Ford F-150 years to avoid
Across the 2015–2022 Ford F-150, the 2018 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 1,895, about 1.7× the 1,114 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The 2016 is close behind, at 1,742. The most-reported components that year were the powertrain and the engine. The 2020 drew the fewest, at 543. Separately, the 2021 carries the most recall campaigns, 29. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
The 2018 F-150 is the outlier of the 2015–2022 Ford F-150, with 1,895 complaints against the model's 1,183.5 median.
Every F-150 model year, ranked
Every F-150 model year NHTSA holds records for, most complaints first. Counts are NHTSA records as of 2026-09-15; recall campaigns and complaints are counted separately because a recall is the manufacturer acting and a complaint is an owner reporting. Years with enough on record have a page of their own.
| Model year | Owner complaints | vs the 1,183.5 median | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 F-150 | 1,895 | 1.6× | 19 | the powertrain |
| 2016 F-150 | 1,742 | 1.5× | 14 | the powertrain |
| 2015 F-150 | 1,425 | 1.2× | 14 | the brakes |
| 2021 F-150 | 1,253 | 1.1× | 29 | the powertrain |
| 2017 F-150 | 1,114 | 0.9× | 18 | the powertrain |
| 2019 F-150 | 993 | 0.8× | 9 | the powertrain |
| 2022 F-150 | 799 | 0.7× | 23 | the powertrain |
| 2020 F-150 | 543 | 0.5× | 11 | the powertrain |
Buying a Ford F-150? Check its VIN.
Model-year complaint totals do not describe one car. Confirm its identity free, then decide whether to review its reported title, mileage and auction history before you buy.
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See what the paid report includes →How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse car. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road.
- The comparison is between years of the F-150 only. It says nothing about how the F-150 compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. Only a VIN lookup shows whether one vehicle is included and whether the work was done.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Ford F-150 year-by-year questions
Which Ford F-150 year should I avoid?
Across the 2015–2022 Ford F-150, the 2018 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 1,895, about 1.7× the 1,114 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The 2016 is close behind, at 1,742. The most-reported components that year were the powertrain and the engine. The 2020 drew the fewest, at 543. Separately, the 2021 carries the most recall campaigns, 29. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
Which Ford F-150 year is the safest bet?
Of the 2015–2022 Ford F-150, the 2020 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA — 543, against the model's 1,183.5 median. Newer years have had less time on the road, which lowers their count on its own, so treat this as a starting point and check the individual VIN.
Do complaint counts mean the Ford F-150 is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model — which is what this page does — not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific F-150?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. That reports open campaigns for that exact vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. A model-year page cannot tell you that.