2021 Ford F-150 Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 318 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2021 Ford F-150, 31% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 55,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear axle” (17% of reports).
- 318power train complaints
- 55,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 7related recalls
- 37%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.
- Rear axle: mentioned in 54 of 318 complaints (17%)
- Sheared off: mentioned in 20 of 318 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 73 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 318 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Ford F-150 power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 F-150 | 25 | 23% | 5,330 |
| 2024 F-150 | 58 | 30% | 10,500 |
| 2023 F-150 | 158 | 38% | 33,500 |
| 2022 F-150 | 160 | 27% | 28,791 |
| 2021 F-150 | 318 | 31% | 55,000 |
| 2020 F-150 | 357 | 49% | 59,000 |
| 2019 F-150 | 736 | 55% | 66,500 |
| 2018 F-150 | 1,014 | 44% | 60,000 |
| 2017 F-150 | 546 | 38% | 83,700 |
| 2016 F-150 | 600 | 29% | 96,000 |
| 2015 F-150 | 422 | 24% | 86,500 |
| 2014 F-150 | 425 | 28% | 101,000 |
| 2013 F-150 | 1,342 | 45% | 94,000 |
| 2012 F-150 | 681 | 38% | 90,000 |
| 2011 F-150 | 826 | 38% | 96,634 |
| 2010 F-150 | 121 | 14% | 60,000 |
| 2009 F-150 | 33 | 10% | 38,673 |
| 2008 F-150 | 50 | 14% | 50,000 |
| 2007 F-150 | 57 | 12% | 70,000 |
| 2006 F-150 | 46 | 8% | 38,500 |
| 2005 F-150 | 112 | 10% | 65,850 |
| 2004 F-150 | 232 | 11% | 35,000 |
| 2003 F-150 | 62 | 15% | 40,000 |
| 2002 F-150 | 53 | 6% | 54,260 |
| 2001 F-150 | 74 | 6% | 64,239 |
| 2000 F-150 | 47 | 4% | 54,104 |
| 1999 F-150 | 75 | 7% | 84,000 |
| 1998 F-150 | 83 | 6% | 95,000 |
| 1997 F-150 | 151 | 5% | 99,904 |
| 1996 F-150 | 26 | 8% | 109,750 |
| 1995 F-150 | 75 | 12% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (7)
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Risk: Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 22V-188. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for low transmission fluid pressure may falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral.
Risk: An unexpected shift into neutral will cause a loss of drive power and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S24.
Power train:axle hubs
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package and a 9.75-inch heavy duty axle with a 3/4 float axle design. The rear axle hub bolt may fatigue and break, which can result in damage to the axle hub splines.
Risk: Damaged axle hub splines can result in a vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied or cause a loss of drive power. Both of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right rear axle shaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 9, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S65.
Structure:frame and members:underbody shields; power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
Risk: A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power, or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground. Additionally, unintended movement could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged. Any of these scenarios increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft, as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 1, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S53.
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for low transmission fluid pressure may falsely activate and cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral.
Risk: An unexpected shift into neutral will cause a loss of drive power and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 12, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S15.
Structure:frame and members:underbody shields; power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
Risk: A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power, or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground. Additionally, unintended movement could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 4, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S56.
Power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles. The two-piece driveshafts may have been improperly assembled, which could result in driveshaft separation.
Risk: Driveshaft separation may result in a sudden loss of drive power, or unintended vehicle movement if the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the driveshaft, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 15, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S25.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have experienced ongoing issues with transmission. Two separate dealerships have done partial "rebuild" to no avail. The vehicle has lost power several times which include XXX at approximately 3:30 pm. while pulling onto a busy highway in heavy traffic. As soon as I got home, I parked the truck…
Vehicle: 2021 Ford F-150 Tremor Mileage: Approximately 103,000 miles My 2021 Ford F-150 Tremor developed a severe shudder and vibration during acceleration. The condition progressively worsened and became significant enough that I had the vehicle professionally inspected. The vehicle was diagnosed…
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked and hesitated while shifting into drive(D). The contact later discovered that the gear shifter was stuck in park(P) and the vehicle was undriveable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Ford F-150s have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 318 owner complaints about power train for the 2021 Ford F-150 (31% of the 1,028 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 2021 Ford F-150 power train?
Yes: 7 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 55,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2021 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “rear axle”, in 54 of 318 complaints, followed by “sheared off” (20).
Other 2021 Ford F-150 problems
See all 2021 Ford F-150 problems or power train problems across all F-150 years.