Traction Control complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3 | 0% | 10,000 miles |
| 2018 | 6 | 0% | 20,000 miles |
| 2017 | 8 | 1% | 32,000 miles |
| 2016 | 17 | 1% | 38,000 miles |
| 2015 | 21 | 1% | 51,000 miles |
| 2014 | 23 | 1% | 48,000 miles |
| 2013 | 30 | 1% | 84,000 miles |
| 2012 | 39 | 2% | 60,000 miles |
| 2011 | 47 | 2% | 81,000 miles |
| 2010 | 10 | 1% | 51,000 miles |
| 2009 | 5 | 2% | 147,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 0% | 0 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 1% | 75,000 miles |
| 2006 | 2 | 0% | 110,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 0% | 16,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2003 | 1 | 0% | 247,000 miles |
| 2002 | 2 | 0% | 190,000 miles |
| 2001 | 1 | 0% | 45,000 miles |
| 2000 | 1 | 0% | 150,000 miles |
| 1997 | 2 | 0% | 148,000 miles |
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
On dec 9 while taking off from the traffic light driving at around 5mph my truck suddenly did not accelerate.., the stability control warning light, brakes warning light and the airbag warning light came on. I almost got into an accident as I did not expect my truck to suddenly not accelerate. At this time the truck would only drive at 5mph. Drove to the dealer at 5 MPH and they cannot replicate the problem. On dec 10 it all happened again. Suddenly the truck will not accelerate and again almost got into an accident. Today for the third time it happened again. On each occasion the dealer cannot replicate the problem however they did remove codes not pertaining to the symptoms.
While driving the vehicle on a city street it started to accelerate on it's own and I had to slam on the breaks because of it doing that. Again one December 20th 2019 it did it again. I dont know what's causing it to be doing that but I've taking it to the dealership and nothing can be found wrong.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light with her foot depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact was able to stop the vehicle before it crashed into the rear of the vehicle in front. The contact stated that the vehicle was also slipping out of gear into a lower gear at various speeds, almost causing a crash. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle seized in first gear after coming to a full stop and failed to shift into the higher gears while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the yellow triangle with an exclamation mark (ESP Fault) and "See Owner's Manual" messages were illuminated. The contact stated that the failures were intermittent. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. …
During a head on collision the airbags attempted to deploy though did not, instead the drivers pillar airbag system caught fire, melting through the seatbelt sending flames up the side of the drivers seat, which prevented the fuel disconnect system from engaging as well it did not dial 911 from the connected phone as it should have after the crash.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the steering wheel was stiff and failed to turn as needed. The message "Steering Assist Failure" was displayed with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was then taken to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a third independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the electronic power steering and rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and was then taken to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 Ford f-150. When the vehicle was parked overnight in cold weather, the fuel gauge, speedometer, weather control, radio, and odometer would freeze and fail to work. Occasionally, a "transmission not in park, emergency brake is on, service is needed" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to baxter Ford west Dodge (18505 california street, elkhorn, ne 68022, [phone]) to be diagnosed, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 208,003.
While driving on steep decline on icy packed snow unpacked mountain road in 4x4 low in manual 1st gear with hill descent assist engaged, the truck stalled and would not restart. (apparently one cannot restart the f150 even in neutral if thy truck is moving. Have to come to complete stop and shift back to park to be able to restart engine. Very dangerous design! If truck stalls while moving the driver becomes a sitting passenger until can bring truck to stop to restart it.) the truck then started sliding out of control on the icy packed snow covered steep mountain gravel road because I could not use the stalled engine to slow the truck down. Ended up sliding off the drop off edge of the road and the truck almost rolled over. Very close to deadly situation. After tow truck got the f150 back on the road I was able to drive the f150 safely down rest of icy road without hill descent assist.
While driving on the highway at approx. 60mph my Ford 2016 f150 3.5l v6 lurched and stalled, experiencing a complete loss of power, throttle control and acceleration. This was the 7th throttle malfunction my f150 has experienced in the past 5 months. Each malfunction exactly the same. Since I am now forced to only travel in the far right lanes for safety, I had enough remaining momentum to veer my f150 off of the highway and bring it to a complete stop. With some effort my f150 struggled but was able to restart and traveling a low speeds I made it safely home. Due to the dangerous nature of this incident I have taken my f150 to the dealership twice so far. Ford believes the issue is the electronic throttle body, but they have been unable to fix the problem. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford F-150 years have traction control problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2011 (47), 2012 (39), 2013 (30), 2014 (23) and 2015 (21) model years. Traction Control complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2011.
Is there a recall for Ford F-150 traction control problems?
No. NHTSA lists no stability & traction control recall for any Ford F-150 model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford F-150 traction control problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles; 39% happened 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.