F-150 Problems by Year, Matched to Documented Ford Coverage

Start with the situation you’re in:

• You got a Ford letter or a FordPass alert. Go straight to the coverage tables in the next section. They show whether your campaign is a recall with no deadline or a program that expires.
• Your truck did something that scared you. That might be a sudden hard downshift, a clicking from the rear wheels, or a rattle on a cold start. Find your model year below; each section names the Ford document that covers it.
• You’re holding a repair quote. Check coverage first, then use the cost section to see what the job includes and whether the number is in the right neighbourhood.
• You bought your F-150 used. Read the part on recalls marked “complete” that weren’t. Ford has re-recalled trucks whose earlier fix never actually installed.
• You’re deciding whether it’s worth fixing at all. Skip to the fix-or-sell section.

Why your model year decides who pays

Ford handles known F-150 defects through three channels, and each treats your wallet differently. A safety recall is free and, in Ford’s own words, doesn’t expire. A Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) is a VIN-specific warranty extension with time and mileage limits.

The third channel is a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB), which is a repair instruction for dealers. It is only free while your truck is under warranty.

That’s why the same symptom can cost one owner nothing and another thousands. The difference is the channel Ford chose, your build date and the calendar. The rest of this article sorts all three by model year.

ℹ️ Safety Note: Several problems below involve transmission control, rear axles, the Park system, steering hardware and engine internals, where a failure can cause loss of vehicle control or loss of drive power. This article is for general understanding only. If your truck shows any symptom described here, have it inspected by a qualified technician or Ford dealer before you keep driving it normally.

Which F-150 fixes does Ford still pay for?

As of September 11, 2026, Ford is still paying for these F-150 repairs:

• The 2015–2017 downshift recall (26S28), which comes with a 15-year/150,000-mile lead-frame warranty.
• Tailgate latches on 2015–2018 trucks through April 3, 2030.
• Hybrid heat-recovery repairs on 2021–2023 PowerBoost trucks for 15 years/150,000 miles.
• Every open safety recall, because recalls never expire.

The 2017–2020 cam phaser program ended January 1, 2023.

The F-150 Coverage Clock: programs still paying

Sources: Ford dealer bulletins and NHTSA recall filings listed in the ledger at the end of this article. Ford’s own lookup identifies eligibility by VIN.

Programs that ended, or never extended coverage

✅ Do This: Run your VIN through both lookups, because they don’t show the same things. NHTSA’s recall lookup shows open safety recalls. Ford’s recall and program lookup also shows Customer Satisfaction Programs, which NHTSA’s tool doesn’t list as recalls. Our Recall & VIN Lookup Helper walks you through both.

Recall vs customer satisfaction program vs TSB

A recall fixes a safety, compliance or emissions defect. Parts and labour are free at any Ford dealer, and if you paid to fix something later tied to a recall, Ford says you may be eligible for a refund.

A CSP extends warranty on one component. Coverage transfers to the next owner but ends at a date or mileage. A TSB tells dealers how to fix a known condition; it adds no coverage of its own.

Why a “completed” recall can still be open

In June 2026 Ford re-recalled about 45,000 2014 F-150s (26S45 / 26V378). Its audit found that some earlier recall repairs made with a legacy dealer tool may have been closed without the remedy actually installing. Around the same time, Ford re-recalled 91,198 2018–2020 F-150s (26C28) whose earlier daytime-running-lamp fix was done incorrectly.

If your truck’s record says a recall is done, a new letter for the same issue is not a mistake. Book it.

2011–2014 F-150 problems: the first-gear downshift

These trucks use the 6R80 six-speed automatic, and the defining defect is an unintended downshift into first gear. Ford traced it to intermittent failures of the output shaft speed sensor, which sits on the transmission’s lead frame.

What owners report

Owners describe the truck dropping abruptly into a low gear at speed, sometimes with the rear tires briefly sliding. Warning signs include a malfunction indicator or wrench light.

What Ford documented

• 2011–2012: recall 16S19 (NHTSA 16V-248) reprogrammed the PCM. CSP 16N02 extended lead-frame coverage to 10 years/150,000 miles.
• 2011–2013: recall 19S07 (19V-075) and CSP 19N01 did the same for a wider population. 19N01 covered trucks built at Dearborn April 28, 2010 through October 28, 2013, and at Kansas City May 18, 2010 through November 18, 2013.
• 2013 with the 5.0L or 6.2L: a follow-up, 19S19, re-flashed trucks whose first update lacked the needed software.
• 2014: recall 24S37 covers 2014 F-150s built at Dearborn June 17, 2013 through August 25, 2014, and at Kansas City July 26, 2013 through December 23, 2014. The dealer updates the PCM and runs a diagnostic test to decide whether more transmission repair is needed.

📋 On the Record: Ford Safety Recall 24S37 (NHTSA 24V-444) covers 2014 F-150s with the 6R80 transmission for an unintended downshift to first gear. Ford’s dealer bulletin lists 550,915 affected US trucks. Some were re-recalled under 26S45 (NHTSA 26V378) because the original software fix may not have installed. Status checked September 11, 2026: both open for affected VINs.

What’s covered now

Every recall above is still free if it hasn’t been done on your VIN. The 16N02 and 19N01 lead-frame extensions ran 10 years from each truck’s warranty start, so they have lapsed for effectively all 2011–2013 trucks.

✅ Do This: If you own a 2014 F-150, ask the dealer to confirm the installed PCM software level matches the 24S37 release, not just that the campaign shows closed. Reference 26S45 by number.

2015–2020 F-150 problems: downshifts, cam phasers, oil and tailgates

This generation carries the largest open recall in F-150 history and the best-known expired program. Scope matters, so check your year and engine before you read further.

2015–2017: the second-gear downshift recall (26S28)

In April 2026 Ford recalled 1,392,935 2015–2017 F-150s built between March 12, 2014 and August 18, 2017 with the six-speed automatic. A lost signal between the transmission range sensor and the PCM can command a sudden downshift into second gear. Ford estimated about 1% of the population carries the active defect.

The recall followed a federal investigation that NHTSA upgraded to an engineering analysis in early 2026. NHTSA’s testing also found that a truck reversing uphill could shift into neutral and roll forward. Ford’s own count, as of April 2, 2026, was 444 warranty claims, 121 field reports and 316 owner complaints across 891 VINs, with two injuries and one accident potentially related.

🔍 Why It Happens: The lead frame is the wiring assembly inside the transmission that carries sensor signals to the computer. Ford’s recall attributes the 2015–2017 failures to its electrical connections degrading over years of heat cycles and vibration. A momentary bad signal can make the computer believe a different gear is selected. This is a different sensor and a different root cause from the 2011–2014 first-gear defect.

📋 On the Record: Ford Safety Recall 26S28 (NHTSA 26V237) covers certain 2015–2017 F-150s. The remedy, launched July 9, 2026, is a PCM software update, plus a 15-year/150,000-mile extended warranty on lead-frame replacement if specific trouble codes appear. Ford says the truck can still be driven, but to see a dealer promptly if the check-engine or wrench light comes on. Status checked September 11, 2026: remedy available.

✅ Do This: When you book the 26S28 update, ask the service advisor to read and record all stored transmission trouble codes before the software goes in, and to note them on the repair order. Ford’s lead-frame coverage is triggered by specific codes, so a documented code history protects your eligibility later.

2017–2020 3.5L EcoBoost: the cam phaser rattle (coverage ended)

A brief rattle at cold start on the 3.5L EcoBoost is the classic sign of worn cam phasers, the oil-pressure-driven parts that adjust valve timing. Ford first issued a PCM reprogram (21B10), then CSP 21N03 extended phaser coverage.

That coverage ended January 1, 2023, and only applied to trucks that received the 21B10 reflash by February 28, 2022. If your truck rattles today, it’s a customer-pay repair unless it’s under a Ford Protect plan. The cost section below shows what a fair quote looks like.

2017–2020 oil consumption: 3.5L and 5.0L (bulletins, not extensions)

• 2018–2020 5.0L: Ford’s TSB 19-2365 applies to consumption above 1 quart per 3,000 miles with no visible leaks. It blames high intake vacuum during deceleration fuel shut-off. The fix is a PCM update, a new oil-level dipstick and an oil change.
• 2017–2019 3.5L built on or before April 1, 2019: TSB 20-2132 traces excessive consumption to the PCV system and replaces the valve covers.

Neither bulletin extends coverage. Outside the powertrain warranty, the dealer can perform the procedure but you pay for it.

💡 Shop Tip: TSB 19-2365 notes that oil use is normally higher in the first 10,000 miles. Log your top-ups by mileage for at least one full oil-change interval before asking for the bulletin; a written log is what the dealer’s consumption test will be judged against.

2015–2019 tailgates and door locks (still covered)

Two body-hardware programs are still paying. CSP 20N03 covers 2015–2018 F-150s whose tailgate opens unintentionally, through April 3, 2030 or 150,000 miles. CSP 20M04 covers power door lock actuators on 2015–2019 F-150s for 10 years/150,000 miles from warranty start, and can be used more than once.

2021–2026 F-150 problems: axles, valves, Park and hybrids

The 14th-generation truck has fewer long-running patterns, but several open recalls. Two remedies aren’t finished yet.

Rear axle hub bolts (2021–2025, heavy-duty axle)

Recall 23S65 (23V896) covers 2021–2023 F-150s with the 9.75-inch heavy-duty ¾-float axle for broken hub bolts and stripped hub splines. Recall 25S82 (25V512) extends it to 2023–2025 trucks with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package built January 2, 2023 through May 21, 2025. The remedy replaces both rear axle shaft assemblies.

Owners may hear a clicking from the rear wheel before a bolt breaks. Ford’s own filing notes it once believed a broken bolt would be obvious to owners, then found it could lead to spline damage.

✅ Do This: If your VIN is in either campaign and you hear clicking from a rear wheel, stop towing and call the dealer the same day. Ask them to inspect the axle hub bolts and splines under 25S82 or 23S65 and to document what they find, even if parts must be ordered.

2.7L EcoBoost intake valves (2021–2022)

Recall 24S55 (NHTSA 24V635) covers 90,736 vehicles across six Ford and Lincoln models, including certain 2021–2022 F-150s with the 2.7L EcoBoost. A localized hardness problem can crack an intake valve and cause loss of motive power. Ford noted elevated repairs on vehicles produced between May 1 and October 31, 2021.

Dealers run an engine-cycle inspection. Trucks that pass get CSP 24N12, a one-time long-block replacement if a valve later breaks, for 10 years/150,000 miles.

2021 Park system (remedy not yet available)

Recall 26S48 (26V402) covers 82,570 2021 F-150s built between January 8, 2020 and October 8, 2021. Certain commanded downshifts can momentarily engage the parking pawl while moving and damage the Park system, creating a rollaway risk if the parking brake isn’t set.

⚠️ Watch Out: Until the 26S48 fix is available, which Ford expects in the second quarter of 2027, apply the electronic parking brake every time you park. Ford asks owners to contact a dealer if the wrench light appears or the parking brake applies itself.

PowerBoost hybrid heat recovery (2021–2023)

The hybrid uses an exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) system to warm coolant faster. CSP 24N04 offers a one-time EGHR replacement for 15 years/150,000 miles on 2021–2023 F-150 hybrids. CSP 25M04 covers EGHR coolant spigot replacement on the same trucks, repeatable within the same limits.

Other open recalls to check by VIN

• 2024 F-150 (24S32): an incorrect fastener on the lower steering shaft may loosen.
• 2024–2025 F-150 with the 3.5L (24S70): a misaligned engine cup plug can cause a rapid oil leak.
• 2021–2026 F-150 (26C10): the trailer module can lose communication and drop trailer lights or brakes. The fix is by dealer or over-the-air update.

What F-150 repairs cost when Ford won’t pay

This section shows what’s inside a quote for the two expired-coverage repairs owners ask about most.

💵 On these numbers: Costs shown are typical ranges, not quotes. Labour rates vary sharply by region and between dealer and independent shops, and parts pricing moves. Use these to judge whether a quote is in the right neighbourhood, not to predict your invoice.

3.5L cam phasers, out of coverage

Published estimates vary more than for almost any other F-150 repair. That’s because shops disagree on whether to replace only the phasers or the full timing set of chains, tensioners and guides.

💵 What It Costs: One published cost guide puts the job at 8–12 book hours. It estimates $1,220–$2,240 at an independent shop (labour at about $90/hour plus a $500–$800 parts kit) and $2,100–$3,300 or more at a dealer (labour at $150+/hour plus OEM parts). These are an estimator’s figures, not Ford data. Ask any shop whether the quote includes the full timing kit, because that single line explains most of the spread.

Lead-frame repair: Ford’s own labour time

For the 2011–2012 lead frame, Ford’s CSP 16N02 bulletin allows 2.1 hours to check codes and replace the part. Parts listed are one molded leadframe (AL3Z-7G276-B), 9 quarts of MERCON LV fluid, and a pan gasket and filter as required.

💵 What It Costs: Labour is 2.1 hours × $90–$185/hour, which comes to roughly $189–$389 before parts, fluid and diagnostic fees. The 2.1-hour figure is Ford’s allowance for 2011–2012 trucks; 2015–2017 trucks are covered under 26S28 if the qualifying codes appear, so confirm eligibility before paying for this job.

✅ Do This: Before paying for any repair on this list, get a written estimate that names the parts replaced and the labour hours, then compare it against our Repair Cost Estimator. If a covered problem is later tied to a recall, keep the paid invoice; Ford says refunds may be available.

Fix, trade or sell your F-150?

This decision gets simpler once coverage is clear, because a free repair changes the arithmetic entirely.

When Ford is paying

If your problem is an open recall or an active CSP, fixing it is almost always the right call. The repair adds nothing to your cost, and completed campaign work makes the truck easier to sell.

The exception is the 2021 Park recall. Its remedy isn’t available yet, so the parking-brake habit is your protection until then.

When you’re paying

Weigh the quote against the truck’s value and what else is due soon, such as tires, brakes and fluids. Our Fix-or-Sell Calculator runs that comparison. A $3,000 cam phaser job on a truck worth $30,000 is a different decision from the same job on one worth $9,000.

F-150 problems FAQ

What to do next with your F-150

If you’ve found your model year above, you now know which of your problems Ford owns and which you do. That’s the part most owners never get told plainly.

For the next step, go deeper on the issue that matches your truck:

• How the 2015–2017 F-150 downshift recall works
• What a 3.5 EcoBoost cam phaser repair should cost
• The F-150 rear axle hub bolt recall explained

If you do one thing this week, run your VIN through both the NHTSA and Ford lookups. Then ask your dealer to confirm, by software level or parts record, that every campaign marked complete on your truck was actually performed. On a 2015–2017 truck, also ask them to record any stored transmission codes; that record is what Ford’s lead-frame coverage depends on.

Every campaign number, date and scope in this article comes from a Ford dealer bulletin, a Ford recall page or an NHTSA filing, checked on September 11, 2026. When a figure couldn’t be verified, we said so rather than guess.