12th generation · P415 · 12,816 complaints, 9,918 with mileage
Owners filed 12,816 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009–2014 Ford F-150, and 9,918 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 33,000 and 104,100 miles. The median is 65,320 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (26.7% of complaints, typically around 92,000 miles), the engine (14.3% of complaints, typically around 50,000 miles), the electrical system (8.6% of complaints, typically around 66,200 miles).
17 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 3,418 | 26.7% | 92,000 | 57,500–135,000 |
| Engine | 1,834 | 14.3% | 50,000 | 15,000–87,000 |
| Electrical System | 1,099 | 8.6% | 66,200 | 39,500–103,000 |
| Steering | 1,076 | 8.4% | 72,000 | 44,000–109,480 |
| Service Brakes | 960 | 7.5% | 52,000 | 32,000–83,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 898 | 7.0% | 52,000 | 15,000–94,250 |
| Unknown Or Other | 671 | 5.2% | 68,721 | 40,600–100,000 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 554 | 4.3% | 60,000 | 38,000–83,000 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 409 | 3.2% | 60,000 | 30,000–89,545 |
| Visibility | 299 | 2.3% | 49,000 | 31,382–70,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 400 | 352 |
| 2010 | 1,136 | 984 |
| 2011 | 2,973 | 2,449 |
| 2012 | 2,440 | 2,012 |
| 2013 | 3,942 | 2,891 |
| 2014 | 1,925 | 1,230 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 65,320 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 26.7% of complaints (3,418 reports, 2,430 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 92,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 57,500 and 135,000 miles.
A single system taking 26.7% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The engine accounts for 14.3% of complaints (1,834 reports, 1,565 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 87,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.6% of complaints (1,099 reports, 854 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 66,200 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,500 and 103,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 8.4% of complaints (1,076 reports, 908 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 44,000 and 109,480 miles.
The brakes account for 7.5% of complaints (960 reports, 717 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 52,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,000 and 83,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 7.0% of complaints (898 reports, 630 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 52,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 94,250 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2013 model year drew the most — 3,942 complaints — while 2009 drew the fewest at 400. The median year sits at 2,182.
NHTSA records 17 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the transmission and driveline (6), the hydraulic brake circuit (2), seats (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 12,816 complaints filed against this generation, 361 reported a crash; 177 reported a fire; 309 reported an injury; 11 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 2.8% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 33,000 and 104,100 miles, with a median of 65,320. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 50,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
3.5L EcoBoost intercooler condensation: water collects in the air-to-air intercooler during humid/damp highway driving and is ingested on hard acceleration, causing a stumble/misfire and limp mode. Ford's field fix relocated the intercooler air deflector and later revised the intercooler.
3.5L EcoBoost timing chain stretch and cam phaser wear producing cold-start rattle and cam correlation codes on higher-mileage first-generation EcoBoost engines.
Brake master cylinder internal seal leaks allow fluid to migrate into the brake booster, causing loss of front brake circuit function; addressed by Ford recall action on 3.5L EcoBoost trucks.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V378000 | 2026-07-08 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) |
| 24V444000 | 2024-07-01 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) |
| 20V332000 | 2020-10-28 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder |
| 19V433000 | 2019-06-24 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) |
| 19V075000 | 2019-03-04 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) |
| 17V472000 | 2017-10-25 | Seats |
| 16V345000 | 2016-10-28 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Fluid |
| 16V248000 | 2016-09-16 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission |
| 14V710000 | 2014-11-25 | Seats |
| 14V709000 | 2014-11-25 | Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch |
| 14V316000 | 2014-07-03 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System |
| 12V190000 | 2012-06-11 | Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights |
| 12V198000 | 2012-05-30 | Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive |
| 11V582000 | 2011-12-22 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission |
| 11V128000 | 2011-03-07 | Electrical System:Software |
| 11V049000 | 2011-02-10 | Structure:Body:Door |
| 10V659000 | 2011-01-11 | Structure:Body |