2016 Ford F-150 reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2016 Ford F-150 has 2,048 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 165 per year. That is more complaints per year than most F-150 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 90. NHTSA has 14 recalls on file, including Automatic transmission, Power assist, and Upper ball joint.

2016 Ford F-150 Limited SuperCrew — Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

2,048

Per year

165

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (572 of 2,048), then Engine (317) and Service brakes (301). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 45,100 miles, and the middle half falls between 16,000 and 78,275 miles. Those filings include 56 that report a crash, 25 that report a fire, and 32 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 F-150 has 1,707 complaints, 120 per year, and the 2017 has 1,437 complaints, 85 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Ford F-150. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (14)

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2026-04-14 · NHTSA campaign 26V237000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150 vehicles. A loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear.

Remedy Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 15, 2026.

Vehicles affected 1,392,935

Recall hydraulic brakes, power assist 2022-03-11 · NHTSA campaign 22V150000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

Remedy Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter notifying customers of the safety defect were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed April 29, 2022. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-332. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S11.

Vehicles affected 195,864

Recall suspension, front, control arm, upper ball joint 2021-04-12 · NHTSA campaign 21E027000

Summary Tenneco Automotive (DRiV) is recalling certain MOOG K500359 ball joints, for aftermarket installation on 2015-2018 Ford F-150 trucks. The ball joint may have a misaligned dust boot and may be missing alignment hole and installation warning tag, which may lead to improper alignment of the ball joint.

Remedy DRiV will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary replace the ball joint, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Tenneco Automotive customer service at 1-877-489-6659.

Vehicles affected 2,394

Recall Brake master cylinder 2020-06-08 · NHTSA campaign 20V332000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2017 F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid into the brake booster.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake master cylinder and inspect the brake booster, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Ford issued owners an interim notification on June 30, 2020. The recall began on October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S31.

Vehicles affected 292,311

Recall Engine 2020-02-21 · NHTSA campaign 20V098000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2016 F-150 pick-up trucks equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines and block immersion heaters that were potentially relocated from their originally installed location. The incorrect location could put the heater too close to hot engine components, possibly resulting in a damaged cable.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the block heater's location and its cable, replacing components as necessary, free of charge. If the replacement parts are not available, dealers will disable the existing block heater cable from being used until parts become available. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S08.

Vehicles affected 13,854

Recall Engine 2019-04-08 · NHTSA campaign 19V278000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S11.

Vehicles affected 131,068

Recall Engine 2018-12-18 · NHTSA campaign 18V894000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S45.

Vehicles affected 410,289

Recall seat belts, pretensioner 2018-08-31 · NHTSA campaign 18V568000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S27.

Vehicles affected 1,619,112

Recall Seats 2017-11-29 · NHTSA campaign 17V767000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 F-150 and Explorer vehicles. Loose power seat adjuster pivot bolts may cause the front seat cushions to detach and not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tightness of the power seat track upper pivot link bolt, either applying threadlocker or replacing the lift link and hardware, free of charge. Interim letters are expected to go out January 15, 2018. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S40.

Vehicles affected 177,264

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, doors, latch 2017-10-16 · NHTSA campaign 17V652000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the doors opening while driving although they appear to be closed.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S33.

Vehicles affected 1,101,107

Recall seat belts, rear or other 2017-08-28 · NHTSA campaign 17V526000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250 and F-350 trucks equipped with a crew cab. The left rear inflatable seat belt buckle assembly may be inadequately attached to its mounting bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assembly, replacing the attaching rivet as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed October 18, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C12.

Vehicles affected 117,423

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, doors, latch 2017-05-22 · NHTSA campaign 17V331000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles originally produced with black or body colored exterior door handles that may have been subsequently equipped with a chrome exterior door handle cover accessory kit purchased from a Ford dealer. These accessory door handle covers may cause the doors to unlatch in a side impact collision. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the accessory covers and refund the purchase price. The recall began July 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 17C09.

Vehicles affected 14,410

Recall seats, front assembly, recliner 2016-06-28 · NHTSA campaign 16V475000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Explorer and F-150 vehicles equipped with a manual recline driver's seat. The seat back frame may have insufficient welds which may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall begin on August 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 16C11.

Vehicles affected 5,280

Recall air bags, sensor, occupant classification 2016-02-25 · NHTSA campaign 16V110000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 F-150 trucks manufactured April 27, 2015, to November 22, 2015, and equipped with Multi-Contour Seats (MCS). The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) that calibrates the air bag deployment level may incorrectly classify an adult as a child when the seat massage feature is activated.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Classification System Module (OCSM) with new software, free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S05.

Vehicles affected 2,894

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (2048 total)

Powertrain

572

Engine

317

Service brakes

301

Structure, body

184

Electrical system

179

Visibility and wipers

107

Speed control

Fuel and propulsion system

Steering

Wheels

Air bags

Latches, locks, and linkages

Hydraulic brakes

Seats

Latch

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Lug nuts

Camera

Exterior lighting

Seat belts

Sunroof

Suspension

Engine and engine cooling

Brake master cylinder

Rear automatic braking

Back-over prevention

Door

Manifold and muffler

Rear window

Blind spot detection

Side or rear glass

Warnings

Fuel system, gasoline

Visibility

Frame

Hoses and fittings

Structure

Throttle body

Adaptive cruise control

Exhaust system

Speedometer and odometer

Windshield

Heating element

Rear wiper

Seals and gaskets

Throttle

Transmission control module

Wiring

Accelerator pedal

Air brakes

Antilock and traction control

Automatic transmission

Camera or sensor

Catalytic converter

Coil

Critical fasteners

Defroster and HVAC

Differential

Electronic latch

Emergency release

Fan

Foundation components

Front

Gear position indicator

Ignition

Leaf spring

Lock

MAP sensor

Motor

Oil and lubrication

Panoramic roof

Radiator

Shaft, output

Shift pattern indicator

Solenoid or actuator

Spark plugs

Steering wheel

Tailgate

Tire pressure monitoring

Tires

Torque converter

Turbocharger

Warning

Wheel bearing

Show 76 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Of the 1,136 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 45,100 miles. The middle half fall between 16,000 and 78,275 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The component that failed is the Back Up Camera Screen. It is all blue. It is available for inspection upon request. My safety or the safety of others is at risk because I can't see directly behind my truck without this…"
Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-09-19
"I participated in Safety Recall 26V237 -2016 F-150 Ford Truck transmission issues. Under the recall, Ford completed a transmission programming update to resolve the safety concerns. The campaign DID NOT resolve the…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-09-18
"There is currently a recall on 4 of the sensors on the same rail n the transmission due to it locking in 3rd or 5th gear. When I took the truck in they pulled the codes and it was not one of the 4 so Ford does not have…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-09-18
"Driving down Highway 6/34. Cruise set at 65 mph. The truck on its own Shifted into 2nd gear and revving up the engine caused the vehicle to slow uncontrollably, which is very unsafe driving. The 2016 has a safety recall…"
Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-09-17
"Performance Ford in Utah falsified a federal safety recall completion for Recall 26S28/19V446000 on my 2016 F-150. They only performed a software flash, manually wiped the transmission's safety fault codes from the…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-09-16

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2016 Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x2	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2016 Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x4	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2016 Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x2	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2016 Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x4	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2016 Ford F-150 Supercab PU/EC 4x2	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2016 Ford F-150 Supercab PU/EC 4x4	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
F-150 2.7L two-wheel drive GVWR over 6649 lb payload package	2.7L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	18	24	21 MPG	$3100
F-150 2.7L four-wheel drive GVWR over 6799 lb payload package	2.7L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	18	22	19 MPG	$3400
F-150 3.5L two-wheel drive GVWR over 7599 lb payload package	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	16	22	18 MPG	$3600
F-150 3.5L four-wheel drive GVWR over 7599 lb payload package	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	15	20	17 MPG	$3800
F-150 5.0L two-wheel drive flex-fuel GVWR over 7599 lb payload package	5L, 8-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	14	20	16 MPG	$4050
F-150 5.0L four-wheel drive flex-fuel GVWR over 7599 lb payload package	5L, 8-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	14	19	16 MPG	$4050
F-150 pickup two-wheel drive	2.7L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	19	25	21 MPG	$3100
F-150 pickup two-wheel drive	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	17	24	20 MPG	$3250
F-150 pickup two-wheel drive flex-fuel	5L, 8-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	15	22	18 MPG	$3600
F-150 pickup two-wheel drive flex-fuel	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Rear-wheel drive	18	24	20 MPG	$3250
F-150 pickup four-wheel drive	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	16	22	18 MPG	$3600
F-150 pickup four-wheel drive	2.7L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	18	23	20 MPG	$3250
F-150 pickup four-wheel drive flex-fuel	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Part-time four-wheel drive	17	22	19 MPG	$3400
F-150 pickup four-wheel drive flex-fuel	5L, 8-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	15	21	17 MPG	$3800

Specs and fitment

13th generation, 2015–2020

Body styles Pickup truck

Oil 5W-20 (3.5L Ti-VCT/3.3L V6, 5.0L V8); 5W-30 (2.7L/3.5L EcoBoost, 3.0L Diesel) , 6 qt capacity

Tire size 245/70R17 to 275/55R20

Towing capacity 13,200 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA recall 17V-652 (Ford campaign 17S33) covered approximately 1.1 million 2015-2017 F-150 trucks (and 2017 Super Duty) for side door latches that could freeze after water gets into the latch, or a bent or kinked actuation cable; either condition can result in a door opening while driving although it appears to be closed. Ford's remedy inspected the door latch actuation cables and installed water shields over the latches at no charge. Separately, NHTSA recall 26V-237 (Ford campaign 26S28) covers 2015-2017 F-150 trucks built with the 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission for degradation of the electrical connections in the transmission lead frame from thermal cycling and vibration, which can make the Powertrain Control Module momentarily read an incorrect Transmission Range Sensor position and command an unintended downshift, at most from 6th gear to 2nd. The resulting abrupt wheel speed reduction could cause the rear tires to slide.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Ford F-150 Next year 2017 Ford F-150 See every Ford F-150 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Ford F-150 reliable?

What are common problems with a 2016 Ford F-150?

Is the 2016 Ford F-150 more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2016 Ford F-150 been recalled?

The 2016 Ford F-150 has 14 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Ford F-150?

Owners have filed 2048 complaints about the 2016 Ford F-150 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Ford F-150 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Ford F-150 is 18.6 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is my Ford F-150?

2009-2014 is the 12th generation, 2015-2020 is the 13th generation (first all-aluminum body), and 2021-present is the 14th generation.

Does the towing capacity apply to every F-150 trim?

No. The listed figure is the generation's best-equipped maximum (specific engine, cab, and Max Trailer Tow Package); a base XL or Raptor will tow significantly less.

Is the F-150 Lightning included in this data?

No, the F-150 Lightning EV is tracked as a separate model in this catalog; this page covers only the conventional gas and hybrid F-150.