Owners have filed 2,137 safety complaints about the 2011 Ford F-150 with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 41 crashes, 18 fires, 31 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2011 Ford F-150, here is how reports break down by system.
"When driving on the interstate with the normal flow of traffic at 55mph, the vehicle abruptly downshifted from 6th gear to 1st gear causing the the vehicle to lock up an nearly caused an accident. This was followed by a a mechanic warning light and the speedometer to lock out and no longer work. Once pulled over, the vehicle was powered down. When the vehicle was turned back on operation returned in a limp state."
"I am having a lead frame issue as many of these models had but it never affected me until now. I can be doing highway speeds, upwards of 70mph and the vehicle will just down shift to first gear, locking the tires and causing a hazard for other drivers which could be a very dangerous situation"
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2011 Ford F-150 peaked later than usual, in 2018.
Across the Ford F-150 model years we track, the 2013 has the most complaints on file (2,796); the 2011 ranks 2 of 8.
6 recalls apply to some or all 2011 Ford F-150 vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, EDGE AND LINCOLN MKX VEHICLES. DURING A SIX-DAY PRODUCTION PERIOD, THE SUPPLIER OF THE BODY CONTROL MODULE MANUFACTURED MODULES THAT MAY HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INTERNAL SHORT.
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 FORD F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, EDGE, AND LINCOLN MKX TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 25, 2010, THROUGH NOVEMBER 20, 2010. THESE VEHICLES WERE INSPECTED USING INTEGRATED DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (IDS) THAT HAD A CUSTOM SOFTWARE ROUTINE TO READ THE SUSPECT …
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 F-150 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 9, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 F-250, F-350, F-450 AND F-550 HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 12, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2011. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQ…
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 FORD F-150, 2012 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, AND 2012-2013 MUSTANG VEHICLES, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NOS. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRA…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks, 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Mustang vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The transmission may unexpectedly downshift into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of July 14, 2026, owners have filed 2,137 complaints about the 2011 Ford F-150 with NHTSA. The most-reported system is power train / transmission.
The 2011 Ford F-150 has 6 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2011 Ford F-150 an overall crash rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved July 14, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.