Common Problems That Can Happen With The Ford F-150 (According To Owners)

Ford's top-selling F-truck series is in its 14th generation, which is a crop of gas-powered trucks that also saw the introduction of the all-electric F-150 Lightning EV and the PowerBoost Hybrid in 2021. Since the first F-trucks arrived on the scene in 1948, Ford has been updating, tweaking, and improving the vehicles, and–like other manufacturers — issuing recalls.

Whatever its flaws, F-150 buyers have been forgiving through the years because Ford has sold more than 41 million units. However, if you're considering buying an F-150 from the current generation, which started in 2021, you should know about the common problems to look out for that other owners have experienced.

These problems range from navigation screens that don't function correctly to awkward shifting, and even driveshaft fracture or separation. While some owner complaints have been addressed by recalls that the manufacturer corrects at no charge, others have remained a frustrating and costly diagnostic mystery. Read on to learn more about 14^th gen complaints.

One of the scarier problems with the F-150 has been a loss of power while driving. This problem triggered two recalls — in 2021 and 2022 — because certain F-150s had heat and noise insulators under the truck that could come loose and damage the aluminum driveshaft, and possibly fracture it. The NHTSA reported that additionally, the driveshaft issues could lead to a loss of vehicle control or would roll away if the truck were parked without the parking brake on. Together, these recalls had the potential to affect more than 240,000 vehicles. Fortunately, the recall covered free inspection and repair of the driveshaft by the dealer, and ensuring the underbody insulators are secured where they're supposed to be.

It turns out that the loss of power issue had another source: owners have complained of rear axle hub bolts breaking, discovering this by hearing an odd noise or being alerted by mechanics who took the wheels off for routine maintenance. With the bolt gone, there was a chance the hub might fail, and no longer transmit the engine's power from the differential to the rear axle. Ford issued a recall in 2023 for up to 112,965 2021-2023 F-150s, noting that it would replace both rear axle shaft assemblies, at no cost to owners.

The 14^th gen F-150s have a 10-speed transmission that has racked up many complaints. Despite its functioning just fine in millions of vehicles, enough of these transmissions have acted up in F-150s to make it a regular feature in the Ford chat rooms. Owners reported transmissions that lurch while shifting, or don't down shift, or shudder on acceleration, according to Consumer Reports. Many drivers have also complained of a sudden loss of power, so in 2022, Ford issued a recall for certain 2021 F-150s to replace a powertrain control module for free, to address the transmission unexpectedly shifting into neutral. Some owners never seemed to reach a consensus with the dealer as to what was causing the problem.

Another issue with F-150 automatic transmissions is reports of roll away caused by a loose bolt in the transmission. It prevented the vehicle from being set (and remaining) in park, an extreme hazard depending on the circumstances. A recall for the 2022 truck was issued after consumers complained. 

Can you imagine driving down the road when suddenly your automatic parking brake kicks in, bringing you to an abrupt halt? This alarming incident happened to enough F-150 owners to cause a recall because while some owners experienced only minor inconveniences, in other instances drivers lost control and damaged the vehicle. 

One owner wrote in to the NHTSA that while driving their 2022 Ford F-150 "at various speeds, the parking brake independently activated with the brake warning light and 'Parking Brake Engaged,' and 'Collision Alert' messages displayed." 

The source of the problem was that the rear axle housing made contact with the wiring harness, damaging the wiring and activating the electric parking brake suddenly, randomly, while the vehicle was rolling. Because of the configuration of the affected trucks, Ford issued a recall for single-exhaust system F-150 trucks from 2021 to 2023. Free of charge, customers can go to their dealer to get a protective tie strap and tape wrap installed. If enough damage is done, Ford will replace the wiring harness.

It's bad enough when your GPS screen goes out while driving in or to unknown areas. It's even worse when the same navigation screen that gives you other vital information suddenly goes blank, or the instrument panel cluster that tells you how fast you're driving begins a reboot that wasn't requested. Owners reported these electrical problems to NHTSA, which noted the problems can distract drivers and put them at risk of an accident. Ford does not appear to have issued a recall for this problem or, this next one.

A number of 14th gen F-150 owners have complained of a very loud sound or static suddenly blaring from the truck's speakers. The sound was so loud that several owners have wondered about possible hearing damage. Worse still, there was no easy way to shut the sound off, since the audio controls had no effect. Some pulled over, turned off the truck's ignition and restarted the truck — with or without success. Others have figured out for themselves they need to disconnect the battery for about five minutes and reconnect it. If you have a Ford F-150 (or are considering buying one) you can find out if the model year and trim has a recall with this NHTSA VIN lookup tool.