2011 Ford F-150

2,190 complaints on file, page 1 of 110.

1. Filed Sep 25, 2026Failure Apr 19, 2026Acworth, GAElectrical systemFire

   I was parking the vehicle and turned off the engine when the speakers gave out a loud noise. I turned the truck on to see if it would continue but there was no music and smoke began coming out around the radio. I moved the truck away from building and retrieved the fire extinguisher from the back seat. I noticed the "door ajar" warning was on even when the doors were closed. The smoke subsided and I did some quick research online. I was able to find a lot of information about the wire harness between the driver's side rear door and door frame being damaged, producing these symptoms. I disconnected the battery and removed the sheath from the wiring harness. Three wires were severed and several were frayed. (see attached photos) I contacted the local Ford dealership and they explained how it could be replaced at the wire connector in the door frame. Most trucks have a connector in the door frame, this truck does not so the Ford tech offered to solder the wires together. I am experienced in wiring and auto mechanics so I completed the repairs myself as he described.

   NHTSA complaint 11767061
2. Filed Sep 20, 2026Failure Sep 16, 2026Engelhard, NCElectrical system, Power train, Vehicle speed controlCrash

   I bought this truck used about one year ago. Since then I have not had much time to use it. In the last three months I have had some time to drive it. Three times in those months this issue has occurred. Luckily they all occurred on my property and no damage happened except to the truck. First time it happened an exterior mirror was knocked off, a running board was bent, scratches and dings to the to the paint, and a tailight was damaged. This all happened in reverse due to a gate opening I was going through. The motor all of a sudden had a massive spike in RPMs and a violent lunge and slide of the vehicle. I learned later that it was due to a flawed part in the transmission called a molded lead frame. Transmission is Fords 6R80 6-speed automatic. Last time it happened was on 09/16/2026. It has not been inspected by any entity because apparenty I live too far in the "boonies" for anyone to come this far but the vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

   NHTSA complaint 11765661
3. Filed Aug 27, 2026Failure Jul 27, 2026351,072 milesColeman, GAPower train

   The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the transmission independently downshifted from sixth gear into second gear. In addition, several warning lights illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included in a recall associated with the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 351,072.

   NHTSA complaint 11760107
4. Filed Aug 24, 2026Failure Jun 9, 2026110,000 milesCovington, VAPower train

   The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50–60 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to third gear. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with leadframe sensor failure. The contact was informed that the leadframe sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

   NHTSA complaint 11759104
5. Filed Aug 19, 2026Failure Aug 19, 2026218,000 milesPineville, KYPower train

   The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to a lower gear. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that smoke was covering the roadway. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, there was oil leaking around the manifold. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving to the dealer for a scheduled recall repair. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V248000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 218,000.

   NHTSA complaint 11758088
6. Filed Aug 19, 2026Failure Oct 1, 2022150,000 milesMullins, SCPower train

   The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at speeds above 50 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, causing the vehicle to suddenly decelerate. During the failure, the WRENCH icon was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was turned off and restarted, and the failure was self-corrected, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.

   NHTSA complaint 11757870
7. Filed Aug 10, 2026Failure Apr 25, 2026159,599 milesNewcomerstown, OHEngine, Power train

   The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. While driving 50 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into first gear and the rear wheels locked up. The contact stated that while in third gear, the vehicle shifted to fourth gear unexpectedly. The transmission failed to shift above fifth gear. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift out of first gear. After turning off the vehicle, the vehicle resumed normal operation. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the wrench symbol was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the failure was associated with the sensor. The transmission sensor was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The failure persisted over time. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case and confirmed that the vehicle was previously repaired in 2017 under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V248000 (Power Train). The manufacturer declined to provide any additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 159,599.

   NHTSA complaint 11755860
8. Filed Jul 23, 2026Failure Jun 29, 2026Dallas, TXElectrical system, Output

   The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle or while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel intermittently went blank. The contact used an OBD machine to retrieve a fault code related to the Output Shaft Speed (OSS) sensor. The contact was informed that the OSS sensor needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

   NHTSA complaint 11752386
9. Filed Jul 14, 2026Failure Feb 12, 2026Pueblo, COPower train

   Transmission software safety recall was identified due and performed by Phil Long Ford Pro team. Following the software update they vehicle 2011 F150 Raptor [XXX] developed shifting issues 4th-5th gear and 5th-6th gear shifting. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

   NHTSA complaint 11750404
10. Filed Jul 14, 2026Failure Jun 3, 2026300,000 milesPratt, KSPower train

    The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into low gear, and the rear wheels locked up. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle lost traction and slid uncontrollably before coming to a stop on the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train); however, the vehicle was not repaired because the manufacturer required that the owner pay out-of-pocket for the rear differential replacement, even though the rear differential failure was directly associated with the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 300,000.

    NHTSA complaint 11750320
11. Filed Jul 13, 2026Failure Jul 5, 2026120,000 milesColumbia, MOAir bags, Electrical system, Power trainCrash1 injured

    The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while his fiancé was stopped at a stop sign, the vehicle accelerated violently after depressing the accelerator pedal, and the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle continued accelerating while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle crashed through a yard, into a road sign, before crashing into the rear of a parked vehicle, where the vehicle came to a stop. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The driver sustained whiplash and soreness in various parts of the body but had not sought medical attention. A Police report was filed. The road sign was damaged. The driver coasted the vehicle back to the residence before the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. A diagnostic test was performed on the vehicle; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure or duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

    NHTSA complaint 11749933
12. Filed Jul 8, 2026Failure Jul 8, 2026Memphis, TNVehicle speed control

    While driving at highway speed my f150 justdown shited to third gear after stoopping it wouldn't take off.Ihad to shut engine off to get back to first gear .

    NHTSA complaint 11749133
13. Filed Jul 8, 2026Failure Jul 5, 2026Columbia, MOEngine, Service brakes, Vehicle speed controlCrash

    Made a complete stop and vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed and could not stop.

    NHTSA complaint 11748976
14. Filed Jun 9, 2026Failure Jun 8, 2026Lutherville Timonium, MDElectrical system, Power train, Vehicle speed controlCrash1 injured

    I am having a lead frame issue. At various speeds, the vehicle will just down shift, locking the tires and causing a hazard for other drivers which could be a very dangerous situation. I was impacted from the rear due to this occurrence. It causes extreme jerkiness when doing this which is also injurious to my back and neck and shoulders.

    NHTSA complaint 11743046
15. Filed May 16, 2026Failure May 16, 2026Lawton, MIElectrical system, Power train

    What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? “We lost power while driving, along with a weird downshift today, 5/16/2026. This is happen one other time, however not as bad.” How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? “It could have been way worse, lucky there was a left turn lane that avoided us being rear ended by the vehicle behind us.” Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? “Not for this time, but it will be going in first thing Monday. We did have it looked at back in April when it did a weird downshift while driving, but they couldn’t find an issue then.” Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? “No, but it will be after this incident.” Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? “No warning lights, just loss of power and an intense downshift. The first time the downshift thing happened was back in April, but nothing more. We had a mechanic look at it, but nothing happened for him then.”

    NHTSA complaint 11738253
16. Filed May 11, 2026Failure May 2, 2026De Soto, MOEngine, Fuel/propulsion system, Power train

    I've sent earlier not sure if it went through transmission dropingvout of gear at any time putting my. Life in danger, and family, hope I don't end up needing a lawyer if a major fatality happens

    NHTSA complaint 11737185
17. Filed May 11, 2026Failure May 11, 2026St. Clair Shores, MIElectrical system, Power train, Vehicle speed control

    My vehicle has abrupt unintended downshifts straight down to first gear at fast speeds, which is causing rear-wheel lockage near heart attack and near-loss of control spinout. The sudden downshifting causes a loud violent high extreme RPM engine over rev. sounding as if it is about to blow up or an internal explosion. This is occurring at highway speeds up to 70 mph. At these speeds, is an immediate risk to me and others! Causing a fatal high-speed rollover or a multi-vehicle collision due to this malfunction! This was a recall 19S07 for my year of truck but my Vin was somehow was not on the list which I guess makes me not qualified unless I get into a crash and then have a lawsuit.

    NHTSA complaint 11737127
18. Filed May 11, 2026Failure May 4, 2026Vista, CAFuel/propulsion system, Power train, Vehicle speed control

    I contacted ford about my molded lead frame because my truck has a issue with the transmission and they denied my coverage to repair the problem and it’s is expired so the won’t fix the issue.

    NHTSA complaint 11736921
19. Filed Apr 26, 2026Failure Apr 20, 2026Spencer, WVPower train

    When taking off the vehicle will shift into 5th gear trying to take off then hard shift down to 1st then up to 3rd and violently jerk forward. When pressing the brake pedal at a stop light it will jerk forward. When going uphill the vehicle will struggle in 5th gear and then downshift to 4th and loose power and gain power and doesn’t move unless at high rpm’s ( 3000-4000). When on the interstate it will start to move and then loose power then gain power over and over. It will be moving fine then but when taking off it will be stuck in 1st gear and refusing to shift which will then cause dangerous situations with going through intersections

    NHTSA complaint 11733905
20. Filed Apr 22, 2026Failure Apr 8, 2026Whiteville, TNPower train

    I am writing to formally report a dangerous safety failure on my Ford F-150 that persists after having the recommended recall service (19S07) performed. While traveling at highway speeds, my vehicle experienced an uncommanded downshift from 6th gear to 1st gear. This caused an immediate and violent deceleration, nearly resulting in a high-speed rear-end collision. This exact failure is the core safety issue addressed by Ford's powertrain control module (PCM) recall, yet the "fix" provided has failed to protect the vehicle from this life-threatening defect. I took the truck to Bolivar Ford in Tennessee for resolution. However, the dealership refused to perform any further repairs under the recall. They stated that because of my current mileage, the recall coverage has "expired." Furthermore, they diagnosed the issue as a faulty lead frame sensor—the very component linked to these downshift events—and quoted me $2,500 just to begin the repair process. A safety recall is intended to permanently rectify a defect that poses a risk to life and limb. The fact that the vehicle is still performing this dangerous maneuver after the recall was "accomplished" suggests the initial remedy was insufficient or the underlying hardware remains defective. I am requesting that Ford Motor Company intervene to ensure this vehicle is repaired at no cost to me. Given the severity of the safety risk, I do not believe mileage should disqualify a customer from having a documented, lethal defect corrected—especially when the first repair attempt failed. I look forward to your immediate response regarding how Ford intends to resolve this safety matter.

    NHTSA complaint 11733030