independently veered over to the left. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer and independent mechanics a total of 14 times, however the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that an associate in the automotive industry provided him with information regarding an equipment recall 24S45 which had a similar failure description. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and several cases were filed. The contact was informed that the contact's VIN was not associated with the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.
Since new it has used 3qts of oil every 5000 miles. It has been to two different Ford shops and they say there is nothing wrong with it and refuse to do anything with it. A new engine should not be using oil. I've been a mechanic for over 50 years. No engine that I ever built used oil. This is unacceptable
At about 32k miles the transmission quit working properly. It would go into neutral randomly and then slam back in gear. Took it to Ford and they did a warranty TSB repair. Then at 54k it started doing it again almost causing me to be in a collision with on coming traffic. Once again Ford performed a warranty TSB repair. Just got it back and it still doesn't work properly.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact used a scanner to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved information showed that the catalytic convertor and Oxygen sensors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the parts were replaced. Recently, the check engine warning light returned with an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it remained unrepaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 15-20 MPH, the vehicle was sputtering, skipping gears, shuddering, and jerking in the middle of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he continued driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the earliest available appointment would be in August. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly failed to accelerate and shift gear as needed. The contact coasted to the side of the road and waited for the transmission to shift into gear before being able to continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The failure became more persistent over time. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the failure with the year, make, and model vehicle. The dealer diagnosed a failure inside the transmission with an incorrect size gear, causing the gear failure while shifting gear. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was inspected by a certified mechanic, and it was confirmed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “Pre-Collision Assist Not Available” was displayed and “Front Camera Malfunction - Service Required" was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the messages were continuously displayed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
While driving in the rain, my vehicle had a complete electrical failure. I could not accelerate or even turn the vehicle off. Because of this I could not move my vehicle off the highway. Fortunately I was not hit by the vehicle behind me, and was not in a turn. he Several warning lights came on. After being towed to a dealership, it was found that the factory windshield was leaking into the passenger side area where the Body Control Module (BCM) is housed. This flooded the unit and completely killed the truck. It was surprising to me that rain had the ability to completely render my truck useless. The manufacturer would not cover any repairs as they claimed windshield leaks were a maintenance issue.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that 11/2 to 2 1/2 quarts of oil was burning every three weeks. The vehicle was using an excessive amount of oil. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact noticed there was a limited amount of oil on the dipstick. The contact had to add additional oil. There was no indication of oil leaking. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB 19-2338.The manufacturer was contacted and offered assistance with the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
The contact called for her partner who owned a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the dashboard had warped near the passenger side's glove compartment when purchased. The dealer had been informed of the failure and informed the owner that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped and idling at a traffic light, the vehicle lunged forward causing the contact to aggressively depress the brake pedal, causing the vehicle to jerk abnormally. The contact stated that the engine was revving abnormally while stopped at a traffic light. Additionally, while shifting into reverse or drive, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred approximately 5 times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and a computer reset was performed. The contact was unaware of the diagnostic results, or the repairs performed on the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the steering wheel intermittently loosened, there was oil leaking underneath the vehicle, and there was an abnormal burning oil odor coming from the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 81,557.
Rear tailgate Camera failed
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon attempting to enter the vehicle using the remote key fob, the driver's side door failed to unlatch. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the door actuator. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 30,000.
The contact owns a 2022 Carry-On Trailer hitched on a 2024 Ford F1-150. The contact stated that while taking a vehicle off of the trailer, the contact noticed that the tread on both the front and rear passenger's side tires on the trailer were excessively worn. The trailer was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with improperly installed brackets that hold the axle onto the trailer. The trailer was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The trailer tire failure mileage was approximately 4,032.
1. The start/stop function will not restart at some long stop lights. I have to restart the vehicle. 2. The wiper will come on without being turned on. 3. The brake have started to grind like, the brake pads are bad. The brake will grind sometimes when coming to a stop. They have been checked and a recent service also. The brakes do this even during the day. The dealership found the brakes to be working in perfect order. 4. Transmission issues have been resolved to a point. 5. Service department great, however; the can duplicate issues with vehicle.
We are experiencing an issue with the car seat where after we have put our child in the seat, buckled the straps and tightened them, my 2 year old daughter can then push the straps back out, completely loosening them. The straps will not stay tight.
Transmission jerking, clinking sounds,hard up or down shifting. When starting first time in the morning, feels like the transmission is engaging, gives alittle jerk.
Driving on the highway, at approx 70 MPH, truck suddenly shifted to neutral, though gear indicator showed in 1st gear. After several seconds the truck shifted back into high gear with a jolting BANG. This happened three times in a row, then the service light came on, and truck continued to operate but not up shift to 10th gear. This happened after about 1 hour of driving. A few hours later on the return trip home the same thing happened after 45-60 mins of driving at highway speeds. Truck at times does not go into gear when at stand still (shifting out of park), or slams into gear very had, jolting the occupants.
My back window randomly shattered when it wasn’t being driving. I assumed a rock was flung up from the road from another vehicle, causing it to shatter, but when I took it to get it replaced, the glass technician pointed out that the defroster heater wire overheated, causing the glass to shatter. Reports online show this has happened before. My tech said it could have caught the truck on file. I tried to upload photos of the shattered window and the burnt electrical wire, but the website wouldn’t let me.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the electronic parking brake erroneously activated causing the vehicle to abruptly decelerate. The contact stated that the parking brake message was displayed after the failure occurred. After stopping and restarting the vehicle the failure reoccurred. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 35,000.
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Auto StartStop., Yes 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My 2020 Ford F150 turned off while driving on freeway and 2nd occasion, I was on a major street with traffic. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No 5.Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning before truck turned off, after truck turned off: Auto StartStop Shift to P, then Restart Engine
I have inflatable seat belts on the rear seats. The buckles fall down into the seat making it difficult to fasten the seat belts. They were replaced under warranty for this concern. After a week they started to fall into the seat again.
My Vehicle has 60,000 miles on it and my transmission slips and loses power between gears 3-6 when speeding up to get on the highway / merge. I have nearly gotten into countless accidents because of this problem. I have brought it to my local Ford Dealership’s attention 3 separate times now and they have offered me “software updates” that do not fix the problem. This is a major safety concern of mine and I have 4 years of payments left on this truck that will probably kill me one day in southwest Florida traffic. Ford continues to ignore the problem that everyone I know has with the 10 speed transmission and something needs to be done. It is criminal on their part knowingly ignoring us all
The rear backup camera does not work in cold weather when any kind of moisture is present. The screen doesn’t display anything useful and I am afraid it will cause me to have an accident. I have not brought it to the mechanic as I don’t currently have the money to investigate repairs.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission downshifted unexpectedly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown computer repair and an unknown transmission repair were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle downshifted to 1st gear unexpectedly, and then shifted back to 10th gear. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be covered under warranty due to the mileage. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 54,130.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 50–55 MPH, the fiberboard cover and fiber shield detached from underneath the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to reattach the fiber shield and cover. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 30,000. The VIN was not available.
I was in an accident and the automatic braking sensor did not kick in even though there was a vehicle directly in front of me. As a result, my collision warning never sounded and the active braking feature of my vehicle never engaged.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond and shuddered. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact released the accelerator pedal until the vehicle stopped shuddering. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist, where it was diagnosed that the torque converter had experienced a mechanical failure. The dealer determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist due to the mileage on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Noticed significant gasoline leak under fuel tank when the engine was running. From the ground, looked up and saw that fuel was leaking from a black fuel hose originating at the top of fuel tank and directed going toward the engine. The fuel hose had dropped below the top of the truck frame and chaffed against a frame mounting point wearing a hole in the hose. Suspect the hose was manufactured to long allowing the droop, or was installed incorrectly (not clamped to prevent droop), or the hose installation was just defective as the hose is to long and a clamp was not part of the vehicle design. My truck has about 23,500 miles and has only been operated on paved roads and used for either commuting or carrying light household loads.
The transmission failed and the vehicle completely shut down while I was driving down a 70 mph road. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk because my vehicle significantly decelerated on a 70 mph highway when the transmission failed. The dealer confirmed that the 3rd gear of the transmission is destroyed and then transmission needs to be replaced. The manufacturer has reviewed the dealer's findings and confirmed the transmission will need to be replaced. The light on the dashboard came on as the transmission was failing (maybe 5-10 seconds before the deceleration). Prior to that, I had no warning signs whatsoever other than some harder than normal shifting from time to time. I know the manufacturer has had significant issues with the 10-speed transmissions like the one in my vehicle. It is only a matter of time until the transmission on someone's vehicle gives out at the wrong time and someone is seriously injured or killed. Given the number of reported issues, it is time for the manufacturer to recall this part or extend warranty coverage for issues that may arise. It is a design defect with the transmission.
The adaptive cruise control on the vehicle failed. When passing other vehicles, the system will engage the brakes unexpectedly and aggressively causing possible loss of control and exposes other drivers behind you to collide with your vehicle. Dealership did inspect vehicle but was unable to duplicate. This generally occurs on highway driving over long distances. There are no warning signs that this is going to occur. All of a sudden you will just feel the vehicle brake extremely hard. This happened multiple times while in used during 400 mile trip. (stopped using for remainder of the trip)
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the sunroof glass exploded. There were no reported injuries. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Jerry's Auto Sales of Lennox (27786 SD-17), Lennox, SD 57039, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle made a clunking noise when going from 2nd to 3rd and from 7th to 8th gear. The noise also occurred when shifting to reverse or drive. The failure occurred intermittently but had since become more persistent. The contact learned of a faulty main valve control unit as a possibility while doing research and found that the failure was common; however, had not confirmed the cause for the failure. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Unable to accelerate vehicle while driving on the freeway. The vehicle began making clucking sounds and jerking when trying to accelerate. You could feel vehicle shift harshly and was struggling to shift. While trying to merge onto the expressway, this became extremely dangerous when I was unable to accelerate. I was able to exit freeway and the problem stopped. A couple of weeks later while driving on the freeway the issue occurred again this time for a longer period of time, unable to accelerate another driver on the freeway flagged us down to inform us that smoke was coming out of the vehicle. We were not able to see or smell any smoke while inside of the vehicle. We were able to exit the freeway pullover and had the car towed to the Ford dealership. we are currently waiting for more information. This was extremely scary and could’ve been much worse. Luckily we were able to get off freeway and exit the truck.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds under 25 MPH, the vehicle experienced jerking and shuttering. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission assembly was replaced but the failures continued to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 29,000.
Passenger front door lock failed and we were unable to access passenger during, what was interpreted as a medical emergency. The only way to access passenger was to go through the rear passenger door.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after changing the oil every 5,000 miles, the vehicle needs two quarts of oil from the ten quarts already added. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was not able to provide a repair. Contatc recived same information from another Ford dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 20,451
I've owned this F150 truck since 2020, purchasing it on Memorial Day. However, every year, I've experienced two to three instances where the car suddenly cuts off in the middle of a traffic light, accompanied by a yellow warning sign on the screen. I suspect it has something to do with the Auto Start-Stop technology. The most recent incident (1 month ago) while I was driving toward a traffic light direction that was turning red. I gradually slowed down until I came to a complete stop. When I lifted my foot off the brake pedal, the car simply shut off. This issue has become increasingly concerning, especially since it can occur in unpredictable situations. I'm hoping someone can provide some insight into the cause of this problem and suggest a solution.
The automatic transmission jumps and tries to go forward when the truck is started. Even though it is still in park. I’m afraid that it will actually go forward and hit something or someone. My investigation online has found a lot of complaints regarding the 10 speed automatic transmission in this vehicle.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026