The Lemon Index2021 Ford F-150.
The 2021 Ford F-150 is about average by owner complaints: 800 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 111, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 29 recalls, and it gets 19 to 25 mpg combined. The best Ford F-150 year is 2007.
Covers the whole F-Series (F-150 plus the F-250/F-350 Super Duty): Ford reports their sales together.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 1,575 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Ford F-150 year. 2021 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 19K to 79K miles on the car (355 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 22K–80K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 10K–71K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 9K–81K miles
Recalls 29
- back over prevention 2026
A software error may cause the rearview camera image to be obstructed by the infotainment home screen menu when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
- transmission & drivetrain 2026
The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
- electrical 2026
When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function.
Show all 29 recalls
- visibility 2025
The moonroof wind deflector clips may be inadequately attached to the moonroof frame, which can result in the wind deflector detaching from the vehicle.
- fuel system, gasoline 2025
The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.
- lights 2025
An over-the-air software update to the body control module (BCM) may have disabled both reverse lights.
- back over prevention 2025
A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
- transmission & drivetrain 2025
The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for low transmission fluid pressure may falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral.
- electrical 2025
Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.
- equipment 2024
The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard.
- engine 2024
The engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power.
- electrical 2024
An over-the-air software update to the body control module (BCM) may have disabled both reverse lights.
- transmission & drivetrain 2023
The rear axle hub bolt may fatigue and break, which can result in damage to the axle hub splines.
- parking brake 2023
Contact with the rear axle housing may damage the wiring harness, causing the electric parking brake to activate unexpectedly.
- visibility 2023
The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
- visibility 2022
The front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
- transmission & drivetrain 2022
Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
- fuel system, gasoline 2022
An improperly attached fuel tank increases the risk of a fuel leak and potential for fire.
- visibility 2022
The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
- electrical 2022
Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.
- transmission & drivetrain 2022
The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for low transmission fluid pressure may falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral.
- visibility 2022
The front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
- transmission & drivetrain 2021
Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
- airbags 2021
The front-door side impact pressure sensor modules may have been damaged during supplier assembly, which can cause the side impact air bags to not deploy properly in a crash.
- seat belts 2021
The front seatbelt webbing may be incorrectly routed.
- brakes 2021
The electronic brake booster may leak brake fluid into the electronic control unit, which could result in reduced braking performance.
- steering 2021
The steering gear may have internal damage, which could result in difficulty steering, or the inability to rotate the steering wheel while driving.
- transmission & drivetrain 2021
The two-piece driveshafts may have been improperly assembled, which could result in driveshaft separation.
- visibility 2021
During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 821 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Some 2021 F-150/Explorer/Aviator/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, excluding hybrid, with…
- Some 2017-2021 F-Super Duty and 2016-2021 F650-750 with 6.7L diesel engines, 2015-2019 Transit…
- In the affected vehicles, a battery drain may occur under a certain sequence of events due to…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenSogefi secondary diesel fuel filter leak2024
- ClosedLoss of motive power2023–2024
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 2WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford F-150 Super Cab PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford F-150 Super Cab PU/EC 2WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2550–4100 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.7L 6-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
Passenger rear axle bolt broken. This seems to be happening only on Max tow equipped vehicles, LOTS of them.
2021 Ford F-150 owner · NHTSA complaint 11485345
More owner reports
The standard trailer brake controller does not function. I have tried it on 2 known trailers that function with other trucks and this truck's does not work.
NHTSA complaint 11438924
The passenger side rear axle bolt sheared off. Safety was put as risk because there was no longer anything holding the axle in place. The problem was confirmed by the dealer, who replaced the axle.
NHTSA complaint 11521489
Quick answers
Is the 2021 Ford F-150 reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew 1.1× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 111; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford F-150 year by this measure since 2010 is 2025.
What are the most common 2021 Ford F-150 problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (30%), electrical (16%) and visibility (11%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2021 Ford F-150 have?
29 safety recalls (latest: back over prevention). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Ford F-150 get?
19 to 25 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2021 Ford F-150 safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2021 Ford F-150 problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 19,600 and 79,000 miles. The middle report was at 46,000 miles, from 355 complaints.
Does the 2021 Ford F-150 have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 30% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2021 Ford F-150 cost in fuel a year?
About $2550 to $4100 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2021 Ford F-150 have?
2.7L 6-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl.
What Ford F-150 year is better than the 2021?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2010 and 2020.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works