Most common 2011 Ford F-150 problems
Share of the 2,193 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-150 complaints by model year
Best F-150 years: 1996, 2009, 2008. Years to avoid: 2018, 2013, 2016, 2012, 2021. Compare all years →
2011 Ford F-150 recalls (6)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The transmission may unexpectedly downshift into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks, 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Mustang vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2016.
Exterior lighting › Back up lights
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford f-150, 2012 expedition and Lincoln navigator, and 2012-2013 mustang vehicles, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard nos.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the trs as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on June 11, 2012.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 f-150 vehicles manufactured from September 9, 2011, through September 22, 2011, and model year 2012 f-250, f-350, f-450 and f-550 heavy duty vehicles manufactured from September 12, 2011, through September 22, 2011.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake shift interlock switch function and replace the switch if necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on December 22, 2011.
Electrical system › Software
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)…
Remedy: 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.
Structure › Body
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 f-150, f-250, f-350, f-450, f-550, edge and Lincoln mkx vehicles. During a six-day production period, the supplier of the body control module manufactured modules that May have the potential for an internal short.
Remedy: Dealer will replace the body control module if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2011. Owners May contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2011 Ford F-150:
Unexpected Transmission Downshift
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of transmissions unexpectedly downshifting to a lower gear without input from the driver on model year (MY) 2011-2013 Ford F-150, Expedition and Navigator vehicles.
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
On June 22, 2015, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-026 to investigate incidents of increased brake pedal effort at cold start and extended stopping distance while driving in traffic, resulting from failures of the electric brake vacuum assist pump in model year (MY) 2011-2012 Ford F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines.
Reduced power during hard acceleration
On May 22, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-018 to investigate 95 complaints alleging incidents of reduced engine power during hard accelerations in model year (MY) 2011 through 2013 Ford F-150 trucks.ODI was aware of three technical service bulletins (TSBs) issued by Ford for a condition that was related to moisture accumulation in the Charge Air Cooler (CAC) for the turbochargers.A…
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
On February 15, 2016, Ford Motor Company initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 15N05 to extend warranty coverage for the electric vacuum pump in certain model year (MY) 2011 through 2012 Ford F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines.The program extends coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, all vehicles are eligible for the program through…
What 2011 Ford F-150 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 828 →
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while his fianc was stopped at a stop sign, the vehicle accelerated violently after depressing the accelerator pedal, and the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle continued accelerating while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle crashed through a yard, into a road sign, before crashing into the rear of a parked vehicle, where the vehicle came to a stop. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The driver sustained whiplash and soreness in various parts of the body but had not sought medical attention. A Police report was filed. The road sign was damaged. The driver coasted the vehicle back to the residence before the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. …
The contact owned a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly jerked, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and swerve into the next lane. As a result, the contact's vehicle was T-boned on the passenger's side by an oncoming vehicle. The air bags did deploy. A police report was filed, but no injuries were reported. The contact stated that although he did not seek treatment the day of the accident, he scheduled an appointment the following day after feeling soreness in a nondescript location. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Engine & cooling all 511 →
The contact owned a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at 15 MPH and making a left turn, in the middle of the turn, the instrument panel turned off, and the vehicle jerked forward before losing automotive power. The contact was not able to clear the intersection in time and the vehicle crashed into another vehicle on the passenger's side. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled over onto the driver's side. The contact was thrown halfway through the window while the vehicle was flipping over onto the side of the vehicle, and the contact lay underneath the vehicle. Soldiers arrived at the scene and lifted the vehicle to release the contact out of the driver-side door. The air bags had deployed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The contact was unaware if a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. While driving 50 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into first gear and the rear wheels locked up. The contact stated that while in third gear, the vehicle shifted to fourth gear unexpectedly. The transmission failed to shift above fifth gear. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift out of first gear. After turning off the vehicle, the vehicle resumed normal operation. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the wrench symbol was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the failure was associated with the sensor. The transmission sensor was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The failure persisted over time. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
Steering all 419 →
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone, and DTC: P0720 was retrieved, which indicated a failure with the output shaft speed sensor. The contact was informed that the output shaft speed sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown recall. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with rack and pinion failure. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the "Steering Assist Fault" and "Advance Traction Fault" warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the automatic feature of the turn signals became inoperative. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road by using extra effort to steer the vehicle. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact then drove to his workplace and parked the vehicle. However, the failure reoccurred upon restarting the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was associated with an unknown recall however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist. …
2011 Ford F-150 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 14 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 12 / 16 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Ford F-150 a good car?
Based on 2,193 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 F-150 rates avoid: 2.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the F-150 at the same age. It is one of the F-150 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Ford F-150?
The transmission & drivetrain — 828 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (511) and steering (419).
How many recalls does the 2011 Ford F-150 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2011 Ford F-150, the most recent from February 11, 2019 (control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford F-150?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996, 2009 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2018, 2013, 2016, 2012 and 2021. See the full Ford F-150 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Ford F-150 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 71,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.