2021 Ford F-150 reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 2021 Ford F-150 from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,225
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN
- 267 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 27
- see below
- Reported harm
- 19 reported crashes · 10 injuries · 7 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#271
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Ford median
+888
median 338 across 514 Ford records
Vs 2019-2023
+986
median 240 complaints in 444 records
Top component share
22%
Power Train: 267 complaints
What owners report fails — 2021 Ford F-150
- POWER TRAIN 267
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 111
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 88
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING 87
- ENGINE 78
27 recalls on record for the 2021 Ford F-150
- NHTSA 26V104000 · 2026 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the tr
- NHTSA 23V896000 · 2025 · POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS Damaged axle hub splines can result in a vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied
- NHTSA 24V635000 · 2025 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PA A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 25V132000 · 2025 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BR Loss of trailer brake functionality can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 25V169000 · 2025 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTR An unexpected shift into neutral will cause a loss of drive power and increase the risk of a crash.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2021 Ford F-150
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2021 Ford F-150 units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Ford F-150 reliable?
NHTSA has 1,225 consumer complaints on record for the 2021 Ford F-150 and 27 recalls. The most-reported problem area is power train (267 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2021 Ford F-150 units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Ford F-150?
Owners most often report problems with: power train (267), electrical system (111), unknown or other (88), exterior lighting (87). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2021 Ford F-150?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 2021 Ford F-150. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.