Ford F-150 Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 3,642 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Ford F-150 across 32 model years. The 2013 model year has the most (324). The words owners use most often: “caught fire” (8% of reports).
- 3,642electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 56mention a crash
- 72mention an injury
- 11related recalls
- $980typical repair cost reported by owners
- 44%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.
- Caught fire: mentioned in 276 of 3,642 complaints (8%)
- Rear window: mentioned in 189 of 3,642 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Ford F-150 at $980, and half of them between $580 and $1,700.
Based on 71 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2002–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 2,146 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 3,642 complaints, 56 mention a crash, 681 a fire, 72 an injury.
Ford F-150 electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-150 | 2 | 17% | — |
| 2025 F-150 | 23 | 21% | 24,000 |
| 2024 F-150 | 40 | 21% | 25,000 |
| 2023 F-150 | 83 | 20% | 9,000 |
| 2022 F-150 | 125 | 21% | 20,000 |
| 2021 F-150 | 130 | 13% | 27,500 |
| 2020 F-150 | 88 | 12% | 3,500 |
| 2019 F-150 | 100 | 7% | 44,500 |
| 2018 F-150 | 172 | 7% | 26,000 |
| 2017 F-150 | 135 | 9% | 44,500 |
| 2016 F-150 | 187 | 9% | 40,000 |
| 2015 F-150 | 176 | 10% | 52,000 |
| 2014 F-150 | 162 | 11% | 65,000 |
| 2013 F-150 | 324 | 11% | 67,000 |
| 2012 F-150 | 173 | 10% | 66,500 |
| 2011 F-150 | 235 | 11% | 68,000 |
| 2010 F-150 | 166 | 20% | 59,571 |
| 2009 F-150 | 46 | 14% | 66,350 |
| 2008 F-150 | 29 | 8% | 82,350 |
| 2007 F-150 | 42 | 9% | 74,100 |
| 2006 F-150 | 60 | 10% | 62,000 |
| 2005 F-150 | 73 | 7% | 69,750 |
| 2004 F-150 | 99 | 5% | 55,000 |
| 2003 F-150 | 47 | 11% | 60,000 |
| 2002 F-150 | 106 | 13% | 88,000 |
| 2001 F-150 | 137 | 11% | 88,000 |
| 2000 F-150 | 191 | 18% | 81,143 |
| 1999 F-150 | 85 | 8% | 86,000 |
| 1998 F-150 | 87 | 6% | 120,000 |
| 1997 F-150 | 198 | 7% | 112,000 |
| 1996 F-150 | 56 | 17% | 100,500 |
| 1995 F-150 | 65 | 10% | 110,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (11)
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Model years: 2017
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 17V053. The instrument cluster may lose power after initial vehicle start-up in cold ambient temperatures. Several gauges, including the transmission gear position indicator, may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect."
Risk: An instrument cluster that fails to display critical safety information, such as gear position or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will update the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.
Exterior lighting:tail lights; electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driverâs ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Model years: 2025
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 F-550 SD, F-450 SD, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, and 2025 F-150 vehicles. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may fail at startup.
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information, such as warning lights or vehicle speed, increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: The instrument panel cluster software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S88.
Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:hoses/lines/piping/fittings; electrical system:wiring
Model years: 2025
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 F-150 trucks. Contact with the engine coolant hose may chafe the engine wire harness or cause a pull out of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) connector pins, causing the engine to stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, replace the engine wire harness as necessary, and relocate the engine coolant hose, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2025. The parts are anticipated to be available the third quarter of 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S63.
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
Model years: 2021, 2022
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 22V-193. Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.
Risk: Loss of trailer brake functionality can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S18.
Electrical system:body control module:software; exterior lighting:back up lights
Model years: 2021
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Onboard Scales feature. An over-the-air software update to the body control module (BCM) may have disabled both reverse lights.
Risk: Disabled reverse lights cannot alert others that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 26, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S38.
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
Model years: 2021, 2022
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles. Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.
Risk: Loss of trailer brake functionality could result in extended stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S17.
Electrical system:starter assembly
Model years: 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 vehicles. An incorrect attachment nut may have been used to attach the battery positive (B+) power supply cable to the starter motor, possibly affecting the electrical conductivity, resulting in excess heat and electrical arcing.
Risk: Electrical arcing can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the starter motor B+ power supply attachment nut, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S40.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Model years: 2019, 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and braking or steering assist. The engine could also stall.
Risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S40.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel; power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Model years: 2017
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 trucks equipped with an eight-inch productivity screen. In these vehicles, the instrument cluster may lose power after the initial vehicle start-up in cold ambient temperatures. Several gauges, including the transmission gear position indicator, may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect."
Risk: If the transmission gear position indicator fails to illuminate, the driver may be unable to tell the transmission shift position, increasing the risk of a crash or injury from unintended vehicle movement.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C01.
Electrical system:software
Model years: 2011
Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ford f-150, f-250, f-350, f-450, f-550, edge, and lincoln mkx trucks manufactured from october 25, 2010, through november 20, 2010. These vehicles were inspected using integrated diagnostic system (ids) that had a custom software routine to read the suspect body control module (bcm) serial number. Based on the serial number the bcm was either not affected or replaced. The custom software routine was not reading the correct set of characters, and was not able to identify a bcm that required replacement affected bcms may have the potential for an internal short.
Risk: If an electrical short develops, an overheating condition may occur which could result in a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealer will inspect the body control module and if necessary replace it free of charge. The safety recall began on march 7, 2011. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
On 10/13/2026, driving about 25 mph on a city street, my truck entered failsafe with no prior warning lamps or symptoms. The PCM cut most engine power, leaving no acceleration, and set P1285 (CHT Overtemp Sensed) and P1299 (CHT Overtemp Protection Active). The engine was not overheating; a $40 CHT…
The contact owns a 2025 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the trailer hitch connection fault and blind spot fault messages were displayed. The contact and wife then became aware of a smoky odor, followed by smoke coming from the instrument panel. The vehicle caught on…
I am reporting a potential safety defect involving the hood latch sensor or electrical system on my 2017 Ford F-150, currently at 151,895 miles. On three occasions (10/3/26, 10/4/26, and 10/7/26), the "Hood Ajar" warning appeared while driving, accompanied by an audible chime, although the hood…
While driving truck, it had an electrical fritz that caused the car to become undrivable, with systems not responding. when stopped to power cycle, the car would accessory on but not attempt to start. the horn would go off randomly. was able to manually put the truck into neutral and push into a…
My truck is shifting erratically going from 5/6th gear down to 1st/2nd. It looses power. My battery light comes on, the wrench comes on, check engine light comes on but no codes come up. I have already put in a new transmission at my cost.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford F-150s have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 3,642 owner complaints about electrical system for the Ford F-150. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford F-150 electrical system?
Yes: 11 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Ford F-150?
Owners report a typical cost of $980 (half paid between $580 and $1,700), from 71 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “caught fire”, in 276 of 3,642 complaints, followed by “rear window” (189).
Other Ford F-150 problems
- Power Train problems (8,971)
- Engine problems (4,524)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (2,690)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (2,502)
- Steering problems (2,253)
- Service Brakes problems (2,080)
- Visibility problems (2,074)
- Structure problems (2,017)
See all Ford F-150 problems.