2016 Ford F-150 Recalls, Problems & MPG
NHTSA lists 14 safety recalls and 1,789 owner complaints for the 2016 Ford F-150. The EPA rates it 16 to 21 MPG combined, depending on engine and drivetrain.
- Recalls
- 14
- Owner complaints
- 1,789
- Crashes / fires reported
- 53 / 23
- EPA combined
- 16–21 MPG
2016 Ford F-150 recalls
Power TrainApr 14, 2026 · NHTSA 26V237000+
Risk: Unexpectedly downshifting into second gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
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.
Service Brakes, HydraulicMar 11, 2022 · NHTSA 22V150000+
Risk: A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
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.
SuspensionApr 12, 2021 · NHTSA 21E027000+
Risk: An incorrectly installed ball joint may cause the ball joint stud to break, which can compromise front wheel control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
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.
Service Brakes, HydraulicJun 8, 2020 · NHTSA 20V332000+
Risk: A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel and feel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, possibly requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
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.
EngineFeb 21, 2020 · NHTSA 20V098000+
Risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
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.
EngineApr 8, 2019 · NHTSA 19V278000+
Risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
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.
EngineDec 18, 2018 · NHTSA 18V894000+
Risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
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.
Seat BeltsAug 31, 2018 · NHTSA 18V568000+
Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
Fix: 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.
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.
SeatsNov 29, 2017 · NHTSA 17V767000+
Risk: In the event of a crash, a seat occupant that is not properly restrained has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
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.
Latches/Locks/LinkagesOct 16, 2017 · NHTSA 17V652000+
Risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
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.
Seat BeltsAug 28, 2017 · NHTSA 17V526000+
Risk: If the left rear inflatable seat belt buckle separates from it's mounting bracket, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
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."
Latches/Locks/LinkagesMay 22, 2017 · NHTSA 17V331000+
Risk: If the doors unlatch and open in a side impact collision, the occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
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."
SeatsJun 28, 2016 · NHTSA 16V475000+
Risk: The seat back may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
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."
Air BagsFeb 25, 2016 · NHTSA 16V110000+
Risk: If an adult is incorrectly classified as a child, the passenger frontal air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
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.
Recall repairs are free. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours still needs one.
Most reported 2016 Ford F-150 problems
Owner complaints to NHTSA by system. One complaint can name more than one system.
- Power Train409
- Service Brakes329
- Engine285
- Unknown or Other216
- Structure192
- Electrical System157
- Visibility/Wiper99
- Vehicle Speed Control81
2016 Ford F-150 gas mileage
EPA ratings for each version (city / highway / combined).
| Version | Engine | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F150 2.7L 2WD GVWR>6649 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE | 2.7 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 18 | 24 | 21 | $3,050 |
| F150 Pickup 2WD | 2.7 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 19 | 25 | 21 | $3,050 |
| F150 Pickup 2WD | 3.5 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 17 | 24 | 20 | $3,200 |
| F150 Pickup 2WD FFV | 3.5 L 6 cyl, Automatic 6-spd | 18 | 24 | 20 | $3,200 |
| F150 Pickup 4WD | 2.7 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 18 | 23 | 20 | $3,200 |
| F150 2.7L 4WD GVWR>6799 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE | 2.7 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 18 | 22 | 19 | $3,400 |
| F150 Pickup 4WD FFV | 3.5 L 6 cyl, Automatic 6-spd | 17 | 22 | 19 | $3,400 |
| F150 3.5L 2WD GVWR>7599 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE | 3.5 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,550 |
| F150 Pickup 2WD FFV | 5.0 L 8 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 15 | 22 | 18 | $3,550 |
| F150 Pickup 4WD | 3.5 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,550 |
| F150 3.5L 4WD GVWR>7599 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE | 3.5 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 15 | 20 | 17 | $3,800 |
| F150 Pickup 4WD FFV | 5.0 L 8 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 15 | 21 | 17 | $3,800 |
| F150 5.0L 2WD FFV GVWR>7599 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE | 5.0 L 8 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 14 | 20 | 16 | $4,000 |
| F150 5.0L 4WD FFV GVWR>7599 LBS PAYLOAD PACKAGE | 5.0 L 8 cyl, Automatic (S6) | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,000 |
Real-world mileage depends on how and where you drive. Logbay compares your actual MPG with these EPA numbers.
Questions
Does the 2016 Ford F-150 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 14 recalls for the 2016 Ford F-150, most recently for the power train (Apr 14, 2026). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2016 Ford F-150 problems?
Owners filed 1,789 complaints with NHTSA. The most reported areas are power train (409), service brakes (329), engine (285).
What gas mileage does the 2016 Ford F-150 get?
The EPA rates the 2016 Ford F-150 at 16 to 21 MPG combined (best version: 18 city / 24 highway).
Sources: NHTSA recalls and owner complaints (api.nhtsa.gov), EPA fuel economy (fueleconomy.gov). Updated Oct 26, 2026. Complaint counts are unverified owner reports.