2022 Ford F-150 Problems and Complaints

The Ford F-150 has seen some exceptional sales figures in the American market, making it the best-selling vehicle for eons. The truck packs in a lot of facilities and capability, while also leading a cult in the pickup segment. The segment is, although, contested by many other heavyweights like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the RAM 1500, and the GMC Sierra 1500.

The Ford F-150 comes with an MSRP of $30,000 and brings in 7 trims, three bed sizes, and two wheelbases for everyone to enjoy and customize. The current generation is as fresh as a hot pancake and entered the market in 2021. The sales for the truck have been consistent as ever but there have been many complaints as well. To give an idea, the NHTSA records nearly 100 complaints on their website while the recalls’ tally stands at 7! Let’s see why the truck was recalled and what all issues the owners had to go through.

Ford F-150 Problems

The Ford F-150 is a legend in the American market that has been selling hot pancakes for eons. The truck has a massive following in the market and is regularly updated to stay updated with the latest offerings of the market. The sales are so good that the American carmaker has decided to expand the line-up with an EV-fied offering as well. The truck isn’t happy news for everyone, and the most common issues faced by the owners are:

Electrical issues:

1. Inoperable instrument cluster: Many owners have complained of the instrument cluster going dead. Complainants have also said it doesn't operate for a long time. This concealed important information from the driver and caused a lot of distraction. This also disabled all the driver safety features and warnings, making the drive unsafe as well.
2. Battery issues: People have complained of the battery dying if the truck is not used for a couple of days. People have exclaimed dissatisfaction on the issue. The remedy was to get their batteries replaced since jump-starting wasn’t working.
3. Trailer brake issues: Many people have complained of the trailer braking function failing. The brakes work at the start but, gradually, give in during a journey. This makes driving with trailers dangerous and might lead to a crash. 
4. Power steering issues: Some people have reported the power assistance to the steering to fail, causing the steering wheel to lock up. The truck lost control and veered into the surroundings. This issue has also caused one death to date. 

Mechanical issues:

1. Increased engine oil consumption: Some people have reported the engine to throw an "Oil Level Low, Add Oil" issue. When taken to the dealership, they were informed of a malfunctioning PCV that caused excessive engine oil consumption. 
2. Faulty ignition coils: A handful of owners have complained of the “Check Engine” light to illuminate. This issue has caused the truck to vibrate while accelerating. The ignition coils were found to be faulty upon further investigation and were replaced under warranty.
3. Engine failures: People have reported the 2.7L V6 to fail without warning at very low miles. The complainants have reported the engine to shut down without warning and stop. The issue has also been reported by some of the renowned auto-journalists.
4. Transmission jerking: People have reported the transmission to jerk at low speeds. In some cases the complainants have reported the gearbox slip and enter Park from Drive, stalling the engine. This issue has also caused the truck to lunge forward, causing unintended acceleration.
5. Parking brake issues: People have reported the parking brake in their 2021 F-150 to activate randomly. This caused the engine to stall. In some cases, the parking brake engages at low speeds and causes a lot of jerking in the transmission. This issue also happens vice-versa wherein the parking brake disengages, causing unintended movement.

Safety features issues:

1. Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA) issues: The FCA on the truck has been triggered on multiple occasions with no object in the surrounding. This has also led to the truck braking hard at low speeds, making it feel as if the truck had hit a wall. In some cases, the FCA did not activate and led to very close calls with other vehicles. 
2. Disengagement of cruise control: The cruise control on the truck is reported to disengage on its own. It has also caused unintended acceleration. In some cases the cruise control disengaged and slowed the truck down, causing rear-end collisions.

Ford F-150 Recalls

The Ford F-150 has a history of getting recalls now and then, and the new generation isn’t different. The truck has been recalled 8 times already in just two model years. 7 recalls were new and one recall consisted of both the 2021 and the 2022 model years. The most noticed issue has been with the powertrain, with the other ones being for seatbelts, airbags, steering, etc. 

The latest recall for the truck was made on December 16, 2021, with NHTSA Campaign Number 21V986000. In this recall, Ford Motor Company recalled nearly 185,000 units of the 2021-20200 F-150 for an issue with the powertrain. Contact between the underbody heat and noise insulators with the aluminum driveshaft may fracture the driveshaft. This may result in loss of control. This could also cause unintended movement when not in Park, increasing the risk of an injury/crash. Details for the other recalls are mentioned below:

S. No.	Date	NHTSA Campaign Number	Issues Noticed	Additional Remarks
1.	February 18, 2021	21V090000	Visibility	Improperly bonded windshield may detach during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. The affected units also fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 212, "Windshield Mounting”.
2.	May 24, 2021	21V381000	Powertrain	Improperly assembled two-piece driveshafts may separate causing loss in handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
3.	May 29, 2021	21V407000	Steering	Internal damage in the steering gear could cause difficulty in steering the truck, increasing the risk of a crash.
4.	July 15, 2021	21V533000	Service Brakes	Leakage of brake fluid from the electronic brake booster into the electronic control unit could reduce braking performance, increasing the risk of a crash.
5.	August 23, 2021	21V653000	Seatbelts	Incorrectly routed front seatbelt webbing may not properly restrain the occupants during a crash, increasing the risk of a crash.
6.	October 15, 2021	21V805000	Airbags	Damaged front-door side impact pressure sensor modules may not deploy the side impact airbags during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. The affected units also fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214, "Side Impact Protection”.
7.	December 16, 2021	21V986000	Powertrain	Loosening of the underbody heat and noise insulators may fracture the driveshaft and cause loss in handling, increasing the risk of a crash.

Model Years	Airbags	Powertrain	Seatbelts	Service Brakes	Steering	Visibility
2021	1	2	1	1	1	1
2022	0	0	0	0	0	0

What model year of the Ford F-150 to avoid?

The Ford F-150’s latest generation has just entered the market and not much time has passed to give out a judgment. Looking at the past, the F-150 has always had multiple recalls and many complaints in all its generations. Having said that, the current generation is nothing out of the ordinary. As such, we could not recommend which model year to avoid given the freshness of the truck.

Should you go for the 2022 Ford F-150?

The 2022 Ford F-150 is just the second year of the current generation and, given how the previous generations have performed, is expected to do well. The truck ups the ante with loads of practicality on offer and also with a wide range of choices that suit the masses. The current generation had a good start in 2021. The American manufacturer has just some rough edges to take care of to make the truck a perfect offering in the segment.

More from Ford:

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