Ford F-150 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 19,967 NHTSA complaints, the Ford F-150 years to avoid are 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2023 — the worst logged up to 2.2× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 368 | 258 | 1 | BEST |
| 2009 | 324 | 185 | 2 | BEST |
| 2010 | 848 | 400 | 1 | BEST |
| 2011 | 2,137 | 1,755 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 1,717 | 1,375 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2013 | 2,796 | 2,231 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 1,362 | 983 | 8 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 1,425 | 874 | 14 | CAUTION |
| 2016 | 1,686 | 1,031 | 14 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 1,066 | 705 | 18 | CAUTION |
| 2018 | 1,835 | 1,296 | 19 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 953 | 741 | 9 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 506 | 317 | 11 | SOLID |
| 2021 | 1,173 | 658 | 28 | AVOID |
| 2022 | 843 | 398 | 22 | AVOID |
| 2023 | 577 | 304 | 11 | AVOID |
| 2024 | 232 | 122 | 10 | SOLID |
| 2025 | 119 | 66 | 12 | SOLID |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Ford F-150. Full methodology.
Common Ford F-150 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Ford F-150 are engine, steering, body. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Spark plug failure and engine damage
· Ford F-150 2008–2009Corroborated by 5 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 127 engine complaints across 2008–2009, typically 80,774–140,000 miles.
Spark plug failure and engine damage
· Ford F-150 2008–2009Corroborated by 5 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 127 engine complaints across 2008–2009, typically 80,774–140,000 miles.
Steering shaft U-joint corrosion and binding
· Ford F-150 2008Corroborated by 7 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 53 steering complaints across 2008, typically 30,000–80,000 miles.
Steering shaft U-joint corrosion and binding
· Ford F-150 2008Corroborated by 7 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 53 steering complaints across 2008, typically 30,000–80,000 miles.
Door handle stuck or fails to return
· Ford F-150 2009Corroborated by 3 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 42 body complaints across 2009.
Door handle stuck or fails to return
· Ford F-150 2009Corroborated by 3 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 42 body complaints across 2009.
Why these years stand out
2011 Ford F-150: 2,137 owner complaints on federal record, 1,755 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-150.
2013 Ford F-150: 2,796 owner complaints on federal record, 2,231 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-150.
2016 Ford F-150: 1,686 owner complaints on federal record, 1,031 of them severe, plus 14 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-150.
2018 Ford F-150: 1,835 owner complaints on federal record, 1,296 of them severe, plus 19 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-150.
2021 Ford F-150: 1,173 owner complaints on federal record, 658 of them severe, plus 28 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-150.
2022 Ford F-150: 843 owner complaints on federal record, 398 of them severe, plus 22 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-150.
2023 Ford F-150: 577 owner complaints on federal record, 304 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-150.
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FAQ
What years of the Ford F-150 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Ford F-150 years to avoid are 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2023 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Ford F-150?
The 2008, 2009 and 2010 Ford F-150 show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Ford F-150 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Ford F-150's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Ford F-150 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Ford F-150 reliable?
The Ford F-150's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 19,967 NHTSA owner complaints, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2023 rate "avoid", while 2008, 2009 and 2010 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Ford F-150?
The most-reported problem area for the Ford F-150 is engine, followed by steering and body. Confirmed failures include spark plug failure and engine damage, spark plug failure and engine damage, steering shaft u-joint corrosion and binding. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Ford F-150 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Ford F-150, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.