KnownCarProblems2015 Ford F-150 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 1,732 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Ford F-150, most often about the transmission (25% of complaints, typically around 88,000 miles). It is 7th of 27 F-150 model years by number of complaints and has 13 recalls.
Most common 2015 Ford F-150 problems
Transmission
425 complaints · 25%Half of these problems showed up before 88,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
In normal driving operations, the 6 speed automatic transmission has a incredibly stiff downshift from 5th gear to 4th gear. In slick conditions can cause the truck to lose traction.
The truck will, without any warning, just basically cease to run. Engine will shake, truck will quit moving under its own power, and several service advisories will come up on dash suck as "service downhill assist, service traction control", and a few others. I stop, put in park, turn off truck, restart, and it will…
Brakes
317 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 50,500 miles. Parts named most often: foundation components, pedals and linkages, fluid, antilock.
Brake pedal dropped to floor and significantly lost ability to stop. Mechanic says needs to replace brake master cylinder and brake booster. Parts are on backorder which indicates there is a problem - parts department said there are 700 on backorder and it will take over a month to get them
I noticed the front passenger brake overheating. The place I bought it from agree to replace pads and rotors. That didn't fix it, took it to Ford and they replaced caliper, but that didn't fix it.now its at Ford again! Front passenger brake overheating even more than before! I'm afraid to drive it with my family in it…
Engine
281 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, engine, cooling system.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. While the vehicle was stopped or parked, the vehicle began to leak coolant without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the radiator failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The…
At times my 2015 f150 loses all power and go to a low power/ "limp mode" setting. Cautions received are (1) service advance trac, (2) hill descent control fault, (3) hill start assist not avail, (4) traaction control fault light. When this occurs, the vehicle goes to a very low forward power setting (<5mph), runs…
Other or unspecified
205 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 39,000 miles.
The 2-panel moon roof that came installed with the truck has malfunctioned. It is rarely used but at about 40k miles (while stationary), the glass would not close properly. After manipulation, I was able to get it closed but it will not open again. It sounds as if there was "crunching" of plastic on plastic as the…
On oct 23, 2017 my 2015 Ford f150 steering locked while driving on california highway 273. Stopped truck and had to force steering wheel hard to the right to get steering to break loose. Also, all electric devices on steering wheel failed to operate. Display on dash flashed many different system failures. Unable to…
Electrical
176 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 52,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument panel, integrated trailer brake control, instrument cluster/panel.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. While attempting to exit the vehicle, the automatic running board inadvertently retracted. As a result, the contact's foot was lodged between the running board and the vehicle. The dealer (buss Ford lincoln, 111 north illinois route 31, mchenry, il 60050) was made aware of the…
While driving my truck (typically at moderate speeds - 20 - 30mph) it will suddenly reduce rpms to about 500 and the speed will drop to around 5 MPH. Simultaneously with that occurring I will receive the following warning indicators "hill start assist not available" then another warning "hill descent control fault"…
Body and structure
147 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 27,500 miles. Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
2015 F-150 lariat supercrew cab door locks and tail gate become frozen in cold weather. This has been happening more often lately with cold temps in michigan winter. Got up this morning with my kids to take them to school, got them in the car and the door would not stay closed (rear passenger). Checked the latches…
Drivers side front and rear doors either do not open when cold or do not latch when cold. Cannot open doors from the outside with physical key, key fob or remote unlocking.
Speed control
145 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 44,000 miles. Parts named most often: cruise control, accelerator pedal, throttle.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and would not gain speed when the accelerator pedal was depressed. During the failure, the messages and warning indicators for the hill start not available, traction control, and check engine displayed and…
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. While making a right turn at a stop sign, the vehicle experienced stalling, a loss of engine power, and severe vibration. All of the vehicle's warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to folsom lake Ford where it was diagnosed that the throttle body caused the vehicle…
Visibility and wipers
97 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 45,000 miles. Parts named most often: sun/moon roof assembly, windshield, glass, side/rear, windshield wiper/washer.
Rear window shattered. Vehicle was parked. I was away from the vehicle working and when I returned I noticed the rear window was shattered outward. Outside temp was 60 degrees f, and there was little to no wind. Center slider was intact, but the large glass was blown outward in the center of the two largest areas. See…
Wipers will not shut off. Even if you shut the vehicle off, they still come on when it's started again. The only way to stop the wipers is to pull the fuse. There is a recall on 2011-2014 models but not on the 2015 model. This is clearly a defective Ford switch but company will not cover the replacement. I have called…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2015 Ford F-150 recalls
Transmission: automatic transmission
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.
Full defect 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.
Brakes: master cylinder
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.
Full defect 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.
Engine
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.
Full defect 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.
Engine
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.
Full defect 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.
Engine
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.
Full defect 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.
Seat belts: pretensioner
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.
Full defect 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.
Doors and locks: latch
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.
Full defect 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.
Seat belts: rear/other
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.
Full defect 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."
Doors and locks: latch
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.
Full defect 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."
Seat belts: anchorage
Risk: An occupant that is not be properly restrained is at an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and/or front passenger side seat belt retractor(s) and pretensioner(s), free of charge. The recall began on february 12, 2016. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15c17.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 ford f-150 supercrew trucks manufactured january 22, 2015, to march 17, 2015. The affected vehicles may be equipped with driver or front passenger seat belt anchorage assemblies whose pretensioner cable was not properly crimped. As a result, the seat belts may not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 209, "seat belt assemblies" and 210, " seat belt assembly anchorages."
Driver assistance: adaptive cruise control
Risk: A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the cruise control module with updated acc radar software, free of charge. The recall began on october 25, 2015. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15s29.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 ford f-150 trucks manufactured march 18, 2014, to august 6, 2015 and equipped with adaptive cruise control (acc). While using the adaptive cruise control, the vehicle may falsely detect an obstacle in its path and may unexpectedly apply the brakes.
Steering
Risk: If the intermediate shaft was improperly riveted, it could separate from the intermediate shaft flex coupling, resulting in a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the intermediate shaft and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on may 22, 2015. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15s17.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 ford f-150 trucks manufactured march 19, 2015, to march 30, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been built with a steering upper intermediate shaft that was improperly riveted.
Body and structure: underbody shields
Risk: A missing underbody heat shield can lead to degradation or melting of the fuel or vapor lines, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for missing underbody heat shields and fasteners, and will install the missing components as required, free of charge. The recall began on may 13, 2015. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15s12.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 ford f-150 vehicles manufactured january 30, 2015, to january 31, 2015. The affected vehicles may have loose or missing underbody heat shields.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up
Summary
On march 21, 2025, nhtsaâs office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe25002) to investigate instances of unexpected transmission downshifting without driver input in model year (my) 2015-2017 ford f-150 vehicles (subject vehicles) manufactured by ford motor company (ford). The complaints allege that, without warning or driver input, the subject vehicles experienced a sudden and rapid deceleration often accompanied by temporary rear wheel lockup, seizure, or skidding, resulting in a loss of vehicle control that increases the risk of crash and injury to all motorists, including those not within the subject vehicles. The my 2015 and my 2016 f-150 vehicles were eq
Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up
Summary
On march 21, 2025, nhtsaâs office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation (pe25002) to investigate instances of unexpected transmission downshifting without driver input in model year (my) 2015-2017 ford f-150 vehicles (subject vehicles) manufactured by ford motor company (ford). The complaints allege that, without warning or driver input, the subject vehicles experienced a sudden and rapid deceleration often accompanied by temporary rear wheel lockup, seizure, or skidding, resulting in a loss of vehicle control that increases the risk of crash and injury to all motorists, including those not within the subject vehicles. The my 2015 and my 2016 f-150 vehicles were
Seatbelt pretensioner fire
Summary
On june 18, 2018, the office of defects investigations (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe18-008) to investigate complaints alleging post-crash fires at the b pillar in the area of the seat belt pretensioners on my 2014-2018 ford f-150 regular cab, and super crew cab vehicles. On august 24, 2018, ford motor company recalled (fsa 18s27 - NHTSA #18v568) the affected population. Ford's investigation found that some front seat belt pretensioners may generate sparks during deployment in excess of ford's specification. Sparks in the pretensioner exhaust gases inside the lower portion of the b-pillar may subsequently ignite combustible components contained in the b-pillar, such as insulation
Champion ford edinboro / steering shaft
Summary
Nhtsa opened aq17-001 to determine whether champion ford edinboro, inc. (champion ford), of edinboro, pennsylvania, complied with the requirements of the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act, 49 u.s.c. Chapter 301 (safety act) and its implementing regulations. The safety act requires, among other things, that a manufacturer notify its dealers of defects related to motor vehicle safety and non-compliances with federal motor vehicle safety standards and, in turn, that a dealer not sell a new vehicle subject to a recall unless the recall remedy has been performed (49 u.s.c. ?30120(I)).NHTSA issued an information request (ir) letter to champion ford on january 4, 2017.champion ford resp
Brake master cylinder failure
Summary
On june 8, 2020, ford motor company issued a safety recall (NHTSA recall no. 20v-332) of 292,311 model year (my) 2014-2017 ford f-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5l ecoboost engines and built from 9/1/2014 to 8/1/2016. Ford stated that the causes of brake fluid loss in the master cylinder are brake fluid contamination that can interfere with rear cup seal function, and rolling of the rearmost cup seal.prior to total loss of the front brakes, depending on the amount of brake fluid loss in the master cylinder, the driver may receive an audible chime, message center alert and red brake warning indicator in the instrument cluster, and may experience a change in brake pedal travel and increased peda
Questions about the 2015 Ford F-150
- What are the most common problems with the 2015 Ford F-150?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (425 complaints, typically around 88,000 miles); brakes (317 complaints, typically around 50,500 miles); engine (281 complaints, typically around 65,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2015 Ford F-150 have?
- 13 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from April 14, 2026 (transmission). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2015 a bad year for the Ford F-150?
- It is 7th of 27 F-150 model years by number of complaints, with 1,732 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.