Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2024 | 4 | 2% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2022 | 4 | 1% | 22,000 miles |
| 2021 | 5 | 0% | 59,000 miles |
| 2020 | 10 | 1% | 45,000 miles |
| 2019 | 24 | 2% | 59,000 miles |
| 2018 | 38 | 2% | 31,000 miles |
| 2017 | 23 | 2% | 27,000 miles |
| 2016 | 35 | 2% | 46,000 miles |
| 2015 | 35 | 2% | 68,000 miles |
| 2014 | 31 | 2% | 46,000 miles |
| 2013 | 39 | 1% | 80,000 miles |
| 2012 | 37 | 2% | 52,000 miles |
| 2011 | 14 | 1% | 61,000 miles |
| 2010 | 19 | 2% | 75,000 miles |
| 2009 | 12 | 4% | 78,000 miles |
| 2008 | 29 | 8% | 98,000 miles |
| 2007 | 27 | 6% | 64,000 miles |
| 2006 | 48 | 8% | 82,000 miles |
| 2005 | 101 | 9% | 80,000 miles |
| 2004 | 85 | 4% | 70,000 miles |
| 2003 | 29 | 7% | 90,000 miles |
| 2002 | 35 | 4% | 84,000 miles |
| 2001 | 66 | 5% | 62,000 miles |
| 2000 | 69 | 6% | 100,000 miles |
| 1999 | 69 | 7% | 120,000 miles |
| 1998 | 42 | 3% | 169,000 miles |
| 1997 | 99 | 4% | 147,000 miles |
| 1996 | 23 | 7% | 100,000 miles |
| 1995 | 35 | 6% | 100,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was in a accident where I was going a okay speed in traffic where suddenly the car in front of me brakes and my emergency brakes did not activate so I had to slam on mines to avoid impact but the car behind me hit me causing me to impact the car in front and with no airbag deployment from impact in back and front. Causing me later with neck and head pain.
Crashed truck and all airbags deployed besides passenger (I was only person in the car). The drivers airbag partially deployed and I smashed my face on steering wheel. It was defective or malfunctioned.
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at 20 MPH, the contact rear-ended the vehicle in front of the contact's vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle that was in front of the contact's vehicle slammed on the brakes, and the contact rear-ended the vehicle. The contact's vehicle was severely damaged to the front of the vehicle. In addition, the air bags did not deploy. The Police and the Paramedics were at the crash location. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the collision center. The contact was the only occupant in the vehicle. The contact was transported to the local hospital. The contact received medical treatment to the right side of his body and multiple X-rays. In addition, the contact sustained severe pain to the right side of his body and sustained pain to his head which required prescribed pain and muscle relaxer medication. …
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed and released. The contact then depressed the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle immediately, and the transmission failed to shift into neutral (N). The vehicle coasted to the side of the roadway and was able to come to a complete stop. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that they would not be able to duplicate the failure without a check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer advised the contact to drive the vehicle until the check engine warning light illuminates to diagnose the vehicle. The contact stated that the following week, the failure recurred while making a left turn into the gas station. …
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her husband was stopped, a 2023 Dodge Ram 1500 reversed at approximately 55 MPH, causing the rear to crash into the front of her husband's front of vehicle. No air bags deployed. The contact's husband and grandfather, who was a passenger in the vehicle, were injured. The grandfather sustained neck and facial injuries, primarily around the neck and chin area. The husband suffered injuries to his hands. Medical attention was required for both occupants. A police report was filed, and the vehicle was towed. The insurance company was pending an inspection to determine if the vehicle was destroyed or not. The contact informed the dealer of the incident, and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
On June 17, 2022 while driving to work on highway in Nee York Stare, I put the adaptive cruise control on so I could adjust my drivers side rear view mirror. The truck suddenly lunged to the left striking a guard rail and overturned several times. Despite being a direct high speed impact to the guard rail and overturning , the steering airbag did not deploy. See police report attached. Due to this , I sustained major internal tissue damage including: a broken sternum, punctured lung bruised aorta, 4 fractures to the vertebrae in both my upper and lower spine and 4 broken ribs in my upper rib cage. I spent a total of 11 nights in the hospital including 4 nights in the ICU. I have not been cleared to return to work and instill under medical care. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the front driver's side air bag cover was cracked along the seem of the steering wheel. The contact stated that the horn was honked, and the front driver's side air bag cover fractured. No warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the costs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after the horn button was pressed, a crack appeared on the steering wheel. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was then taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the driver's side air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.
Related recalls (8)
Air bags › Frontal
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 F-150 vehicles. The instrument panel top cover on the passenger-side may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger instrument panel top cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 16, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 F-150 vehicles. The right-side instrument panel cover may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag to not deploy as intended.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the right-side instrument panel cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 26, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags › Sensor › Side impact
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, 2021 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The front-door side impact pressure sensor modules may have been damaged during supplier assembly, which can cause the side impact air bags to not deploy properly in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver and passenger front door side impact sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 and Mustang vehicles. The air bag inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may rupture in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 F-150 trucks manufactured April 27, 2015, to November 22, 2015, and equipped with Multi-Contour Seats (MCS). The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) that calibrates the air bag deployment level may incorrectly classify an adult as a child when…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Classification System Module (OCSM) with new software, free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2016.
Show 3 more recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 f-150 vehicles manufactured from November 6, 2011, through November 15, 2011. Incorrect software for the occupant classification system module (ocsm) was installed on the vehicles either at the time of manufacturing or during the course of replacement of the module as part of a service…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ocsm free of charge. The safety recall began on May 21, 2012. Owners May contact the Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Ford is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 f-150 pick up trucks as well as certain model year 2006 Lincoln mark lt vehicles. If the clockspring jumper wire comes in contact with the driver side frontal air bag lower horn plate, the wire insulation May become chafed, creating a potential for a short circuit.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer to have a new clockspring jumper wire installed that incorporates a protective mesh cover.
Air bags › Frontal
Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles. The inflator canister in the driver air bag module May have an inadequate weld near the igniter.
Remedy: Dealers will install a driver air bag module. Owner notification began March 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
NHTSA investigations
Inadvertent airbag deployment
ODI opened this investigation based on reports of inadvertent airbag deployment.Data provided by Ford indicated that the airbag clockspring jumper wire, which is situated inside the steering wheel assembly, was installed in a manner that would allow it to rub (abrade) against a sharp metal edge on the nearby horn plate.Because the horn plate is electrically grounded the abrasion of an airbag wire on the sharp edge…
Inadvertent airbag deployment
Ford reports that the inadvertent airbag deployments are most likely caused by the airbag horn mounting plate's sharp metal edge that eventually can chafe/cut the airbag clockspring jumper wire leading to a short-to-ground condition.one hundred eighty two (182) of the 230 reports were for airbag deployments resulting in 56 injuries with remaining 48 reports for an airbag light illumination condition.injuries include…
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford F-150 years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2005 (101), 1997 (99), 2004 (85), 1999 (69) and 2000 (69) model years. Airbag complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 2005.
Is there a recall for Ford F-150 airbag problems?
Yes — 8 recalls, including 23V-072 (frontal, Feb 10, 2023); 22V-684 (air bags, Sep 14, 2022); 21V-805 (side impact, Oct 15, 2021). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford F-150 airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles; 35% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (374 mentions), followed by the frontal › sensor/control module (26).
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.