Car · Ford problems

2021 Ford F-150 problems

1,040 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Ford F-150. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (31% of them). NHTSA also lists 523 service bulletins and 29 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 8. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 1,040 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)321 · 31%
• Visibility and wipers131 · 13%
• Electrical system130 · 13%
• Exterior lighting116 · 11%
• Engine and engine cooling101 · 10%
• Other or unknown96 · 9%
• Fuel system93 · 9%
• Service brakes65 · 6%

17 smaller areas not shown (284 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 523 repair bulletins from Ford for the 2021 Ford F-150. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 26-2431 v2Received October 27, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Reason for update: update the Service procedure for 2021-2022 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost vehicles with new Ford Diagnosis and Repair System(FDRS) C clutch data anomaly detection test.

2. TSB 26-2431Received October 27, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Reason For Update: update the Service Procedure for 2021-2022 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost vehicles with the new Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS) C clutch data anomaly detection diagnostic test.

3. TSB 26-2432Received October 21, 2026

   Electrical system

   Reason for update: To update the Service Procedure to include diagnostics for the fuel vapor vent valve and the fuel tank isolation valve.

4. TSB 26-2442Received October 21, 2026

   Reason for update: Add 2022-2025 Transit vehicles.

5. SSM 55228Received October 12, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Some 2020-2026 Aviator/Explorer/F-150/Bronco/Ranger vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L (non-diesel) engine may need the front engine cover removed and reinstalled for various reasons.

6. TSB 26-2092 V2Received October 1, 2026

   Body and structure

   One time use parts for Corsair and Bronco Sport were also added to the parts list.

7. TSB 26-2391Received September 12, 2026

   Electrical system

   This bulletin updates 26-2206.

8. SSM 55100Received September 1, 2026

   For Various Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion cover J-clips, lower-level service parts are now available.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 29 recall campaigns for the 2021 Ford F-150. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 26V402000June 24, 2026

   Power train

   The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.

2. 25V169000March 14, 2025

   Power train

   The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for low transmission fluid pressure may falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral.

3. 23V896000December 22, 2023

   Power train

   The rear axle hub bolt may fatigue and break, which can result in damage to the axle hub splines.

See all 29 recalls for the 2021 Ford F-150, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your F-150 will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 321 complaints · 31%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Visibility and wipers 131 complaints · 13%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 130 complaints · 13%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Exterior lighting 116 complaints · 11%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2021 Ford F-150: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2021 Ford F-150?

Of the 1,040 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Ford F-150, 321 (31%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 131 (13%) name visibility and wipers. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2021 Ford F-150 reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 13 of the 1,040 complaints as involving a crash and 4 as involving a fire. They also reported 8 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2021 Ford F-150 have?

NHTSA lists 29 recall campaigns for the 2021 Ford F-150. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 523 repair bulletins for the 2021 Ford F-150.

More

• 2023 F-150 problems
• 2022 F-150 problems
• 2020 F-150 problems
• 2019 F-150 problems
• 2018 F-150 problems
• 2017 F-150 problems
• 2016 F-150 problems
• 2015 F-150 problems
• 2014 F-150 problems
• 2013 F-150 problems
• 2012 F-150 problems
• 2011 F-150 problems
• 2010 F-150 problems
• 2021 recalls
• All Ford recalls
• Ford problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.