Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 Ford E-150 problems

Owners filed 23 complaints about the 2011 Ford E-150 with NHTSA between Jun 2011 and Dec 2020. The most-cited component is power train (5).

Complaints
23
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train5
  2. Steering5
  3. Engine4
  4. Service brakes3
  5. Electrical system3
  6. Suspension2
  7. Fuel/propulsion system2
  8. Structure1
  9. Vehicle speed control1
  10. Tires1
  11. Wheels1
  12. Fuel system, gasoline1
  13. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20112
20121
20133
20141
20154
20164
20173
20180
20193
20202

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

5 reports1 crash
“AT ANY SPEED IT WILL SHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. SPEEDOMETER WILL FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 0-65MPH. REAR WHEELS LOCK UP, AND YOU WILL LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. A COUPLE HOURS AGO, ON THE FREEWAY IT SHIRTED TO 1ST GEAR, LOCKED UP THE REAR END, AND THE CAR BEHIND ME CRASHED INTO CENTER DIVIDER TRYING TO AVOID ME. THIS LOCK UP HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES ON FREEWAY AND MANY TIMES ON STANDARD ROADWAY. I TOOK IT TO FORD AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED A RE-FLASH OF THE COMPUTER, AND THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THAT WAS ON SATURDAY 2/18, AND IT JUST DID IT AGAIN MONDAY 2/20. I ENDED UP FACING THE WRONG WAY ON THE RAINY FREEWAY. IT IS NOW AT THE FORD DEALER AGAIN. THEY SAY IT COULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BUT ARE NOT SURE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!!! SOMEONE WILL LOOSE THEIR LIFE!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 20, 2017Power trainCrash reportedODI 10955638

Steering

5 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD E-150. WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE AT 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2016SteeringODI 10904470

Engine

4 reports
“WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED IN THE MORNINGS YOU CAN HEAR A KNOCKING SOUND WHICH SEEMS TO SUBSIDE AS THE ENGINE IS WARMING. I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE ABOUT THE CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES THIS WILL EVENTUALLY OCCUR IF THE CAUSE IS NOT DISCOVERED AND REPAIRED. PLEASE REFER TO YOUTUBE VIDEOS FORDTECHMAKEULOCO SEE THE 2004-2015 TITLED FORD F-150/E-150 LOWER BALLJOINT REPLACEMENT AND HOW A FAILED $4.00 PART TURNED INTO A $7,000 MOTOR REPAIR. OIL PUMPS ALSO. HAPPENS IN THE DRIVEWAY IDLING . FORD DEALER WANTED $125. TO DIAGNOSE THIS MORNING THURSDAY 12/10/2020.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2020EngineODI 11382912

Service brakes

3 reports
“VACUUM PUMP MAKING NOISE WHEN BACKING UP AND TURNING. MY MECHANIC SAID THERE IS RECALL ON 2011-2012 FORD F-150 AND I CALLED DEALER FROM WHICH I PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD NO RECALL ON MY TRUCK. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH BRAKES AND SHOULD BE COVERED IN EXTENDED WARRANTY”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2019Service brakesODI 11222863

Electrical system

3 reports
“ODOMETER READ 136,707 ON 5-12-17 / 2-19-19 READ 136,708 DEALER WOULD NOT EXPLAIN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 29, 2019Electrical systemODI 11204625

Suspension

2 reports
“PREMATURE LOWER BALLJOINT FAILURE. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. WHILE DRIVING FORWARD OR REVERSE AND TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT OR WHEN BRAKING YOU WOULD HEAR POPPING AND TIRE RUBBING SOMETHING UNDERNEATH. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 55,000 MILES DISPLAYED ON THE ODOMETER. THIS OCCURRED AT WHEN VAN WAS IN MOTION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2020SuspensionODI 11382903
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.