The Lemon Index

All cars · Ford F-150 · 2016

2016 Ford F-150. Advanced data.

The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.

Lemon Index99100 = average car
Complaints809NHTSA, first 3 years
Sold820,799U.S. model year
Per 100K sold99complaints
Year rank#16 of 23#1 = fewest complaints

Engines and drivetrains 8

EngineTransmissionDriveCity / hwy / combinedFuelFuel cost/yr
2.7L 6-cyl turboAuto (S6)RWD19 / 25 / 21Regular$2,950
2.7L 6-cyl turboAuto (S6)4WD18 / 23 / 20Regular$3,100
3.5L 6-cylAuto 6-spdRWD18 / 24 / 20Regular$3,100
3.5L 6-cylAuto 6-spd4WD17 / 22 / 19Regular$3,300
3.5L 6-cyl turboAuto (S6)RWD17 / 24 / 20Regular$3,100
3.5L 6-cyl turboAuto (S6)4WD16 / 22 / 18Regular$3,450
5.0L 8-cylAuto (S6)RWD15 / 22 / 18Regular$3,450
5.0L 8-cylAuto (S6)4WD15 / 21 / 17Regular$3,650

EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.

Failure mileage by system

Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 20,000 and 80,100 miles. Median 48,000, from 1,398 complaints with a mileage.

SystemMedianMiddle halfComplaints
Transmission & drivetrain94,70050,800–130,200250
Engine52,50022,400–80,000190
Brakes30,0009,300–52,700239
Steering56,00030,600–90,000127
Electrical41,00018,000–58,900113

Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.

Complaints by system

SystemShare of complaints
Brakes24%
Body structure17%
Engine12%
Electrical10%
Steering7%

One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.

Severity, all complaints

TotalCrashesFiresInjuriesDeathsTows
2,5836934430109

As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.

Recall campaigns 18

  • 26V237000 Apr 2026 Power Train / Automatic Transmission

    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.

    Risk. 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.

  • 25V572000 Sep 2025 Back Over Prevention / Sensing System / Camera

    Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

    Risk. A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy. Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identificati

  • 22V337000 May 2022 Air Bags / Frontal / Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette

    Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles. Dust may accumulate in the steering wheel clock spring, causing a disconnection in the electrical connection resulting in the driver's air bag not deploying as intended.

    Risk. A disconnected driver's air bag can result in it not deploying, as intended, during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy. Dealers will replace the steering wheel clock spring, free of charge. Remedy parts are expected to become available in the 3rd Quarter of 2023. An interim notification letter informing owners of the safety risk was mailed on July 6, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed July 10, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S35.

  • 22V150000 Mar 2022 Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Power Assist

    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.

    Risk. 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. Owne

  • 21E027000 Apr 2021 Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Upper Ball Joint

    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.

    Risk. 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.

  • 20E090000 Dec 2020 Steering

    Defect. Icon Vehicle Dynamics, LLC (Icon) is recalling all 05-UP FSD 2.5 Centerline Stabilizer Kits with part number 65050. The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, possibly causing the steering to lock up.

    Risk. If the steering locks, it can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy. Icon will notify owners, and dealers will install a new shock assembly with a revised foam ring and steel support disc, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2020. Owners may contact Icon customer service at 1-951-689-4266.

  • 20V332000 Jun 2020 Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Master Cylinder

    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.

    Risk. 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 Feb 2020 Engine

    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.

    Risk. 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

  • 19V278000 Apr 2019 Engine

    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.

    Risk. 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 Dec 2018 Engine

    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.

    Risk. 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 Aug 2018 Seat Belts / Pretensioner

    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.

    Risk. 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 Nov 2017 Seats

    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.

    Risk. 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 numb

  • 17V652000 Oct 2017 Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch

    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.

    Risk. 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 Aug 2017 Seat Belts / Rear/Other

    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."

    Risk. 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 May 2017 Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch

    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."

    Risk. 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.

  • 16V475000 Jun 2016 Seats / Front Assembly / Recliner

    Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Explorer and F-150 vehicles equipped with a manual recline driver's seat. The seat back frame may have insufficient welds which may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

    Risk. The seat back may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall begin on August 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 16C11.

  • 16V246000 Apr 2016 Tires / Sidewall

    Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks manufactured April 5, 2016, to April 11, 2016. The tires installed during assembly of the affected vehicles may have sustained damage to the inner sidewall, possibly resulting in a loss of air or a tire rupture.

    Risk. A rapid loss of air or a tire rupture while the vehicle is being driven may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires for damage and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 23, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S17.

  • 16V110000 Feb 2016 Air Bags / Sensor / Occupant Classification

    Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 F-150 trucks manufactured April 27, 2015, to November 22, 2015, and equipped with Multi-Contour Seats (MCS). The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) that calibrates the air bag deployment level may incorrectly classify an adult as a child when the seat massage feature is activated.

    Risk. If an adult is incorrectly classified as a child, the passenger frontal air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Classification System Module (OCSM) with new software, free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S05.

NHTSA investigations

StatusSubjectOpenedClosed
OpenUnintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up2026–
OpenSogefi secondary diesel fuel filter leak2024–
ClosedUnintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up20252026
ClosedSeatbelt pretensioner fire20182018
ClosedBrake master cylinder failure20162020

Manufacturer communications 370

Ford filed 370 service communications for this car with NHTSA.

  • Coolant Concentration Adjustment In some of the affected vehicles, the engine coolant to water…
  • In some of the affected vehicles, the engine coolant to water concentration may be less than…
  • Some 2015-2016 f-150, c-max, edge, mks, taurus, and flex and 2016 expedition, explorer,…

Crash ratings by version

VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x2★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x4★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x2★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x4★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆

Safety equipment

Electronic stabilityForward collision warningLane departure warning
StandardOptionalOptional

YouTube repair topics

95 videos about the 2015–2020 F-150, 22.7M views.

TopicVideosViews
Transmission & shifter61.3M
Intake, EGR & engine sensors4636K
Oil changes & service3599K
Lifters, AFM & cam phasers3491K
Oil dilution & oil burning4445K
Infotainment, battery & electrical2395K
Heat, A/C & blend door1266K
Driveshaft, axles & 4x42260K

Nearby model years

YearLemon IndexComplaintsSoldTop system
201367624763,402Engine
201442351753,851Brakes
201589673780,354Brakes
201699809820,799Brakes
20171601,516896,764Steering
20181161,067909,330Steering
20191701,551896,526Steering

Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data