Ford F-150 Complaints (2021)

1,308 consumer complaints on file.

#11754154August 1, 2026
POWER TRAIN
I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly violently jerks from 2nd to 3rd gear I believe this incident may be related to the known 10R80 CDF clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information identifies axial movement of the CDF sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754148August 1, 2026
POWER TRAIN
For about a year the transmission has been having an issue that has resulted in it now needing to be replaced. Started as periodic hard downshifting between 4th and 3rd gears. Now it periodically up and down shifts hard or skips gears between 2nd and 4th gears.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754146August 1, 2026
POWER TRAIN
My truck has spent 80 days in the shop over 11 visits attempting to repair the transmission since 2023. The truck has a hard downshift from 5-4, 4-3, and sometimes 3-1 while light braking coming to a stop. Sometimes it’s several times per day and sometimes not in an entire week. On average it occurs 2-5 times per week. I drive 40 miles to work mostly on the freeway with little traffic with two stop signs going and one stop sign + 4 lights returning so I don’t have that many locations for the condition to be repeated which means the frequency it occurs is pretty high. It is an hard enough downshift where it clunks real bad and sometimes shutters the truck. The transmision cannot last long term and is likely loosening / damaging other components. One of the hardest downshifts I have felt occurred 2 months ago. It shuttered so bad, it felt something could have been damaged. The same day I was holding speed going downhill and it had a hard shift from 3-2. On several occasions in the last 3 years it had a clunk from 5-6 while accelerating on the freeway. Every few weeks it has a hard shift from 4-3 going uphill for power. The adaptive tables have been reset multiple times. Sometimes that helps for a little bit, sometimes not. Long term it is not a solution. The pan was dropped at one of the last visits and a repair made inside. This did not make any significant changes. The hardest downshift I have ever felt (above) occorred several days after this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754132August 1, 2026
POWER TRAIN
I am reporting a safety-related transmission failure I experienced with my 2021 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission suddenly failed to engage and then shifted violently, causing an unexpected loss of power and then a change of propulsion. This occurred while merging at highway speed, creating a potentially dangerous situation because the truck did not respond as expected when I needed acceleration. I believe this incident may be related to the known 10R80 CDF clutch-cylinder/sleeve problem. Ford technical information for 2021–2022 F-150s identifies axial movement of the CDF sleeve that can cause hydraulic-circuit leaks and harsh or delayed engagement and shifting. This can result in slipping, RPM flares, delayed engagement, unexpected gear changes, harsh downshifts, lurching, or loss of propulsion. This is a safety concern, not merely a transmission quality issue. Unexpected loss of propulsion while merging, accelerating into traffic, crossing an intersection, or turning could leave a driver unable to accelerate as expected and create a collision hazard. An unexpected downshift or lurch can also abruptly alter vehicle behavior. Because I personally experienced this unexpected transmission event, I request that NHTSA investigate the 10R80 CDF clutch-cylinder/sleeve condition in 2021 F-150s. Please review Ford warranty claims, dealer repair records, transmission replacements, consumer complaints, and field-failure data to determine whether this is a safety defect requiring a recall. I believe owners should not have to wait for a potentially dangerous transmission failure before this known condition is addressed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753799July 30, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ENGINE, 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753682July 30, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753461July 29, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Passenger side LED Headlight assembly daytime running LED's, the vertical led has gone out in my 2021 Ford f150, while not a major problem, LED daytime running lights increase visibility of other drivers to help in safety. From research, it seems that many of these headlights, the led daytime running lights in the 2021 year model are failing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753448July 29, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel Pump Failed. Ford has stopped sale on the Fuel Pump because of recall 25S75. I need a fuel pump to operate my vehicle. Ford has offered no solution. It has been 10+ months since my fuel pump failed. Why is there no urgency? What am I supposed to do? Ford doesn't care, you at NHTSA don't care.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753354July 28, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the remedy was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the remedy would not be available until the end of 2026. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753065July 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The vehicle is currently at Kayser Automotive Group located at 2303 West Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713, their direct line is [XXX], since the diagnoses of the corrosion of the DCN. SYSTEMS & COMPONENTS THAT FAILED: A faulty or clogged engine bay drain plug failed to divert water, causing significant water accumulation that routed into the interior cabin. This water intrusion directly soaked interior carpeting and exposed the Data Communication Network (DCN) connector and Body Control Module (BCM) wiring harness to moisture, resulting in severe pin corrosion and electrical communication faults. The vehicle and all affected components are fully available for inspection upon request. SAFETY RISK: The DCN connector and Body Control Module control critical vehicle operations, exterior lighting, instrument clusters, and safety/driver-assistance systems. Water corrosion on these communication buses causes unpredictable, uncommanded electrical failures and module communication dropouts while operating the vehicle at speed, creating a severe crash hazard to occupants and surrounding traffic. DEALER CONFIRMATION & INSPECTIONS: The issue was physically inspected and confirmed by an authorized Ford dealership service department, Kayser Automotive Group located at 2303 West Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713. Dealership technicians verified the water accumulation path, identified the faulty/clogged drain pathway, and documented physical corrosion on the DCN wiring connector. A Technical Assistance Center (TAC) case was requested to escalate the defect to Ford Corporate. WARNING LAMPS & PRIOR SYMPTOMS: Initial symptoms appeared as heavily saturated interior floor carpets and standing water pooling near the cowl/dash area. Shortly thereafter, intermittent electrical glitches, warning lamps on the instrument cluster, and network communication Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) appeared as the corrosion worsened. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752337July 23, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The computer system malfunctioned; the front panel warning was "Stop vehicle and check regen. brakes". I put my car in drive and when I hit the gas pedal the car reversed instead of going forward. I got it towed to the dealer at Piazza Hyundai in Limerick PA. The service did not provide me with an explanation about the warning and showed little concerns to the issues, I was given a month time frame for looking at my car. I consider this a safety issue as the car did not respond appropriately to D and R, I suspect a computer failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751803July 21, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751516July 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 10th gear to 8th gear and then independently shifted into 9th gear and downshifted to 8th gear before independently shifting back into 10th gear. The contact stated that there was an abnormally loud bang. The power train and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and turned off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. The check engine and power train warning lights were off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751398July 19, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The verticals led daytime running light (DRL) on the passenger side has stopped working.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751190July 17, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On July 15, 2026, I took the vehicle to Lafontaine Ford for maintenance and to address open recalls. I was informed that the open recall for the low-pressure fuel pump (campaign 25S75) did not have a solution available. Due to the severity of the recall, I contacted the Ford Customer Care Center. A representative stated that a solution would be available on July 17, 2026, and that they would contact Lafontaine Ford to prioritize the vehicle for repair on July 18, 2026. On July 17, 2026, I followed up with Lafontaine Ford and confirmed they had received no contact or notation from Ford regarding prioritization. Lafontaine Ford also stated they had no information on when parts would become available and that nothing could be done at that time. I then contacted the Ford Customer Care Center again because no action had been taken, even though the recall has been open since approximately July 8, 2025. A Ford Customer Care Center representative confirmed that no remedy was available for my model year and that they did not know when one would be available. Due to the seriousness of the recall, I requested a courtesy vehicle. The Ford representative contacted Lafontaine Ford regarding this request and then disconnected the call. The Lafontaine Ford representative informed me they could not provide a courtesy vehicle without written confirmation from Ford due to the dealership having no reasonable timeframe of when parts/remedy would be available. When I called the Ford Customer Care Center back and explained what Lafontaine Ford had told me, I was treated indifferently and was disconnected twice. I eventually spoke with a supervisor who refused to escalate the concern or provide any assistance with the documentation Lafontaine Ford said they needed in order to provide a courtesy vehicle. The low-pressure fuel pump is the component identified in the recall and can fail, resulting in loss of engine power or stall while driving. This creates a significant safety risk, part
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749767July 11, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Transmission has harsh shifts all the time this is dangerous and well known by ford
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749641July 10, 2026
STEERING
The steering wheel becomes crooked almost 90 degrees to the left and car still driving straight, just happened overnight I believe after system update
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749663July 10, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle is subject to open NHTSA recall 25V455 for fuel pump failure that can cause loss of fuel pressure and engine stall. Vehicle is now completely non-drivable — will not start at all. Dealer confirmed awareness of the recall but stated the manufacturer has not yet provided parts or a repair procedure. Recall status shows incomplete, remedy not yet available. Vehicle owner currently has no working transportation and no timeline for repair from the manufacturer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749262July 9, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
Truck has just started misfiring out of the blue, have had Ford dealerships look at it, have changed all 6 spark plugs and one ignition coil. The recall NHTSA 2025-366 may be the reason, it states there still is no remedy for this, recall was issued 1 year ago, July 2025. I need this remedy.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749178July 8, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Recall has been issued on my fuel pump for one year now and there is still no remedy. I do not feel safe traveling far from home knowing this is still an issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Ford F-150