Complaint volume
908 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2021 Ford F-150 Complaints
908 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Ford F-150, grouped by component category.
908 Total complaints
13 Crash reports
4 Fire reports
6 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are power train, exterior lighting, visibility. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 13 crash reports, 4 fire reports, 6 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 203 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 45,841 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to power train, exterior lighting, visibility?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Ford F-150?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Ford F-150
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Ford F-150 complaints?
13 Crash
4 Fire
6 Injury
0 Fatality
27 Towed
3 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Ford F-150 complaint categories?
POWER TRAIN 200
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 75
VISIBILITY 64
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 52
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 52
VISIBILITY/WIPER 41
ENGINE 33
STEERING 24
SERVICE BRAKES 19
BACK OVER PREVENTION 18
908 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2026 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while stopped, the vehicle hesitated and shuddered while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle stopped in the middle of the road and failed to move even while in neutral(N). Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a defective fuel pump. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact was provided with an estimate for the repair, which the contact approved. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 60,000 |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | My 2021 Ford F-150 has been inoperable for over three months due to a safety recall involving the rear axle hub. The dealer and manufacturer have been unable to remedy the recall within a reasonable time due to parts unavailability, and no repair timeline has been provided. I requested a loaner vehicle from the dealer and was told there were six to seven customers ahead of me. The dealer reported to Ford corporate that I declined a loaner vehicle, which is not accurate. No loaner was made available to me, and I was forced to obtain alternate transportation through my employer. The dealer initially required payment to inspect my vehicle for the recall and held the truck for approximately one week before stating the issue was not recall related. When I asked how this determination was made, I was told additional payment was required to disassemble the rear hub for further inspection. After escalating the issue and expressing concern about the handling of the recall diagnosis, the dealership director contacted me and later confirmed that the issue was, in fact, related to the recall. However, I was told it would take a couple of months to repair due to parts backorder. At this point, my vehicle has been unusable for over three months with no repair timeline, no manufacturer provided loaner or rental vehicle, and no resolution. I am continuing to make payments and maintain insurance on a vehicle I cannot safely operate due to an unresolved safety recall. This appears to be an unreasonable delay in remedying a safety defect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Led Daytime running lights burnout. No repair by ford without replacing whole housing. No covered under warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | There is a hard jerk that happens when moving from a dead stop and then it will shift into gear. Its been reproduced by a maintenance shop. They stated it was the transmission. It has not been inspected by a manufacturer. There was no warning lamps which causes a high risk of safety, including a possibility of accident while on the road. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The passenger side daytime running light no longer illuminates or illuminates poorly. During daytime inclement weather, low beams must be manually turned on to ensure there's some form of lighting illuminated during snow, fog, etc. Problem is well known by the dealer and extremely wide spread in the 2021 to 2023 F-150. The component has not been inspected. There is no warning lamp to indicate daytime running light failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | When the truck is put into reverse especially when cold the transmission does not initially go into gear. When it finally does the vehicle lurches rearward violently and I have to slam on the brakes to not hit anything. The transmission was just "bench" rebuilt under the Ford powertrain warranty supposedly with a CDF drum and valve body replacement along with software updates including adaptive reset and relearn with the appropriate drive cycles however the vehicle still exhibits this condition. I called Ford customer service and filed a complaint with them last month. They told me to bring to another dealer which the vehicle is currently at and has been for a month. They claim that it is normal for this transmission and refuse to fix it. I have video evidence of the truck being put into reverse and the RPM rising before it slams into reverse. I also demonstrated first thing one morning to a technician after a cold soak overnight and he agreed that the vehicle has a delayed engagement in reverse and when it did finally engage it did so violently. The dealer told me to record it and that would be the best evidence and I did along with presenting it to them. After this they changed their mind and said actually a technician has to witness which I also did. Again they said this wasn't good enough. A field engineer supposedly looked at the vehicle and they wont tell me what he said. Very odd. I feel like im getting the run around and have an unsafe vehicle that Ford refuses and it trying to worm their way out of safetly fixing! In the description below is when the truck can be seen in the video recreating the problem however it has done this countless times. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Right rear axle bolt sheared off. This was first reported to dealer in mid 2025 and recall repair has not yet been completed. This is Ford recall 23S65, NHTSA recall 23V896. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | I'm reporting that my driving/fog lights aren't working and haven't for some time. My truck only has 58,000 miles on it and is only 5 years old, I have been guided to report this issue to the NHTSA. I drive allot in the early morning and am NOT getting the lighting I should, it's agravating that you pay so much for a vehicle and the lights don't work properly. I have read 100's of post/emails and vlogs, there are thousands and thousands of these trucks with that same issue, what can I do to repair or replace these lights? Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The vehicle reported a charging system failure alert and came to a jerking stop. The battery was completely drained and the alternator had failed at 71,000 miles. The vehicle stopped in the drive lane on a heavily trafficked road. The emergency release lever was found and pulled to allow the truck to pull over. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | WHEELS | Took my 2021 Ford F 150 in for recall 23s65 and oil change and was told vehicle was unsafe to drive and even though parts according to ford where available the dealer said they were on back order with no ETA of when they would be available and they would put me in a rental for the time being. I’ve been told 3 times now by Ford parts are available but yet the dealership keeps saying they’re still on back order. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | 10 speed transmission is not working 1 still gear hyper extends dont wanna shift 2 gear bangs 3 rundown rough then sometimes dowshifts back to 2 nd gear the transmission dosent wanna get hot to normal level | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission shifted hard with unintended upshifts. The contact stated that the vehicle was able shift out of a higher gear occasionally upon switching to manual mode. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 78,000 |
| Feb 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Windhshield wipers suddenly stopped working. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Both Quad LED side strips (vertical daytime running lights) on my 2021 Ford F‑150 have burnt out. The failure occurred gradually, with the left strip failing first around [insert approximate date] and the right strip failing shortly after. These LED strips are a safety feature, and their failure reduces visibility while driving. I have attached a photo of the burnt DRL, a photo of a working DRL for reference, and a screenshot of my Ford Live Chat showing my ticket number and that I am tracking this issue publicly in a Facebook group of other owners experiencing the same failure. This appears to be a recurring defect affecting multiple trucks in the 2021–2023 F‑150 range. I am filing this complaint to document a safety defect that may require investigation. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was inspected, and there was oil under the rear passenger’s side of the vehicle in the wheel well. The vehicle was taken to dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear axle hub bolts were fractured and needed to be replaced. The differential fluid was refilled, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 110,000 |
| Feb 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | My 2021 F-150 has burnt-out Quad LED side strips on both headlights. These are daytime running lights, a safety feature. I understand there is no TSB or recall, but many owners have the same issue. I am filing to document a recurring safety defect." Attach a photo of your burnt DRL | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission downshifted while driving at speed causing wheels to lock up. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the dealer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | We have taken our F-150 to the dealership multiple times for a clunking issue under the truck, and have been told that it is related to the recall issued. Although, it has never been repaired. We take it in a couple of weeks ago for the exact same issue that has been going on since October of 2024 and suddenly it is a transmission issue. We are told that they can gladly repair the transmission for $10,000 now that they put us off until the extended warranty expired. I think this is happening a lot, as the exact thing happened to my friend's daughter. Also, it appears upon doing a little research that 2021-2024 F-150s and Explorers have this issue frequently well before they reach the 100,000 mile mark. Many times before the buyer has even paid off the loan for said automobiles. This surely poses a safety risk, as well because you never know when the vehicle is going to fail. Also, my husband took his truck in telling them that it wouldn't go into gear and the shifter had a problem in February of 2024, it took the truck's shifter literally breaking off in the driveway (thank Goodness) and being towed in to the dealership before it was repaired. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | POWER TRAIN | My truck started to over heat due to lost of radiator fluid. The cause was the transmission coolant line chafing against front drive shaft. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V896000 (POWER TRAIN) and 25V455000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a fractured passenger’s side rear bolt. The dealer advised the contact that the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. Most recently, the contact called the dealer and was informed that no appointments were available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 43,000 |
| Jan 2026 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Is say front camera is damaged | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | STRUCTURE | Please see Ford TSB SSM50543. In my case the driver's door has been freezing in the lock position. Door will not unlock and cannot be opened either from the inside or outside. The key in the outside will not unlock the door and pulling up on the knob inside cannot be done (even tried with pliers). The electric door locks for the frozen door do nothing. This made it possible for me to only get out of or into the driver's seat by climbing in/out from the passenger's side. I also tried to not lock the driver's door, and this just made the door frozen in the unlock position. Very inconvenient, but I am especially concerned if I had to exit or enter the driver's side in an emergency. Ford knows about this as can be seem from the issued TSB. This had happened more than once and goes away when the inside of the truck gets really warm, or the weather gets above sufficiently over freezing. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | SUSPENSION,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES | My Ford F-150 is subject to Manufacturer Recall Number23S65/NHTSA Recall Number23V896. I asked for the repair multiple times, but the dealership repeatedly told me that the parts were on backorder. The hub bolt on my right rear tire cracked and the truck was making a high pitched sound. I took it to the dealer and they said the bolt was cracked and driving it in that condition is dangerous. The truck is not safe to drive, but the parts remain on backorder indefinitely. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | POWER TRAIN | I have received multiple letter from Ford indicating the solution for this recall 23S65 is available at dealership. However, every ford dealership I have reached out to says there are no parts available to fix the recall. My ford dealership has placed the order on November 2025 but they have no ETA when the parts will become available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |