FaultScore

Ford F-150 electrical problems

3,902 of the 47,801 complaints filed about the Ford F-150 are about the electrical system — 8% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2013.

3,902

Complaints

8%

Share of all complaints

62

Crashes

818

Fires

Electrical System complaints by model year

1989 F-150 3 0.1%

Median failure at 188,000 miles

1990 F-150 3 0.1%

Median failure at 76,696 miles

1991 F-150 61 1.6%

Median failure at 114,050 miles

1992 F-150 58 1.5%

Median failure at 118,316 miles

1993 F-150 40 1.0%

Median failure at 106,563 miles

1994 F-150 90 2.3%

Median failure at 108,300 miles

1995 F-150 66 1.7%

Median failure at 113,500 miles

1996 F-150 57 1.5%

Median failure at 100,250 miles

1997 F-150 207 5.3%

Median failure at 113,500 miles

1998 F-150 91 2.3%

Median failure at 119,500 miles

1999 F-150 87 2.2%

Median failure at 86,000 miles

2000 F-150 196 5.0%

Median failure at 80,000 miles

2001 F-150 138 3.5%

Median failure at 88,000 miles

2002 F-150 110 2.8%

Median failure at 86,500 miles

2003 F-150 48 1.2%

Median failure at 60,000 miles

2004 F-150 100 2.6%

Median failure at 54,950 miles

2005 F-150 73 1.9%

Median failure at 69,750 miles

2006 F-150 60 1.5%

Median failure at 62,000 miles

2007 F-150 42 1.1%

Median failure at 74,100 miles

2008 F-150 29 0.7%

Median failure at 82,350 miles

2009 F-150 46 1.2%

Median failure at 66,350 miles

2010 F-150 166 4.3%

Median failure at 59,570 miles

2011 F-150 234 6.0%

Median failure at 68,000 miles

2012 F-150 172 4.4%

Median failure at 66,000 miles

2013 F-150 321 8.2%

Median failure at 67,500 miles

2014 F-150 161 4.1%

Median failure at 65,000 miles

2015 F-150 169 4.3%

Median failure at 52,000 miles

2016 F-150 186 4.8%

Median failure at 40,000 miles

2017 F-150 129 3.3%

Median failure at 42,200 miles

2018 F-150 171 4.4%

Median failure at 26,000 miles

2019 F-150 98 2.5%

Median failure at 44,000 miles

2020 F-150 84 2.2%

Median failure at 3,500 miles

2021 F-150 133 3.4%

Median failure at 25,000 miles

2022 F-150 127 3.3%

Median failure at 18,634 miles

2023 F-150 82 2.1%

Median failure at 9,000 miles

2024 F-150 40 1.0%

Median failure at 13,290 miles

2025 F-150 22 0.6%
2026 F-150 2 0.1%

What owners said

2020 Ford F-150 Pleasant View, UT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving I will get a wrench symbol with a bunch of codes pop up u0121:00:28 u0131:00:28 u0137:00:28 u0164:00:28 u0199:00:28 u0200:00:28 u0212:00:28 u0252:00:28 u0256:00:28 u1012:00:28 p0557:00:28 p1935:00:68 p193e:00:28 I have also had it jerk while driving ( went down into first gear) while having no power to my gauge cluster ac nothing

NHTSA complaint #11758824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 Ford F-150 Naperville, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PCM not communicating with throttle body causes wrench light to come on and we loose control of the gas and slows the car abruptly.

NHTSA complaint #11758539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Ford F-150 at 200,159 miles Fremont, NE

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was driving on interstate approximatly 70 mph when it downshifted into second gear and and almost got rearended by a semi truck that was following behind my truck and luckily was able to swerve to miss hitting us. I Believe it is the 6r80 transmission conductor plate that is the cause of the issue

NHTSA complaint #11758186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2018 Ford F-150 at 190,000 miles Binghamton, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while attempting to trade in the vehicle, there was a mileage discrepancy discovered. The vehicle was a private sale. The mileage at the time of the purchase was approximately 93,000 miles, which was displayed on the odometer; however, the trade-in dealer informed the contact that the vehicle history report listed the mileage at over 190,000.

NHTSA complaint #11758222 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Ford F-150 Athens, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Due to a dangerous design flaw in the 2021 Ford F150, I was put in a potentially dangerous situation by completely losing all power in the vehicle on a backroad. Design flaw is the DCN module, which floods into the vehicles electrical system/body of vehicle through the cowel drain that can supposedly be blocked by a singular piece of pine straw. Due to the design flaw, the vehicle completely lost all power and all electronics failed while driving down the road at 45 mph, putting both me and my father (riding passenger seat) in immediate danger. Ford knows and is aware of the design flaw and has refused to issue a recall, not only affecting my safety, but now I am going back and forth with ford over the fix to the tune of $2800 that they refuse to fix (vehicle is a gold certified cpo, has extended warranty). When asked how to prevent in the future, ford was and is not aware of how to prevent in the future, and I can not get to the cowel drain clog without professional equipment and ford performing. There is no way to tell the cowel drain is clogged or not, and there is not anything in the ford owners manual related to maintenance of the cowel drain. Again, due to the inappropriately designed drain, this caused water leakage into my truck, posing an immediate threat to my life and others around me. I have all of the videos and pictures needed to show the failure of the system to provide to move this forward to get resolved. I had complete loss of power and electronics on the road. I tried to attach video but it would not let me. I can attach via email when requested.

NHTSA complaint #11758129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Ford F-150 Cary, NC Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This vehicle 2016 ford F150 is known to have shorting issues. From literally all wiring harnesses. I had a small fire in my truck due to this issue, caused melting of the ribbon cable in my seat heater control module, which is a known issue from Ford. I have shorting in my turn signal switch (no wipers). Is that safe? I am a research scientist and engineer, I can tell you now it is not safe. If i need to prove it, I can do so with ease and write the necessary literature. If I cant use my AC sometimes, the windows fog, then i cant use the wipers to unfog them, how is this not a visibility issue? Not to mention all the shorts. I have a 40 gallon fuel tank, if any shorts get near it, is that going to be a fun experience for me? Please give Ford a penalty, the average owner of this truck pays thousands a year in repairs. I paid $17,800.00 in 2025 to repair this piece of shit. And it still has major issues. This is something ford needs to address, i want my wiring to be replaced, i bought a new engine, what if i cant use it especailly with the 3 year warranty bc the wiring consistently shorts and fails. unacceptable for a truck that's sticker price is $80k. This is a major problem, I will file claims until im afforded a response

NHTSA complaint #11757955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 Ford F-150 Valrico, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

There is an issue with my cowl which has 1 drain hole, on passenger side which if gets clogged with debris, causes water to build up and water to intrude from cowl into interior truck causing water intrusion to the body control module and electrical issues, and carpet is wet and creates mold smell and other safety issues. Cowl is not removable

NHTSA complaint #11757933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Ford F-150 Pocatello, ID Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I moved my vehicle from driveway to park on the street so my husband could park in the driveway. I then turned my vehicle off and roughly 2 hours later, a lady came screaming "fire fire fire!" I went to see where she was talking about and my truck was smoking under the hood, I then called the fire department and they came to extinguish the fire. I was unaware of any recalls as I am the 3rd owner of this vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11757698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 Ford F-150 Marshalltown, IA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I purchased a 2017 Ford F-150 on July 9th. It is covered under Safety Recall 26S28 (NHTSA Campaign 26V23700). On July 25th, the vehicle entered highway limp mode due to an Output Speed Sensor failure (Code P0722). A Ford dealership performed the 26S28 software flash but left the failing physical lead frame hardware in the vehicle. On August 15th, the truck reverted to a dangerous limp mode on the highway due to the same unaddressed P0722 hardware failure. Ford Corporate is refusing to authorize the physical hardware replacement under the safety recall framework, leaving the vehicle fundamentally unsafe to drive.

NHTSA complaint #11757699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Ford F-150 Plymouth, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

When backing up, the rear camera display shows a gray filter over the rear image on the display cluster and the right side warning sensors indicate a blue trapezoid on the cluster for the right side of the vehicle. The driver dashboard also has an alert that the rear brake assist feature is inactive

NHTSA complaint #11757313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 Ford F-150 Saint Louis, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

vehicle: 2015 Ford F-150 XLT, 5.0L V8, approximately 148,000 miles. I previously had the related recall/software update performed on this vehicle. On two separate occasions the transmission performed a sudden, uncommanded downshift while driving at highway speeds. On one of those occasions the rear tires locked up / skidded. There was no warning, no driver input, and no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) were stored or displayed. After these events, a Ford dealership inspected the transmission and found metal debris in the transmission pan. This is how the current transmission problem was discovered. My symptoms match the defect described in NHTSA recall 26V237 / Ford campaign 26S28 (and the prior investigation PE25002 / EA26001): intermittent loss of Transmission Range Sensor signal due to degradation of the molded lead frame, resulting in unintended downshifts that can cause rear-wheel lock-up. I am requesting that Ford review this case for coverage or goodwill assistance related to the known lead-frame defect and the subsequent internal transmission damage.

NHTSA complaint #11756901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Ford F-150 Tuttle, OK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was at my granddaughters and I went to leave and it was like dead except the wrench came up in the dash panel , I waited before calling my husband and I went back to try and start it again and it started no wrench in the display or anything , this was in February 2026. In March of 2026 I was in the middle turn lane on [XXX] by Tuttle, Ok. And it stalled as I was trying to turn and would not move I put it back into park and then back to drive and it turned . Next incident was in April2026 and I was on [XXX] south of Mustang , Ok. And I was in the passing lane passing a vehicle going 65 mph and it just stalled and went down into 1 st gear I managed to get it to the shoulder of road an then it died it would not start but the radio and lights were still on and there was a wrench popped up in the panel . I waited for about 30 minutes and kept trying to start it after several attempts it started again and I made it home . The next incident my husband drove to doctors office and it did the same thing to him and would not move in the parking lot . About 15 minutes later he got it to start and he made it home . We quit driving it. Then we got a letter from Ford with the recall 26V237 .i waited for 2 nd letter and had not gotten it with a fix for it so I called the Ford Service Repir Center and they got us on the phone connected to a Ford Dealership in Yukon , Ok and they came and got the pickup on August 10 th and took it and brought it back on August 11 th and they did the soft ware update and told us no codes came up and we know better . When I had previously talked to the Ford Repair Center I was told if the wrench came up that they would replace the lead frame at no cost to us and give us a 150000 mile warranty. So it is now our word against the mechanics that the wrench ever came up INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11756379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 Ford F-150 at 29,043 miles Meridian, MS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine and battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the failure was associated with the recall and a diagnostic trouble code related to the ECM reprogramming for the fuel system. The vehicle was towed to the local Ford dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with a fuel system failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 29,043.

NHTSA complaint #11755908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Ford F-150 Lebanon, OH Crash

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Back up camera malfunctioned, not showing there was a smaller car behind me in my own driveway. Backing up into my driveway at night, it did not pick up or show the smaller car which I back up into, causing $2890 in damages which I had to pay for.

NHTSA complaint #11755785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Ford F-150 Jacksonville, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Camshaft had to be replaced a couple years ago, followed by cam shaft sensor. Then another $6,300 of "critical" issu3s to be fixed. The vehicle is 5 1/2 y/o. Absolutely ridiculous that this amount of money is required for such a young vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11755560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Ford F-150 South Lyon, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The safety daytime running lights are failing prematurely. My car has 32,000 miles and my DRL is burnt out on the passenger side. Online forums confirm that this is happening to many, many people. It’s a safety hazard for other drivers because the cost to repair is substantial and people aren’t fixing them. Ford should fix this as a recall.

NHTSA complaint #11755402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Ford F-150 Rochester, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While towing a 6000 pound travel trailer 6/21/26, the brakes on the trailer failed. A trailer wiring fault message came up on the dash each time I braked. It is available for inspection. How was our safety put at risk??? Stopping distance was increased substantually. When you need to stop, you need to stop! The truck has been brought to the dealer 4 times prior to this for the same problem. One of those times was for the recall on the trailer brake, May of 2026. The first time the truck was taken to the dealer for the warning message was April of 2025. The trailer was taken to the RV dealer after the incident (on my Oct 2025 visit, the dealer told me the problem was with the trailer. I wanted to rule that out). The RV dealer found no problem with the trailer brakes, and determined the problem is with the truck. The truck was then taken to the dealer July 23 with "Trailer Brake Module Fault" message every time it is started. It remains at the dealer now. They believe it is the trailer brake control module. The module is on backorder with no estimated time for repair.

NHTSA complaint #11755242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 Ford F-150 Ballston spa, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The timing belt/chain is failing on F-150 trucks and multiple people have sent in issues. i think from 2015-2018. It looks like you are already looking at other Fords with same issue. what i was told is that there could be sudden stalling: If the timing is thrown off or the chain snaps, the engine cuts out instantly. Losing power steering and engine power while driving in traffic creates an immediate crash hazard. Severe Misfires and Power Loss: A slipping chain causes rough idling, violent shaking, and an inability to accelerate which happened to the truck. Due to this i had to get mine fixed in June of 2024 i have attached the invoices. I tried to upload invoice but said there was an error

NHTSA complaint #11754650 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Ford F-150 Royal Palm Beach, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Day Running Lights in headlights fail. The side LED fails completely requiring the entire headlight housing needing to be replaced. This is a common failure and Ford is not doing anything to help the thousands of customers this is affecting. This failure is widely reported online, in forums and chat rooms. Dealer acknowledges it is a part failure but Ford will not pay for replacement even though it is a design or manufacturing problem with this particular year and style of headlights.

NHTSA complaint #11753682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Ford F-150 Peoria, AZ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

*Brake system failure, complete shut down of vehicle. *Vehicle unable to start. *Vehicle was taken directly to Peoria Ford ( 9130 W Bell Rd, Peoria, AZ 85382) via tow truck on XXX Confirmed when dropped off of brake system failure and vehicle not functioning. *Vehicle was inspected on XXX which we were originally told it was the battery. Although the vehicle was in for trailer software recall on XXX and during inspection at that time battery was in good health. *No warnings until attempting to use the vehicle on XXX and received the brake system failure alert. Vehicle would also not lock. *After battery was replaced by Peoria Ford I was then told the brake system would not release and would need Actuator misalignment reset/replaced.

NHTSA complaint #11753799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Ford F-150 problems