Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
In 2006 I was in a rear end collision where I was struck from behind and forced into the vehicle in front of me and we were forced into a third vehicle in front of us. It resulted in several people being sent to the hospital with serious injuries. I was in the middle of two vehicles and my air bags did not deploy! I had a broken rib from the steering wheel and severe whiplash resulting in a surgery that left me in serious life long pain. The surgery consisted of 12 pins, 10 screws, 4cadavor disks and fusion of 5 levels of my neck. My drivers airbag did not deploy and I believe if it had worked properly I would not have been so seriously injured. The vehicle hit me from behind at a high rate of speed as I was at a stop in a on the highway. The impact forced me into the vehicle in front of me but the air bags did not deploy. …
It was raining, the highway was wet, and I was driving at or below the rated speed limit. What I was not aware of was the flooding on the highway. My truck hit the 2-feet water, causing me to lose control, hit the guard rail with the truck flipping on its roof. Minor injuries and the truck could not be driven; however, the air bags did not deploy. The pennsylvania state police were on site. The vehicle was towed and is a total loss, as per the insurance company. The manufacturer will be contacted due to the air bags not deploying. The truck was purchased used, I have had it for 10+ years, fully maintained, and it has 137,000 miles on it when the incident occurred.
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 Ford f-150. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle skidded on black ice and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
A person pulled out on me from my right. I hit their front drivers side. More than a foot of my frame was sticking out from the front of my truck. Hood folded. Drivers door jammed shut, dash pushed towards me.my airbags never came out. My truck was considered a total loss. The state trooperrs, county constable,ems personel and wrecker drivers all told me I was very fortunate to have not been more severely injured due to the fact that the airbags did not deploy. Thay said with the location of impact, speed (55) and type of impact they definately should have went off. I hit my right shoulder and breast on the steering wheel. It has been three weeks and I still cannot rise my right arm. I have mutiple contusions on my right breast which resuted in a large blood clot forming that will have to be sugically removed. The right side of my neck hurts very bad and shoots pain up behind my ear. …
Dt*: the contact stated both frontal airbags deployed, without an accident, while pulling slowly out of the driveway at 25mph. Shortly after the deployment the driver side airbag erupted in flames. The fire was extinguished by the driver with snow from outside the vehicle. Neither the police nor fire departments were contacted. No injuries were sustained. The insurance agency determined the deployment was caused by a manufacturing defect. The manufacturer only referred the contact to the insurance company. The airbags were removed by the contact and vehicle is currently being used "as is."
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford f150. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the contacts son crashed into a light pole and the air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact hit his head on the front windshield and suffered a head injury. The police was called to the scene but a police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop. The contact was waiting for the parts to be delivered in order to repair the bumper, hood and the radiator. The failure and current mileages were 101,617. Updated 06/17/10. Updated 07/16/10.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford f-150. The contact was traveling 35 MPH when the vehicle crashed into a pile of rocks and both air bags failed to deploy. The driver suffered a broken nose and the front passenger suffered a broken arm as a result of the crash. The police were not notified. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not contacted. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileage was 120,000.
Consumer states that when hit in the front center of the vehicle, the air bag did not deploy. Dealer notified. The air bag(s) did not deploy at 50 MPH. The Ford dealer stated they were unable to diagnose the problem due to the severed battery cables. The accident occurred when another vehicle pulled in front of the consumer. The primary impact was on the front middle to the passenger side. The vehicle was totaled.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford f150. While driving 50 MPH, another vehicle cut in front of the contact's vehicle. As a result, the contact crashed into the driver side of the other vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The dealer has not inspected the vehicle to determine the cause of failure. The current and failure mileages were 118,809.
After sustaining a front end collision, where I squarely impacted the rear end of slowly moving large 4 door car, neither driver or passenger air bags deployed. This impact occurred at approximately 40 MPH, forcing the front grill back and the bumper down enough to impede the steering of the Ford f-150.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal
Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles. The inflator canister in the driver air bag module May have an inadequate weld near the igniter.
Remedy: Dealers will install a driver air bag module. Owner notification began March 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Airbag complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2001 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 66 complaints about the air bags of the 2001 Ford F-150, 5% of the model year's 1,236 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (40 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford F-150 airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-082 (frontal, Mar 12, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford F-150 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 49 crashes, 4 fires and 44 injuries and 2 deaths to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.