2021 Ford F-150: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2021 Ford F-150: 29 recalls, 1026 owner complaints and up to 23 mpg combined.
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Recalls
29 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Visibility (wipers, glass), Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #21V090000 · 2021 · 79,017 vehicles
What's wrong: During manufacturing, the windshield May not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (fmvss) number 212, "windshield mounting."
Why it matters: In the event of a crash, if the windshield separates from the vehicle, it can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and reinstall the windshield, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #21V381000 · 2021 · 4,436 vehicles
What's wrong: The two-piece driveshafts May have been improperly assembled, which could result in driveshaft separation.
Why it matters: Driveshaft separation May result in a sudden loss of drive power, or unintended vehicle movement if the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the driveshaft, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 15, 2021.
Steering, Steering Vehicle recall #21V407000 · 2021 · 223 vehicles
What's wrong: The steering gear May have internal damage, which could result in difficulty steering, or the inability to rotate the steering wheel while driving.
Why it matters: Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised to not drive their vehicles until the repair is complete. Vehicles will be towed in for service, and dealers will remove and replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 4, 2021.
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #21V533000 · 2021 · 56 vehicles
What's wrong: The electronic brake booster May leak brake fluid into the electronic control unit, which could result in reduced braking performance.
Why it matters: Reduced braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the electronic brake booster assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 28, 2021.
Seat belts Vehicle recall #21V653000 · 2021 · 16,430 vehicles
What's wrong: The front seatbelt webbing May be incorrectly routed.
Why it matters: A misrouted seatbelt May not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to perform a preliminary self-inspection of the front seatbelts. If the passenger-side seatbelt fails inspection, owners should not use the passenger seat until the repair is performed. If the driver-side seatbelt fails inspection, owners should not drive their vehicle until the…
Airbags, Airbags Vehicle recall #21V805000 · 2021 · 777 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214, "side impact protection."
Why it matters: An air bag that does not deploy properly during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the driver and passenger front door side impact sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 3, 2021.
Body & structure, Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #21V986000 · 2021 · 184,698 vehicles
What's wrong: Underbody heat and noise insulators May loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
Why it matters: A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power, or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground. Additionally, unintended movement could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 4, 2022.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #22V142000 · 2022 · 157,306 vehicles
What's wrong: The front windshield wiper motor May become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
Why it matters: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front windshield wiper motor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 22, 2023.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #22V188000 · 2022 · 47,084 vehicles
What's wrong: The diagnostic trouble code (dtc) for low transmission fluid pressure May falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral.
Why it matters: An unexpected shift into neutral will cause a loss of drive power and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 12, 2022.
Electrical Vehicle recall #22V193000 · 2022 · 391,836 vehicles
What's wrong: Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system May not brake.
Why it matters: Loss of trailer brake functionality could result in extended stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #22V250000 · 2022 · 652,996 vehicles
What's wrong: The windshield wiper arms May break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
Why it matters: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available 3rd quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 21, 2022.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #22V414000 · 2022 · 1 vehicles
What's wrong: A single vehicle May have been assembled without a fuel tank front attachment resulting in an unsecured fuel tank attachment strap.
Why it matters: An improperly attached fuel tank increases the risk of a fuel leak and potential for fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair (if necessary) the fuel tank strap bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022.
Body & structure, Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #22V623000 · 2022 · 58,203 vehicles
What's wrong: Underbody heat and noise insulators May loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
Why it matters: A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power, or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground. Additionally, unintended movement could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged. Any of these scenarios increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft, as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 1, 2022.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #22V842000 · 2022 · 483,082 vehicles
What's wrong: The front windshield wiper motor May become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
Why it matters: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front windshield wiper motor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2023. Remedy parts are expected in the 3rd quarter of 2023.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #23V163000 · 2023 · 222,454 vehicles
What's wrong: The windshield wiper arms May break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
Why it matters: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the wiper arms, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 13, 2023.
Parking brake Vehicle recall #23V509000 · 2023 · 870,701 vehicles
What's wrong: Contact with the rear axle housing May damage the wiring harness, causing the electric parking brake to activate unexpectedly.
Why it matters: Unexpected activation of the electric parking brake while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install a protective tie strap, tape wrap, and replace the harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 12, 2024.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #23V896000 · 2023 · 112,965 vehicles
What's wrong: 75-inch heavy duty axle with a 3/4 float axle design. The rear axle hub bolt May fatigue and break, which can result in damage to the axle hub splines.
Why it matters: Damaged axle hub splines can result in a vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied or cause a loss of drive power. Both of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the left and right rear axle shaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 9, 2025.
Electrical, Exterior lights Vehicle recall #24V443000 · 2024 · 159 vehicles
What's wrong: An over-the-air software update to the body control module (bcm) May have disabled both reverse lights.
Why it matters: Disabled reverse lights cannot alert others that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 26, 2024.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #24V635000 · 2024 · 90,736 vehicles
What's wrong: 7l or 3.0l nano ecoboost engine. The engine intake valves May break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power.
Why it matters: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will perform an engine cycle test and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2025.
Equipment Vehicle recall #24V852000 · 2024 · 27,678 vehicles
What's wrong: The air bag warning label May be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "occupant crash protection."
Why it matters: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants May have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners May call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24c39.
Electrical Vehicle recall #25V132000 · 2025 · 10,952 vehicles
What's wrong: Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system May not brake.
Why it matters: Loss of trailer brake functionality can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #25V169000 · 2025 · 567 vehicles
What's wrong: The diagnostic trouble code (dtc) for low transmission fluid pressure May falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral.
Why it matters: An unexpected shift into neutral will cause a loss of drive power and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2025.
Backup camera Vehicle recall #25V315000 · 2025 · 1,076,138 vehicles
What's wrong: A software error May cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
Why it matters: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The accessory protocol interface module (apim) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the…
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #25V348000 · 2025 · 10 vehicles
What's wrong: An over-the-air software update to the body control module (bcm) May have disabled both reverse lights.
Why it matters: Inoperative reverse lights May fail to alert others that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 27, 2025.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #25V455000 · 2025 · 850,318 vehicles
What's wrong: The low-pressure fuel pump May fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.
Why it matters: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2026.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #25V729000 · 2025 · 174,853 vehicles
What's wrong: The moonroof wind deflector clips May be inadequately attached to the moonroof frame, which can result in the wind deflector detaching from the vehicle.
Why it matters: A detached wind deflector can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the moonroof wind deflector as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2025.
Electrical, Exterior lights Vehicle recall #26V104000 · 2026 · 4,381,878 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Why it matters: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driverâs ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (ota) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #26V402000 · 2026 · 741,195 vehicles
What's wrong: The transmission park pawl May engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Why it matters: Park system damage May result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available,…
Backup camera, Backup camera Vehicle recall #26V489000 · 2026 · 47,587 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (fmvss) number 111, "rear visibility."
Why it matters: An obstructed rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The accessory protocol interface module (apim) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (ota) update, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 7, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in…
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 4 mention a fire, 8 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Transmission & drivetrain (318): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (144), warning light on (54), noise or vibration (41).
- Electrical (130): the most common themes are electrical failure (41), warning light on (24), door / lock issues (16).
- Exterior lights (113): the most common themes are electrical failure (10), warning light on (6).
- Other / unknown (95): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (18).
The 2021 Ford F-150 has 1026 owner complaints, ranking #17 of 37 F-150 model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 1025). Complaints peaked in 2025 (303 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 3 years old, at a median of 46,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2020 (734 complaints, 11 recalls), 2022 (595 complaints, 23 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic (S10) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 20 | 27 | 23 | Diesel |
| 2.7 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic (S10) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 20 | 26 | 22 | Regular |
| 3.3 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S10) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 20 | 24 | 21 | Gasoline or E85 |
| 2.7 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic (S10) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 19 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic (S10) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 24 | 20 | Regular |
| 5.0 L 8-cyl | Automatic (S10) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 17 | 24 | 20 | Gasoline or E85 |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic (S10) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 18 | 23 | 20 | Regular |
| 3.3 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S10) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 19 | 22 | 20 | Gasoline or E85 |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic (S10) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 17 | 24 | 20 | Regular |
| 2.7 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic (S10) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 18 | 24 | 20 | Regular |
| 5.0 L 8-cyl | Automatic (S10) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 16 | 22 | 19 | Gasoline or E85 |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic (S10) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 17 | 23 | 19 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2021 Ford F-150.
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FAQ
Does the 2021 Ford F-150 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 29 vehicle recalls for the 2021 Ford F-150. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2021 Ford F-150 problems?
Owners have filed 1026 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are transmission & drivetrain (318), electrical (130), exterior lights (113).
What gas mileage does the 2021 Ford F-150 get?
EPA ratings run up to 23 mpg combined (3.0 L, Automatic (S10)), across 12 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2021 Ford F-150 repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.