2011 Ford F-150 Problems and Recalls (2,173 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2011 Ford F-150 is Transmission / driveline (30% of 2,173 owner reports). There are 6 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-15 2,173 complaints · 6 recalls

What problems show up on the 2011 Ford F-150?

658 of 2,173 filings named Transmission / driveline (30% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Steering (394 reports).

There are 6 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Body / frame, Electrical, Transmission / driveline, and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2010 has 826 reports on file; this year has 2,173. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2011 Ford F-150

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 6 campaigns on file below.
  2. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Transmission / driveline 658 complaints · 30.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 46
  • Fires 19
  • Injuries 35
  • Deaths 0
All Ford F-150 years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 658 of 2,173 owner complaints (30.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 658 complaints, 30.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 crash reports 3 fire reports 658 · 30.3% Steering (STEERING): 394 complaints, 18.1% of reports Steering (STEERING) 5 crash reports 394 · 18.1% Engine (ENGINE): 306 complaints, 14.1% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 7 crash reports 1 fire reports 306 · 14.1% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 147 complaints, 6.8% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 9 crash reports 1 fire reports 147 · 6.8% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 142 complaints, 6.5% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 8 crash reports 142 · 6.5% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 136 complaints, 6.3% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 5 fire reports 136 · 6.3% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 99 complaints, 4.6% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 crash reports 6 fire reports 99 · 4.6% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 75 complaints, 3.5% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 75 · 3.5% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 30 complaints, 1.4% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 30 · 1.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 277 complaints, 12.8% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 7 crash reports 7 fire reports 277 · 12.8% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 658 30.3% 3 crashes · 3 fires
Steering (STEERING) 394 18.1% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 306 14.1% 7 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 147 6.8% 9 crashes · 1 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 142 6.5% 8 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 136 6.3% 0 crashes · 5 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 99 4.6% 2 crashes · 6 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 75 3.5% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 30 1.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 277 12.8% 7 crashes · 7 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2011; the first recall shown was reported in Dec 2010. 2011-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2012-Q1: 22 owner reports 22 2012-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2012-Q3: 28 owner reports 28 2012-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2013-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2013-Q2: 79 owner reports 79 2013-Q3: 63 owner reports 63 2013-Q4: 44 owner reports 44 2014-Q1: 56 owner reports 56 2014-Q2: 37 owner reports 37 2014-Q3: 45 owner reports 45 2014-Q4: 47 owner reports 47 2015-Q1: 52 owner reports 52 2015-Q2: 57 owner reports 57 2015-Q3: 59 owner reports 59 2015-Q4: 72 owner reports 72 2016-Q1: 51 owner reports 51 2016-Q2: 63 owner reports 63 2016-Q3: 56 owner reports 56 2016-Q4: 55 owner reports 55 2017-Q1: 47 owner reports 47 2017-Q2: 50 owner reports 50 2017-Q3: 46 owner reports 46 2017-Q4: 49 owner reports 49 2018-Q1: 93 owner reports 93 2018-Q2: 57 owner reports 57 2018-Q3: 67 owner reports 67 2018-Q4: 49 owner reports 49 2019-Q1: 94 owner reports 94 2019-Q2: 72 owner reports 72 2019-Q3: 36 owner reports 36 2019-Q4: 31 owner reports 31 2020-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2020-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2020-Q3: 31 owner reports 31 2020-Q4: 27 owner reports 27 2021-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2021-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2021-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2021-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2022-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2022-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2022-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2022-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2023-Q1: 22 owner reports 22 2023-Q2: 27 owner reports 27 2023-Q3: 22 owner reports 22 2023-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2024-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2024-Q2: 28 owner reports 28 2024-Q3: 24 owner reports 24 2024-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 2025-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2025-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2025-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2025-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2026-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2026-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2026-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2026-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Dec 2010 Oct 2026 Recall campaign 10V659000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V659000 Recall campaign 11V128000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V128000 Recall campaign 11V582000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V582000 Recall campaign 12V190000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V190000 Recall campaign 16V248000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V248000 Recall campaign 19V075000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V075000 Investigation PE13018 ● Investigation PE13018 Investigation PE15026 ● Investigation PE15026 Investigation EA15006 ● Investigation EA15006 Investigation RQ17010 ● Investigation RQ17010
  • Campaign 11V582000 was reported 221 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V190000 was reported 98 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V248000 was reported 1,823 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 19V075000 was reported 2,843 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2011-Q2 Owner reports 2
2011-Q3 Owner reports 6
2011-Q4 Owner reports 9
2012-Q1 Owner reports 22
2012-Q2 Owner reports 17
2012-Q3 Owner reports 28
2012-Q4 Owner reports 8
2013-Q1 Owner reports 14
2013-Q2 Owner reports 79
2013-Q3 Owner reports 63
2013-Q4 Owner reports 44
2014-Q1 Owner reports 56
2014-Q2 Owner reports 37
2014-Q3 Owner reports 45
2014-Q4 Owner reports 47
2015-Q1 Owner reports 52
2015-Q2 Owner reports 57
2015-Q3 Owner reports 59
2015-Q4 Owner reports 72
2016-Q1 Owner reports 51
2016-Q2 Owner reports 63
2016-Q3 Owner reports 56
2016-Q4 Owner reports 55
2017-Q1 Owner reports 47
2017-Q2 Owner reports 50
2017-Q3 Owner reports 46
2017-Q4 Owner reports 49
2018-Q1 Owner reports 93
2018-Q2 Owner reports 57
2018-Q3 Owner reports 67
2018-Q4 Owner reports 49
2019-Q1 Owner reports 94
2019-Q2 Owner reports 72
2019-Q3 Owner reports 36
2019-Q4 Owner reports 31
2020-Q1 Owner reports 25
2020-Q2 Owner reports 18
2020-Q3 Owner reports 31
2020-Q4 Owner reports 27
2021-Q1 Owner reports 20
2021-Q2 Owner reports 15
2021-Q3 Owner reports 15
2021-Q4 Owner reports 16
2022-Q1 Owner reports 25
2022-Q2 Owner reports 29
2022-Q3 Owner reports 15
2022-Q4 Owner reports 22
2023-Q1 Owner reports 22
2023-Q2 Owner reports 27
2023-Q3 Owner reports 22
2023-Q4 Owner reports 15
2024-Q1 Owner reports 20
2024-Q2 Owner reports 28
2024-Q3 Owner reports 24
2024-Q4 Owner reports 24
2025-Q1 Owner reports 20
2025-Q2 Owner reports 23
2025-Q3 Owner reports 11
2025-Q4 Owner reports 15
2026-Q1 Owner reports 7
2026-Q2 Owner reports 10
2026-Q3 Owner reports 13
2026-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 10V659000
Recall campaign 1 11V128000
Recall campaign 1 11V582000
Recall campaign 1 12V190000
Recall campaign 1 16V248000
Recall campaign 1 19V075000
Defect investigation 1 PE13018
Defect investigation 1 PE15026
Defect investigation 1 EA15006
Defect investigation 1 RQ17010
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Safety Recalls (6)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Body / frame, Electrical, Transmission / driveline, and Lights.

  1. Recall campaign 10V659000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    IF AN ELECTRICAL SHORT DEVELOPS, AN OVERHEATING CONDITION MAY OCCUR WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN UNATTENDED VEHICLE FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALER WILL REPLACE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 11V128000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    IF AN ELECTRICAL SHORT DEVELOPS, AN OVERHEATING CONDITION MAY OCCUR WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALER WILL INSPECT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 7, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 11V582000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    THIS WILL ALLOW THE OPERATOR TO INADVERTENTLY SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR INJURY TO A NEARBY PEDESTRIAN.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK SWITCH FUNCTION AND REPLACE THE SWITCH IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 12V190000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION MAY NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR WHEN THE DRIVER PUSHES THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE REVERSE “R” POSITION AND THE VEHICLE’S TRANSMISSION DOES GO IN REVERSE, THE “R” MAY NOT ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD OF THE F-150, EXPEDITION, OR NAVIGATOR MODELS AND/OR THE BACKUP LAMP ON THE REAR OF THE F-150, EXPEDITION, NAVIGATOR, OR MUSTANG VEHICLES MAY NOT ILLUMINATE. THESE CONDITIONS INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH OR A PEDESTRIAN BEING STRUCK DUE TO THE VEHICLE’S NOT SIGNALING IT IS IN REVERSE.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE TRS AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 16V248000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    An unexpected downshift into first gear can cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly without warning and the rear tires may slide or lock, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S19.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 19V075000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    Unexpectedly downshifting into first gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S07.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-14
Safety incident filters
Showing 6 of 2,173 complaints · page 1 of 87
2026-10-02Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11768634
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My truck will just abruptly downshift no matter how fast im going and it's quite concerning
2026-09-25Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11767061
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I was parking the vehicle and turned off the engine when the speakers gave out a loud noise. I turned the truck on to see if it would continue but there was no music and smoke began coming out around the radio. I moved the truck away from building and retrieved the fire extinguisher from the back seat. I noticed the "door ajar" warning was on even when the doors were closed. The smoke subsided and I did some quick research online. I was able to find a lot of information about the wire harness between the driver's side rear door and door frame being damaged, producing these symptoms. I disconnected the battery and removed the sheath from the wiring harness. Three wires were severed and several were frayed. (see attached photos) I contacted the local Ford dealership and they explained how it could be replaced at the wire connector in the door frame. Most trucks have a connector in the door frame, this truck does not so the Ford tech offered to solder the wires together. I am experienced in wiring and auto mechanics so I completed the repairs myself as he described.
2026-09-20Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11765661
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I bought this truck used about one year ago. Since then I have not had much time to use it. In the last three months I have had some time to drive it. Three times in those months this issue has occurred. Luckily they all occurred on my property and no damage happened except to the truck. First time it happened an exterior mirror was knocked off, a running board was bent, scratches and dings to the to the paint, and a tailight was damaged. This all happened in reverse due to a gate opening I was going through. The motor all of a sudden had a massive spike in RPMs and a violent lunge and slide of the vehicle. I learned later that it was due to a flawed part in the transmission called a molded lead frame. Transmission is Fords 6R80 6-speed automatic. Last time it happened was on 09/16/2026. It has not been inspected by any entity because apparenty I live too far in the "boonies" for anyone to come this far but the vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
2026-08-27Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11760107
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the transmission independently downshifted from sixth gear into second gear. In addition, several warning lights illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included in a recall associated with the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 351,072.
2026-08-24Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11759104
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50–60 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to third gear. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with leadframe sensor failure. The contact was informed that the leadframe sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
2026-08-19Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11758088
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to a lower gear. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that smoke was covering the roadway. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, there was oil leaking around the manifold. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving to the dealer for a scheduled recall repair. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V248000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 218,000.

Ford F-150 Years With the Most NHTSA Complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2011 Ford F-150?

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 658 of 2,173 reports (30%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2011 Ford F-150?

NHTSA lists 6 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Body / frame, Electrical, Transmission / driveline, and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2011 Ford F-150?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-14. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources