Most common 2015 Ford F-150 problems
Share of the 1,737 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 →
2015 Ford F-150 recalls (13)
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150 vehicles. A loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2017 F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid into the brake booster.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake master cylinder and inspect the brake booster, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Ford issued owners an interim notification on June 30, 2020.
Engine
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2016 F-150 pick-up trucks equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines and block immersion heaters that were potentially relocated from their originally installed location. The incorrect location could put the heater too close to hot engine components, possibly resulting in a damaged cable.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the block heater's location and its cable, replacing components as necessary, free of charge.
Engine
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord,…
Engine
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019.
Seat belts › Pretensioner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018.
Show 7 more recalls
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018.
Seat belts › Rear/other
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250 and F-350 trucks equipped with a crew cab. The left rear inflatable seat belt buckle assembly may be inadequately attached to its mounting bracket.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assembly, replacing the attaching rivet as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed October 18, 2017.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles originally produced with black or body colored exterior door handles that may have been subsequently equipped with a chrome exterior door handle cover accessory kit purchased from a Ford dealer.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the accessory covers and refund the purchase price. The recall began July 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 17C09.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford F-150 SuperCrew trucks manufactured January 22, 2015, to March 17, 2015. The affected vehicles may be equipped with driver or front passenger seat belt anchorage assemblies whose pretensioner cable was not properly crimped.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and/or front passenger side seat belt retractor(s) and pretensioner(s), free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2016.
Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford F-150 trucks manufactured March 18, 2014, to August 6, 2015 and equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). While using the Adaptive Cruise Control, the vehicle may falsely detect an obstacle in its path and may unexpectedly apply the brakes.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the cruise control module with updated ACC radar software, free of charge. The recall began on October 25, 2015.
Steering
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford F-150 trucks manufactured March 19, 2015, to March 30, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been built with a steering upper intermediate shaft that was improperly riveted.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the intermediate shaft and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 22, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford F-150 vehicles manufactured January 30, 2015, to January 31, 2015. The affected vehicles may have loose or missing underbody heat shields.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for missing underbody heat shields and fasteners, and will install the missing components as required, free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2015.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 2015 Ford F-150:
Brake Master Cylinder Failure
On June 8, 2020, Ford Motor Company issued a safety recall (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-332) of 292,311 model year (MY) 2014-2017 Ford F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines and built from 9/1/2014 to 8/1/2016. Ford stated that the causes of brake fluid loss in the master cylinder are brake fluid contamination that can interfere with rear cup seal function, and rolling of the rearmost cup seal.Prior to total…
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
On March 21, 2025, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE25002) to investigate instances of unexpected transmission downshifting without driver input in model year (MY) 2015-2017 Ford F-150 vehicles (subject vehicles) manufactured by Ford Motor Company (Ford).
Seatbelt Pretensioner Fire
On June 18, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE18-008) to investigate complaints alleging post-crash fires at the B pillar in the area of the seat belt pretensioners on MY 2014-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab, and Super Crew Cab Vehicles. On August 24, 2018, Ford Motor Company recalled (FSA 18S27 - NHTSA #18V568) the affected population.
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
On March 21, 2025, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE25002) to investigate instances of unexpected transmission downshifting without driver input in model year (MY) 2015-2017 Ford F-150 vehicles (subject vehicles) manufactured by Ford Motor Company (Ford).
Champion Ford Edinboro / Steering Shaft
NHTSA opened AQ17-001 to determine whether Champion Ford Edinboro, Inc. (Champion Ford), of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 (Safety Act) and its implementing regulations.
What 2015 Ford F-150 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 429 →
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that he parked the vehicle in the garage and as he exited the vehicle, the vehicle inadvertently started reversing on its own. The contact stated he attempted to jump back in the vehicle to depress the brake pedal but he was unable to do so as the vehicle was moving fast. The contact stated he jumped out of the way. The vehicle reversed down the driveway and crashed into a transformer across the street. The contact stated he got into the vehicle and switched gears to neutral, however, the indicator light would still indicate that the vehicle was in park. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact sustained bruised ribs, lacerations on the arms and legs. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The dealer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. …
The contact owned a 2015 Ford F-150. While driving approximately 10 MPH inside a shopping center parking lot, the contact initiated a turn. Suddenly and without warning, the vehicle experienced a sensation of "gliding" and the contact was unable to maintain control. The vehicle then accelerated unexpectedly, which resulted in a total loss of steering and vehicle control. This sudden loss of control caused the vehicle to crash into a music academy building. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaigns Number: 26V237000 (Power Train) to be the cause of the incident. The front bumper and windshield of the vehicle were heavily damaged. The property damage include a building for a music academy. The contact stated the vehicle stopped immediately upon impact. The Air Bags were not deployed. The vehicle was towed to a insurance lot. …
Brakes all 317 →
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH the braking system had malfunctioned and while pressing the brake pedal the vehicle did not stop causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a ditch. The front end of the vehicle was damaged, but the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained a right leg injury which did not require medical attention. The front passenger sustained a right knee injury and the rear driver's side passenger sustained and left shoulder injury, both required medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was able to be driven home. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 130,000.
The contact's husband owns a 2015 Ford F-150. While the owner was driving 45 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brake warning light became displayed on the instrument panel, and the vehicle failed to stop while depressing the brake pedal. The driver was forced to depress the brake pedal to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. Despite the failure, the driver was able to drive the vehicle to the residence and used another vehicle to purchase brake fluid for the vehicle. After refilling brake fluid reservoir, the reservoir was empty after test driving the vehicle. The owner attempted to move the vehicle out of the driveway; however, there was heavy white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact then discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V332000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and associated the failure with the recall. …
Engine & cooling all 282 →
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, unattended the vehicle caught fire without warning. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. There were no reported injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent lot. The contact called the local dealer but, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 119,925.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle jerked abnormally before accelerating. The failure had become more persistent eventually causing the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the cam phasers had failed, there was an engine misfire, and the timing chain and tensioners had failed. The vehicle had been repaired. The contact stated that approximately 14,000 miles after having the vehicle repaired, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the dealer where it was confirmed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact became aware of Customer Satisfaction Program: 2N103 (Engine and Engine Cooling). …
2015 Ford F-150 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2015 Ford F-150 a good car?
Based on 1,737 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2015 F-150 rates use caution: 1.5× 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 2015 Ford F-150?
The transmission & drivetrain — 429 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the brakes (317) and engine & cooling (282).
How many recalls does the 2015 Ford F-150 have?
There are 13 recalls for the 2015 Ford F-150, the most recent from April 14, 2026 (automatic transmission). 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 2015 Ford F-150 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 49% 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.