Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
I was parking the vehicle and turned off the engine when the speakers gave out a loud noise. I turned the truck on to see if it would continue but there was no music and smoke began coming out around the radio. I moved the truck away from building and retrieved the fire extinguisher from the back seat. I noticed the "door ajar" warning was on even when the doors were closed. The smoke subsided and I did some quick research online. I was able to find a lot of information about the wire harness between the driver's side rear door and door frame being damaged, producing these symptoms. I disconnected the battery and removed the sheath from the wiring harness. Three wires were severed and several were frayed. (see attached photos) I contacted the local Ford dealership and they explained how it could be replaced at the wire connector in the door frame. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the speedometer became inoperable, the vehicle hesitated to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle shifted sluggishly into gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle shifted into first gear unintendedly. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly, causing the vehicle to accelerate or decelerate unintendedly. The dealer and several independent mechanics were contacted and informed the contact that the failure could be related to the transmission leadframe and the valve body; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train). …
I bought this truck used about one year ago. Since then I have not had much time to use it. In the last three months I have had some time to drive it. Three times in those months this issue has occurred. Luckily they all occurred on my property and no damage happened except to the truck. First time it happened an exterior mirror was knocked off, a running board was bent, scratches and dings to the to the paint, and a tailight was damaged. This all happened in reverse due to a gate opening I was going through. The motor all of a sudden had a massive spike in RPMs and a violent lunge and slide of the vehicle. I learned later that it was due to a flawed part in the transmission called a molded lead frame. Transmission is Fords 6R80 6-speed automatic. Last time it happened was on 09/16/2026. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted. The contact stated that the wheels were shaking. Upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to shift out of first gear. The contact stated that the odometer was inoperable. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as designed. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the powertrain warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was like NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V248000 (Power Train). The local was dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Hacienda Ford of Kingsville (2501 US-77, Kingsville, TX 78363); but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after the dealer had reprogrammed the PCM under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train), the vehicle started to experience failures. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle downshifted to first gear unintendedly. The powertrain warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact resumed driving; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the residence. Additionally, the contact stated that the brake lights, the hazard lights, the turn signal lights, and the infotainment system and the A/C system became inoperable after the recall repair. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure might be related to the electrical system. The vehicle was not repaired. …
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 and another unknown warning light were illuminated. The tachometer and speedometer were inoperable. The contact pulled over, and the transmission remained stuck in first gear. The vehicle was restarted, but the failure persisted. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the engine and determined that the transmission position sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the speedometer failed to properly show the speed after exceeding 10 MPH. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift properly. Additionally, the vehicle was slow to accelerate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed the molded lead frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the rear driver's side turn signal and brake lights were inadvertently illuminated and the key failed to program. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the dealer refused to look at the vehicle since it was not included in a recall. The contact diagnosed the vehicle with body control module (BCM) failure. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V128000 (Electrical System) however, this VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the turn signals and the windshield wipers became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, who informed the contact that the failure could be related to the body control module (BCM) or to the engine control module (ECM). The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 192,088.
Related recalls
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.
Electrical complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 235 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 Ford F-150, 11% of the model year's 2,193 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Ford F-150 electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-128 (software, Feb 24, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 Ford F-150 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 11 fires and 6 injuries to electrical system 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.