2011 Ford F-150 Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 2,190 owner complaints for the 2011 Ford F-150.

Recalled components: powertrain, electrical system, and body structure. Most-described problem: loss of power or limp mode (295 complaints, 13%). Most-reported area: powertrain (825 complaints, 38%; median mileage when it happened: 96,600).

Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated Oct 2, 2026

Best year

Excludes the electric F-150 Lightning.

6 safety recalls for the 2011 Ford F-150

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.

Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA has opened 4 investigations that name the 2011 Ford F-150; all 4 are closed. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.

A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA's first step, to gather information and decide whether to look further. An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. A recall query is a review of whether a recall covered the right vehicles or whether its fix works. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.

What owners report

Owners have filed 2,190 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 F-150. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

Problems owners describe

• Loss of power or limp mode295 · 13%
  Median 52,000 miles at failure, from 265 reports with mileage
• Check engine light215 · 10%
  Median 69,000 miles at failure, from 194 reports with mileage
• Shaking, shuddering or vibration197 · 9%
  Median 48,800 miles at failure, from 191 reports with mileage
• Power steering problems or locked steering191 · 9%
  Median 83,800 miles at failure, from 166 reports with mileage
• Jerking, lurching or harsh shifting128 · 6%
  Median 82,700 miles at failure, from 102 reports with mileage
• Misfires or rough running124 · 6%
  Median 54,800 miles at failure, from 122 reports with mileage
• Steering rack problems: sticking, play or pulling120 · 5%
  Median 55,000 miles at failure, from 108 reports with mileage
• Hesitation or slow acceleration115 · 5%
  Median 46,000 miles at failure, from 109 reports with mileage

Counted from the complaint text: a complaint counts once for each problem it describes (how we match them). Some complaints describe none of these. Compare other models in the problem owners report most for every model year.

Areas named in complaints

• Powertrain825 · 38%
  Most named: automatic transmission (11) · Median 96,600 miles at failure, from 628 reports with mileage
• Engine482 · 22%
  Median 53,000 miles at failure, from 440 reports with mileage
• Steering419 · 19%
  Median 76,000 miles at failure, from 365 reports with mileage
• Electrical system235 · 11%
  Most named: instrument cluster/panel (5); instrument panel, speedometer/odometer (4) · Median 68,000 miles at failure, from 187 reports with mileage
• Speed control213 · 10%
  Median 57,000 miles at failure, from 153 reports with mileage
• Brakes181 · 8%
  Most named: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, wheel speed sensor/tone ring (5) · Median 58,400 miles at failure, from 149 reports with mileage
• Visibility/wiper91 · 4%
  Median 64,500 miles at failure, from 86 reports with mileage
• Unknown or other112 · 5%
  Median 88,800 miles at failure, from 78 reports with mileage

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.

Ford F-150 recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2011 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2018 F-150 drew the most (501) and the 2011 drew 294.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2011 F-150 MPG

Questions