2001 Ford F-150 Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 180 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the 2001 Ford F-150, 15% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 103,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (36% of reports).
- 180vehicle speed control complaints
- 103,000median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 66%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Cruise control: mentioned in 64 of 180 complaints (36%)
- Caught fire: mentioned in 58 of 180 complaints (32%)
- Deactivation switch: mentioned in 18 of 180 complaints (10%)
- Engulfed flames: mentioned in 10 of 180 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 119 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 180 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 115 a fire, 3 an injury.
Ford F-150 vehicle speed control complaints by model year
| Model year | Vehicle Speed Control complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-150 | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2025 F-150 | 11 | 10% | 6,500 |
| 2024 F-150 | 7 | 4% | 13,290 |
| 2023 F-150 | 18 | 4% | 22,000 |
| 2022 F-150 | 16 | 3% | 18,000 |
| 2021 F-150 | 20 | 2% | — |
| 2020 F-150 | 16 | 2% | 23,000 |
| 2019 F-150 | 44 | 3% | 35,000 |
| 2018 F-150 | 73 | 3% | 15,500 |
| 2017 F-150 | 66 | 5% | 14,000 |
| 2016 F-150 | 100 | 5% | 38,869 |
| 2015 F-150 | 145 | 8% | 44,000 |
| 2014 F-150 | 102 | 7% | 52,000 |
| 2013 F-150 | 302 | 10% | 69,074 |
| 2012 F-150 | 194 | 11% | 30,500 |
| 2011 F-150 | 213 | 10% | 57,000 |
| 2010 F-150 | 39 | 5% | 52,000 |
| 2009 F-150 | 54 | 17% | 36,370 |
| 2008 F-150 | 41 | 11% | 27,225 |
| 2007 F-150 | 54 | 11% | 44,500 |
| 2006 F-150 | 31 | 5% | 50,000 |
| 2005 F-150 | 57 | 5% | 50,251 |
| 2004 F-150 | 70 | 3% | 39,500 |
| 2003 F-150 | 32 | 8% | 85,000 |
| 2002 F-150 | 86 | 10% | 120,000 |
| 2001 F-150 | 180 | 15% | 103,000 |
| 2000 F-150 | 188 | 17% | 100,000 |
| 1999 F-150 | 79 | 8% | 78,500 |
| 1998 F-150 | 116 | 8% | 108,500 |
| 1997 F-150 | 223 | 8% | 120,000 |
| 1996 F-150 | 36 | 11% | 130,000 |
| 1995 F-150 | 76 | 12% | 121,382 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control
Problem: On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: A fire at the switch could occur.
Fix: By letter dated september 12, 2005, owners were instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected. Owners who have had their speed control deactivated are being notified that parts will be available and advised to make an appointment to reconnect the speed control beginning in february 2006. Owners who did not have their speed control deactivated are being notified to have their system remedied beginning in february 2006. Owners are urged to avail themselves of the free disconnect service as soon as possible because of the significant risk of fire. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 06v286)
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owned a 2001 Ford F-150. The contact stated that he parked the vehicle on the street in front of the residence, and ten minutes later, the contact heard the horn abruptly sounding. His son looked out the window and discovered the vehicle in flames. No warning light was illuminated. The…
The contact owned a 2001 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the vehicle caught on fire. The contact stated that a bystander driving by became aware of the fire underneath the hood of the vehicle and used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. The…
The contact owned a 2001 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL); The contact's husband had left the vehicle unoccupied and parked outside his workplace. The contact's husband was then contacted by his co-workers via walkie-talkie to…

Frequently asked questions
Do all 2001 Ford F-150s have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 180 owner complaints about vehicle speed control for the 2001 Ford F-150 (15% of the 1,236 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Ford F-150 vehicle speed control?
Yes: 1 safety recall list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems start?
The median reported mileage is 103,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the 2001 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 64 of 180 complaints, followed by “caught fire” (58).
Other 2001 Ford F-150 problems
See all 2001 Ford F-150 problems or vehicle speed control problems across all F-150 years.