AtWhatMileage
Model year report

2016 Ford F-150: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2016 Ford F-150

On the 2016 Ford F-150, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, and the reports cluster around 80,000 miles. The earliest to appear is air conditioning failure, reported by a median of 40 miles. Overall it scores 74 out of 100, high risk for a 2016.

High risk for a 2016 — 95th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. 2,571 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

The failures owners actually file about

Owners have reported 91 named failure modes on the 2016 Ford F-150, and the three most-reported carry 28% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.

Other powertrain problem leads with 288 reports, about 0.6 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 40k to 117,000 miles.

Other engine problem follows with 221 reports, usually reported between 23k to 80,000 miles. 5 of those reports mention a fire.

Other body or interior problem follows with 202 reports, usually reported between 5k to 45,000 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.

By system, the reports fall mostly into brakes (357), engine (350) and transmission (333).

When these failures get reported

1,343 of the reports on the 2016 Ford F-150 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 42,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 57% by 50,000 miles, 88% by 100,000 miles and 98% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 10 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 19% of the dated reports.

43% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.

In the order they tend to show up: air conditioning failure around 40, parking brake failure around 10k, door latch or handle failure around 13k and airbag failed to deploy in a crash around 19k.

Median
  1. Other powertrain problem 80k
  2. Other engine problem 50k
  3. Other body or interior problem 20k
  4. Other electrical problem 38k
  5. Loss of braking 32k
  6. Master cylinder or brake booster failure 40k
  7. Other brake problem 25k
  8. Other visibility problem 47k
  9. Other fuel system problem 38k
  10. Other speed control problem 40k
  11. Door latch or handle failure 13k
  12. Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin 60k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 91. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage
half by 42k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 10 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

  • Line share of reports filed by that mileage
  • Dashed the median reported mileage

What happens when these parts fail

Across the named modes, 67 mention a crash, 40 a fire and 40 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.12, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000 and other electrical problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

29% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode System Reports With reading 25th Median 75th Per 1,000 Typical repair Severity
Other powertrain problem transmission 288 116 40k 80k 117k 0.6 $400–$4,500 High
Other engine problem engine 221 118 23k 50k 80k 0.5 $300–$4,000 High
Other body or interior problem body 202 117 5k 20k 45k 0.4 $200–$2,000 Moderate
Other electrical problem electrical 123 69 13k 38k 57k 0.3 $250–$2,000 Moderate
Loss of braking brakes 106 91 10k 32k 55k 0.2 $400–$3,000 Critical
Master cylinder or brake booster failure brakes 101 87 10k 40k 61k 0.2 $450–$2,200 Critical
Other brake problem brakes 100 68 7k 25k 58k 0.2 $300–$1,800 High
Other visibility problem glass 95 64 28k 47k 62k 0.2 $150–$1,400 Moderate
Other fuel system problem fuel 69 33 8k 38k 80k 0.1 $300–$2,200 High
Other speed control problem adas 59 34 13k 40k 55k 0.1 $250–$2,000 Critical
Door latch or handle failure body 54 29 5k 13k 35k 0.1 $250–$1,200 High
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin emissions 52 13 48k 60k 105k 0.1 $250–$2,000 High
Cruise control failure adas 50 22 2k 22k 41k 0.1 $200–$1,400 High
Other wheel or tire problem wheels 43 23 38k 55k 78k 0.1 $200–$1,500 High
Other steering problem steering 42 22 27k 49k 86k 0.1 $350–$2,400 High
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure electrical 40 14 54k 64k 99k 0.1 $700–$3,000 High
Other driver assistance problem adas 40 28 19k 50k 76k 0.1 $250–$1,800 High
Backup camera failure infotainment 39 12 39k 51k 59k 0.1 $250–$1,200 Moderate
Sunroof failure or glass breakage body 38 23 26k 44k 73k 0.1 $700–$4,500 High
Misfire or rough idle engine 32 13 40k 57k 59k 0.1 $250–$1,600 Moderate
Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure body 31 19 23k 42k 56k 0.1 $250–$1,500 Moderate
Parking brake failure brakes 29 21 6k 10k 30k 0.1 $250–$1,300 Moderate
Overheating cooling 20 11 62k 76k 117k 0.0 $400–$3,500 High
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure electrical 20 11 31k 70k 75k 0.0 $250–$1,500 High
Oil leak engine 19 8 39k 57k 78k 0.0 $250–$2,200 Moderate
No-start or intermittent start failure engine 19 6 — 39k — 0.0 $200–$1,800 Moderate
Stalling while driving engine 18 11 36k 38k 69k 0.0 $300–$2,500 Critical
Complete transmission failure transmission 18 9 68k 138k 155k 0.0 $2,800–$8,000 Critical
Infotainment screen failure infotainment 18 4 — 53k — 0.0 $400–$2,600 Low
Differential or transfer case failure drivetrain 17 4 — 62k — 0.0 $900–$4,200 High
Instrument cluster or gauge failure infotainment 17 8 48k 56k 71k 0.0 $350–$1,400 Moderate
Wheel, stud or lug nut failure wheels 17 5 — 48k — 0.0 $150–$1,500 Critical
Wiper or washer failure glass 17 10 14k 35k 56k 0.0 $120–$800 Moderate
Seat belt or retractor failure airbag 16 5 — 44k — 0.0 $200–$900 High
Other suspension problem suspension 16 5 — 42k — 0.0 $350–$2,000 Moderate
Wiring harness or short circuit electrical 14 7 — 45k — 0.0 $400–$3,500 High
Brake line, hose or caliper failure brakes 14 1 — 122k — 0.0 $250–$1,600 Critical
Lane keep or steering assist fault adas 14 2 — 52k — 0.0 $200–$1,600 High
Tail light, brake light or signal failure lighting 14 5 — 66k — 0.0 $100–$900 Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure fuel 13 8 43k 50k 61k 0.0 $250–$1,800 Moderate
Alternator or charging system failure electrical 13 9 42k 64k 64k 0.0 $450–$1,600 High
Fuel pump failure fuel 12 7 — 47k — 0.0 $600–$2,600 High
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure steering 12 10 28k 40k 72k 0.0 $700–$2,600 High
Radiator or coolant leak cooling 11 4 — 71k — 0.0 $350–$1,900 High
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash airbag 10 8 8k 19k 51k 0.0 $1,000–$5,000 Critical
Excessive oil consumption engine 9 5 — 120k — 0.0 $900–$6,500 High
Air conditioning failure hvac 9 8 40 40 17k 0.0 $400–$2,800 Moderate
Software fault or failed update software 9 5 — 64k — 0.0 $0–$600 Moderate
Head gasket failure engine 7 0 — — — 0.0 $1,400–$4,000 Critical
Torque converter failure transmission 7 3 — 96k — 0.0 $1,100–$3,200 High
Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure transmission 7 5 — 32k — 0.0 $250–$1,400 High
ABS module or sensor failure brakes 7 4 — 71k — 0.0 $500–$2,400 High
Other lighting problem lighting 7 4 — 7k — 0.0 $120–$1,200 Moderate
Engine bay fire engine 6 3 — 120 — 0.0 $4,000–$20,000 Critical
Harsh or jerky shifting transmission 6 1 — 24k — 0.0 $600–$4,000 Moderate
CV axle or driveshaft failure drivetrain 6 3 — 55 — 0.0 $450–$2,200 High
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure suspension 6 2 — 80k — 0.0 $400–$2,200 High
Complete engine failure or seizure engine 5 2 — 87k — 0.0 $4,500–$12,000 Critical
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure engine 5 1 — 60k — 0.0 $1,200–$4,500 Critical
Water pump failure cooling 5 0 — — — 0.0 $500–$2,200 High
Engine sensor failure electrical 5 2 — 95k — 0.0 $180–$900 Moderate
Loss of power steering steering 5 3 — 40k — 0.0 $600–$2,800 Critical
Steering column or shaft failure steering 5 3 — 36k — 0.0 $600–$2,500 Critical
Turbocharger or supercharger failure engine 4 2 — 69k — 0.0 $1,500–$4,500 High
Transmission will not engage a gear transmission 4 1 — 22k — 0.0 $1,500–$6,000 Critical
Wheel bearing or hub failure drivetrain 4 1 — 52k — 0.0 $350–$1,200 Moderate
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault airbag 4 3 — 11k — 0.0 $300–$1,600 High
Catalytic converter failure emissions 4 0 — — — 0.0 $900–$3,500 Moderate
Electrical fire or melted wiring electrical 3 2 — 42k — 0.0 $1,500–$9,000 Critical
Lifter, cam or cylinder-deactivation failure engine 3 1 — 98k — 0.0 $1,800–$7,000 High
Cooling fan failure cooling 3 0 — — — 0.0 $350–$1,300 Moderate
Airbag inflator rupture airbag 3 1 — 9k — 0.0 $0–$0 Critical
Strut, shock or spring failure suspension 3 1 — 36k — 0.0 $500–$2,000 Moderate
Tire blowout or tread separation wheels 3 0 — — — 0.0 $200–$1,500 Critical
Headlight failure or clouding lighting 3 0 — — — 0.0 $150–$1,800 Moderate
Audio or connectivity failure infotainment 2 1 — 38k — 0.0 $150–$900 Low
Rust or structural corrosion body 2 1 — 102k — 0.0 $500–$6,000 High
Window regulator or power window failure body 2 2 — 47k — 0.0 $250–$900 Moderate
Blower motor or climate control failure hvac 2 2 — 89k — 0.0 $250–$1,200 Moderate
Piston, ring or cylinder wall damage engine 1 0 — — — 0.0 $3,000–$9,500 Critical
Intake carbon buildup engine 1 0 — — — 0.0 $400–$1,200 Moderate
CVT failure transmission 1 1 — 39k — 0.0 $3,000–$8,500 Critical
Dual-clutch or clutch-pack failure transmission 1 0 — — — 0.0 $1,800–$5,500 High
Transmission fluid leak transmission 1 0 — — — 0.0 $300–$1,800 Moderate
Fuel leak or fuel odor fuel 1 1 — 80k — 0.0 $300–$2,500 Critical
Airbag deployed without a crash airbag 1 0 — — — 0.0 $2,500–$8,000 Critical
Blind spot monitor failure adas 1 0 — — — 0.0 $250–$1,300 Moderate
Tire pressure monitor failure wheels 1 1 — 120k — 0.0 $80–$600 Low
Paint peeling or clear coat failure body 1 0 — — — 0.0 $600–$6,000 Low
Seat, track or recliner failure body 1 0 — — — 0.0 $300–$2,200 High
Windshield cracking glass 1 0 — — — 0.0 $300–$1,600 Moderate
Unclassified problem other 181 74 14k 26k 49k 0.4 — Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2016 Ford F-150 draws about 5.5 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 85th percentile of complaint rates among 2016 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 464,311 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2016 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Other powertrain problem

Vehicle entered "limp mode" at speed on interstate, loss of power. This occurred at 5k miles and after being repaired, occurred at 12k miles. Both time diagnosed by ford dealer as a faulty throttle body actuator.

12,000 miles NHTSA complaint 1314226 filed 2016-09-03

While driving on a highway, vehicle's low engine oil pressure illuminated, vehicle's speed dropped to coasting level and had to pull to side of highway with no ability to accelerate. This is an extremely dangerous situation where there is loss of power and the engine would not restart. Oil level was checked and was near the high mark. The vehicle has 316 miles on it and had to be towed.

316 miles NHTSA complaint 1317165 filed 2016-09-13

Other engine problem

So I've got 16,000 miles on my new 2016 f150 truck. Last week I was cruising down the highway in the fast lane when all of a sudden the truck shudders then loses all drivetrain power. The engine was still on but only operating at btwn 600 and 800 rpms but the accelerator was unresponsive. Was no fun trying to make it to the shoulder with no power. One week later, same thing twice on my way home from work. Called the dealer and they didn't seem overly concerned that my new truck was stranding me in the fast lane with no power. They said bring it in at the end of the week and we'll take a look at it. So I start researching the problem and can only find related articles from around 2012 when ford was having problems with humidity in its new ecoboost engines. I live in california where the humidity is not very fierce so I don't know if this is the problem or not, but after reading some posts on how ford dealt with this problem before, I'm not very optimistic on the outcome this time.

16,000 miles NHTSA complaint 1281771 filed 2016-05-10

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 ford f-150. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the check engine and traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the roadside and was able to start it after multiple attempts. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle body failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,300.

9,300 miles NHTSA complaint 1283434 filed 2016-05-17

Other body or interior problem

Since 2015 ford has had an issue with the door locks not latching in cold weather. I have owned my vehicle for a month and a half and have taken it in for service twice now for the same issue. Moisture gets into the locking mechanism and then freezes. After opening the door there is no way of closing it as latches do not grab again or on the other hand they don't release. Twice now I have been out and about and had doors that would not latch. I had to drive around with my 18 month old son's door held closed with a ratchet strap to be able to get home safely. This is a major safety issue and ford needs to solve this.

2,361 miles NHTSA complaint 1263860 filed 2016-02-26

Seat headrest protrudes too much out of the seat and it pushes forward head of some drivers. The only adjustments available (slide up and down, tilt top forward) do nothing to alleviate the issue. The lack of ability to "scoot" the entire headrest backwards causes back and neck pain while driving for as little as 10 minutes. One solution people are resorting to is to re-insert the headrest backwards, but the tilting mechanism prevent the head from being stopped and sent backwards in the event of an accident. Another solution is to recline the seat back so much that your back is no longer supported. Again a safety issue. When hitting small imperfection on the road, even in dry weather, the vehicle feels as if it's about to fishtail. Some people have mention the suspension is too slow to compensate for bumps and thus the tire, for a small amount of time, does lose contact with the road. All of this complaints can be found in the f-105 forums: http://www.f150forum.com/f118/

2,000 miles NHTSA complaint 1275482 filed 2016-04-14

Recalls on the 2016 model year

NHTSA has issued 14 recall campaigns covering the 2016 Ford F-150, affecting an estimated 1,286,523 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover power train:automatic transmission, service brakes, hydraulic:power assist, suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylin. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.

26V237000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

1,392,935 vehicles 2026-04-14
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150 vehicles. A loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear.
Consequence
Unexpectedly downshifting into second gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 15, 2026.
22V150000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

195,864 vehicles 2022-03-11
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
Consequence
A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter notifying customers of the safety defect were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed April 29, 2022. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-332. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S11.
21E027000

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

2,394 vehicles 2021-04-12
Defect
Tenneco Automotive (DRiV) is recalling certain MOOG K500359 ball joints, for aftermarket installation on 2015-2018 Ford F-150 trucks. The ball joint may have a misaligned dust boot and may be missing alignment hole and installation warning tag, which may lead to improper alignment of the ball joint.
Consequence
An incorrectly installed ball joint may cause the ball joint stud to break, which can compromise front wheel control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
DRiV will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary replace the ball joint, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Tenneco Automotive customer service at 1-877-489-6659.
20V332000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

292,311 vehicles 2020-06-08
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2017 F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid into the brake booster.
Consequence
A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel and feel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, possibly requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake master cylinder and inspect the brake booster, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Ford issued owners an interim notification on June 30, 2020. The recall began on October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S31.
20V098000

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

13,854 vehicles 2020-02-21
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2016 F-150 pick-up trucks equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines and block immersion heaters that were potentially relocated from their originally installed location. The incorrect location could put the heater too close to hot engine components, possibly resulting in a damaged cable.
Consequence
A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the block heater's location and its cable, replacing components as necessary, free of charge. If the replacement parts are not available, dealers will disable the existing block heater cable from being used until parts become available. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S08.
19V278000

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

131,068 vehicles 2019-04-08
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
Consequence
A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S11.
18V894000

ENGINE

410,289 vehicles 2018-12-18
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.
Consequence
When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S45.
18V568000

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

1,619,112 vehicles 2018-08-31
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
Consequence
A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S27.
17V767000

SEATS

177,264 vehicles 2017-11-29
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 F-150 and Explorer vehicles. Loose power seat adjuster pivot bolts may cause the front seat cushions to detach and not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash.
Consequence
In the event of a crash, a seat occupant that is not properly restrained has an increased risk of injury.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tightness of the power seat track upper pivot link bolt, either applying threadlocker or replacing the lift link and hardware, free of charge. Interim letters are expected to go out January 15, 2018. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S40.
17V652000

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

1,101,107 vehicles 2017-10-16
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the doors opening while driving although they appear to be closed.
Consequence
A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S33.
17V526000

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

117,423 vehicles 2017-08-28
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250 and F-350 trucks equipped with a crew cab. The left rear inflatable seat belt buckle assembly may be inadequately attached to its mounting bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Consequence
If the left rear inflatable seat belt buckle separates from it's mounting bracket, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assembly, replacing the attaching rivet as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed October 18, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C12.
17V331000

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

14,410 vehicles 2017-05-22
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles originally produced with black or body colored exterior door handles that may have been subsequently equipped with a chrome exterior door handle cover accessory kit purchased from a Ford dealer. These accessory door handle covers may cause the doors to unlatch in a side impact collision. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
Consequence
If the doors unlatch and open in a side impact collision, the occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the accessory covers and refund the purchase price. The recall began July 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 17C09.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2016 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2016 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

  • Left fewer and less serious reports
  • Right more, or worse
  • Marker this vehicle

Where 2016 sits in the model line

High risk for a 2016 — 95th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.

Across the 30 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1996 comes out best at 63 and 2007 worst at 80, with 2016 itself at 74.

If the model year is negotiable, 1996, 2004, 2005, 1999, 1998, 1997, 2010, 2009, 2006, 2002, 2025, 2000, 2014 and 2001 score lower than 2016 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2014–2018 generation specifically, 2014 is the strongest year at 70 and 2018 the weakest at 79.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2014-2018 generation, 2014 Ford F-150 scores best at 70 and 2018 Ford F-150 worst at 79.

What the numbers say to check

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: air conditioning failure from about 40, cruise control failure from about 2k, door latch or handle failure from about 5k and other body or interior problem from about 5k.

On a 2016 Ford F-150 with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether air conditioning failure has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.

What this page cannot tell you

2,571 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 2,571 reports, 1,343 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 52% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Ford F-150?

The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (288 reports, median 80,000 miles), other engine problem (221 reports, median 50,000 miles) and other body or interior problem (202 reports, median 20,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2016 Ford F-150 problems start?

Air conditioning failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 40 miles and a quarter of reports before 40 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 42,000 miles.

Is the 2016 Ford F-150 reliable?

It scores 74 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 95th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2016 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Ford F-150 is best?

Within the 2014–2018 generation, 2014 scores best at 70 out of 100 and 2018 worst at 79. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed