Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My upholstery of the drivers seat was worn out, so I had it replaced. When the mechanic pulled off the old upholstery, he found that the seat frame was broken in two places. I was then told by the service writer that this is a safety issue and that they are required to NOT release my vehicle back to me, due to the severity of the safety of the driver. He told me that the seat could break loose from the truck in event of a collision. - I have saved the damaged component - There was no indication or warning that this component failed
My truck panoramic sunroof is leaking water which is damaging the headliner, seats, console, floor carpet, lights between the seats. There is a recall 16S35 which is for yhe very same issues that Im having. This is a dangerous situation when driving and causes distractions during driving. This is unsafe and osses risk to driving the vehicle during rain, going theough car washes or snow. Please include my vin under this recall so yhe proper repairs can be made.
The truck has malfunctioning climate controlled-massaging seats. The climate control does not work on the seats at all. My dealership looked it over today and confirmed that it was not working but then after two service reps could not find the problem they decided that since the truck has the massaging feature that the climate control must be disabled and will not work! I accepted this answer for a while and then decided that this is surely not the case or why else would the sales sheets say "climate controlled massaging seats"; not "climate controlled or massaging seats"? Well I called the Ford support phone number and after much deliberation the representative told me that I should go to another dealership! I have since learned that this is a common issue to some degree on many year/model of Ford trucks. …
In some affected Ford vehicles with climate controlled seats it is found that excessive temperatures in excess of 132 degrees f can be reached on the rear of the front seats. This area is just above the magazine pocket which causes an increase risk of contact with the high temperatures. Children often store books in the magazine pocket and come in contact with the leather upholstery that is at an elevated temperature. If metal objects, such as toys, are stored in the seat pocket they can have heat transfer from this unit causing the toys to be hot to the touch causing the potential for burns. My children have touched this area of the seat in the past and complained about the seat being hot. They also have at times grabbed a toy out of the seat pocket and immediately dropped the die-cast toy due to it being hot. …
The f150 has climate controlled seat that all the occupants in the front two seats are able to use to heat or cool the seating surface. On my model the seat back of the system is not functioning properly in the cooling mode. After as little as 10 min of use the seat back goes from ambient temperature to uncomfortably warm. When reaching behind the seat and placing a hand on the back of the seat back there is a very hot section where the thermal electronic device is located. This is a safety hazard for anyone reaching into the map pocket or any adult or child who touches the back of the seat. While researching this issue online there have been owners who have used thermal imaging and temperature detection devices who have measured temperature from 115-130 degrees on the back seat. Some even complain they have measured 150 degress. …
The air-conditioned "cooled" leather seats in my f-150 do not work properly. The seat bottoms do cool, but the seat backs, which should also cool, do not. There is a negligible amount of cool air that comes out, but eventually it stops cooling, and gets hot. The back of the front seats (in the area in and above the magazine pocket) does get hot. So hot I would be concerned if a child were to be seated in the back seats, and reached into the magazine pocket to retrieve a book. I imagine if I put a large 'map book' in the magazine pocket, it would completely restrict the exhaust airflow from the ted (device that's supposed to provide cool air to the front seat passenger). Ford customer service and the dealerships haven't been much help on this. …
Front seat back cooling system (ted) is malfunctioning. When seat cooling is selected, after 5-10 minutes the back of the front seats reach extreme temperatures. I am concerned that the extreme temperatures could pose a potential burn hazard or cause an electrical fire. I have not personally measured the temperature of the seats but while researching the problem I came across a forum where individuals with thermal cameras and inferred thermometers have measured the temperatures of the seat. Several of the results were: at the top of the map pocket, at over 115 degrees, when ambient temperatures were at 75 degrees. When ambient temperatures rise above 90 degrees, the front seat back temperature can reach up to 150 degrees or more! Numerous people are having this problem and Ford has not made any public announcement that there is a potential problem with the cooled seats. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the front driver's seat was not structurally sound because the bottom of the seat swayed in a rocking motion. The contact stated that the front seat adjuster pivot bolts failed to function. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 17V767000 (seats), although the vehicle exhibited the same failure as the 2016 vehicles of the same make and model. The dealer (honolulu Ford, 1370 n king st, honolulu, hi 96817, [phone]) was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact felt that the failure would recur if the manufacturer had not provided a new remedy for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.
Front seat back cooling system (ted) is malfunctioning. When seat cooling is selected, after 30 minuets, the back of the front seats reach extreme temperatures, resulting in burning everyone that touches the back of the front seats. I've measure the temperatures, at the top of the map pocket, at over 115 degrees, when ambient temperatures were at 75 degrees. When ambient temperatures rise above 90 degrees, the front seat back temperature can reach up to 150 degrees or more! Please reference f150 owners comments and thermal pictures proving this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed asap at the web address: http://www.f150forum.com/f118/cooling-seats-your-seat-backs-working-properly-304154/index112/#post4276791
Front seat back cooling system (ted) is malfunctioning. When seat cooling is selected, after 30 minuets, the back of the front seats reach extreme temperatures, resulting in burning everyone that touches the back of the front seats. I've measure the temperatures, at the top of the map pocket, at over 115 degrees, when ambient temperatures were at 75 degrees. When ambient temperatures rise above 90 degrees, the front seat back temperature can reach up to 150 degrees or more! Please reference f150 owners comments and thermal pictures proving this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed asap, at the web address: http://www.f150forum.com/f118/cooling-seats-your-seat-backs-working-properly-304154/
Seat complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat problems on the 2015 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the seats of the 2015 Ford F-150, 2% of the model year's 1,737 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2015 Ford F-150 seat problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seats recall for the 2015 Ford F-150, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2015 Ford F-150 seat problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 1,000 miles, and 94% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 32 injuries to seats 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.