Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Frame of the body is completely rusted through to the point that it is almost unsafe to drive. It was identified when attempting to replace the rocker panel on the passenger side and the list put a hole in the frame. The vehicle has been well maintained but the amount of rust seems unusual for the age of the vehicle. I know the previous owner and he took painstakingly good care of the vehicle and it has been driven very little since I purchased it a couple of years back. The fix is to repair the frame at the cost of $3k plus or let it rust away completely. The amount of rust does not add up and I see similar issues with thousands of comments online.
This vehicle has been a lemon ever since we purchased it new. To start the 3rd brake light would always leak during rain and ruined the headliner took it back to andy mohr ford were we purchased approx 25 times for this issue. Then we have had oil leaks about a year after purchase and it still leaks. Third the fender wells are rusting. And also all the lights on the dash are lit because the computer board failed. To date the truck only has 147k miles. This truck has been a lemon the whole time we have owned it and i am tired of sinking money in this junker. Ford needs to be held responsible for every vehicle off there assembly line.
Door Striker Plate, latching Hook on Rocker Plate, lower side of driver side door frame, between front and rear doors is rusted. This does not allow the doors, front or rear driver side, to close securely. Attempted to contact Ford dealerships with no response. Took to independent Body Shop who said it is definitely a safety issue.
Sudden acceleration after coming to a complete stop at a traffic light, truck kept accelerating on its own, hitting the car in front of me, I while applying the brakes I had to put it on parking for the truck to come to a complete stop.
Dropped off vehicle with Ford dealership service adviser and proceeded to waiting area. Vehicle had a steady yellow engine light indicating service is required. Five minutes later, loud engine racing noise, tires squealing and crash impact sound from service bay area. Knowing it was my truck, I went out to the service bay to see it slammed through the far stone wall, about 75 feet from the service desk. Hydraulic fluid was all over the floor, outside and inside of the truck. Service adviser was stunned and crawled out of vehicle claiming it suddenly accelerated and he could not put the vehicle into neutral or park as the engine raced at full RPM. Service adviser was sent to hospital. Ford service manager was concerned and agreed to check engine codes, he talked like he'd seen this happen before. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the vehicle's floor was damp and there was an odor inside of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that water was seeping into the vehicle through the third brake light and collecting underneath the rear seat carpets. The dealer removed the rear brake light and replaced the seal and light. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 11V049000 (structure) however, the failure reoccurred two years after the repair. The contact mentioned that the driver interior door latch spring fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact also mentioned the fuel cap fractured. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford f-150. The contact noticed rust on the bottom corners of the rear driver and passenger crew cab doors. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a drain tube came from the sun roof and had no way for the water to get out. As a result, there was rust around the lower front strip of the driver and passenger doors, and the bottom two corners of the rear driver and passenger doors needed to be cut out and the metal re-welded. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer (kip killmon Ford, 201 e main st, louisa, va 23093 [phone]) was contacted and provided the contact NHTSA's phone number. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and stated that there was no remedy for a vehicle of that year. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
When opening the left rear door from inside while it is stationary, the handle does not return to the stowed position after opening the door unless it is pushed manually. The vehicle was brought to the dealer to investigate this issue in addition to another unrelated issue. The dealer was notified that this issue seems to be exactly what was mentioned in a recall I found involving this model/year vehicle (recall number 11v04900, recall date 02/01/2011). The dealer stated that this vehicle did not have any open recalls, but would inspect the it anyway. The dealer did verify the condition and provided an estimate to repair it. The estimate to replace the defective/damaged components was higher than the I was willing to pay, so the repair was declined.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford f-150. The contact noticed that after severe rain, water leaked through the third brake light and an accumulation of water leaked into the headliner of the vehicle. A strong mildew odor emitted inside of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the third brake light would need to be replaced. The manufacturer has never been notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000. Updated 04/14/16 the consumer requested information concerning the investigation into the malfunction. Updated 09/05/2017
First the right rear door shows that the door is ajar so the interior lights stays on while driving for about ten miles before they go out and when you stop the vehicle and get out the lights stay on for about 20 minutes so it runs the battery down. Second thing is the drivers door handle don't return to the closed position it stays half way out and a piece of plastic fell out of door handle I contacted the Ford company about these problems and I was told that they were nothing they could do about the problems. I myself think that these problems are a safety problem and very aggravating
Related recalls
Structure › Body › Door
Ford is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 f-150 vehicles manufactured from January 18, 2008, through November 30, 2009. The interior door handle housing embossment retaining the interior door handle spring May fracture during normal usage resulting in insufficient spring force to return the handle to the fully stowed…
Remedy: Owners will be initially notified and instructed to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer if any interior door handle is loose or fails to return to the stowed position after activation for replacement…
Body complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2009 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 34 complaints about the body & structure of the 2009 Ford F-150, 10% of the model year's 324 complaints. The component named most often is body (22 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Ford F-150 body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-049 (door, Feb 1, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 Ford F-150 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 37,000 miles, and 37% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to body & structure 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.