2026 Ford F-150 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2026 Ford F-150, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance529.4%
- Brakes529.4%
- Electrical211.8%
- Engine211.8%
- Steering15.9%
- Powertrain (other)15.9%
- Body & structure15.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
On 9/1/26 I was traveling in the left most lane, southbound on the NJ Parkway around mile marker 82.7 (or wherever that Maintenance Yard is, I believe District 3) and I had the Blue Cruise feature active. There was a curve in the road which the vehicle was following, but while it was following the curve it started to veer into the lane to the right of me and almost collided with another vehicle before I took control of the wheel and got it back into the lane. This in itself was concerning, but I didnt report it. Today, 9/3, I was on the Parkway again and decided to see if I could replicate this behavior. As I approached the same spot, with Blue Cruise active, and keeping my hands on the wheel, I noticed there was a white paint spill that came from the maintenance yard and into that leftmost lane of the parkway, it curves through the left lane and almost into the next. I continued driving in the left lane and as I approached that paint spill and could feel the steering wheel wanting to follow the paint line, instead of the highway lines. I maintained control of the vehicle and kept it in the lane, but I think this confirms the paint is causing a problem with the vehicles sensors which it cannot compensate for. I understand Blue Cruise is not perfect and can make mistakes, and maybe this is an edge case, but still feel it warrants reporting in case others have experienced the same. Additionally, a paint spill like this should be removed from the parkway as soon as possible.
I purchased a brand-new 2026 Ford F-150 Raptor from Ken Grody Ford on August 25, 2026. On August 26, 2026—one day after the purchase—I was traveling in traffic at approximately 45 mph when the truck suddenly lost power-assisted braking and most of its braking effectiveness. The brake pedal required extraordinary pressure, and even with that pressure the truck was slowing only marginally. I activated my hazard lights and had to cross multiple lanes of traffic while attempting to bring the vehicle to a safe stop. This created an immediate and serious risk of a collision with surrounding motorists. Multiple warning lights and messages appeared, including a red “CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM” warning. After I had safely pulled over, I recorded a video showing the warnings displayed by the vehicle. The truck had only 255 miles on it at the time. No collision or injury occurred because I maintained control of the truck, activated the hazard lights, applied extraordinary pressure to the brake pedal and took immediate evasive action to reach a safe location. I immediately reported the incident to Ken Grody Ford. Because this serious braking failure occurred one day after I purchased a brand-new vehicle, the dealership subsequently agreed to unwind the transaction. As of August 28, 2026, I have not received a definitive engineering explanation identifying the cause of the failure. I am reporting this incident because the sudden loss of power-assisted braking and severe reduction in braking effectiveness in a virtually new 2026 Ford F-150 Raptor created a substantial risk of injury or death. I request that NHTSA document and investigate this incident and determine whether similar braking-system failures have occurred in other Ford vehicles.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Groove being gouged into rotor . Vehicle is new. Dealership will not look at. 2nd Dealership said common issue and pointed to a Bronco with the same issue. Was told a tab on the pad holders. Went to ford f150 forum and was told same thing. The problem is there is a part rubbing against the rotor and no one will do anything about it. Brakes getting gouged and heating up from friction is not good. Wheel has never been off the truck and is available for inspection.
The automatic braking was activated when we were backing out of a driveway onto the road, there was nothing next to us in the driveway, there was a car that came over a hill but not close we definetely had time to get backed out. The brake engaged and stopped the truck, my husband put the truck in drive to pull forward and the truck accelerated quickly forward and would not stop the tires were squealing and locked up, the truck was still going forward, my husband tried putting the truck in park to stop and finally had to really shove it in park but it was not easy to get it to go in park. There was a house and several cars in front of us and the truck was not stopping for anything in front of us, we did not hit anything but only because my husband was able to get it into park at the last second. We came within feet of our truck going through a car and through the house where there were several people inside. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer. If also has not been inspected because the dealer told us that no reports came up in the computer and that there is nothing that they can do about it. There were no warning messages or alerts when this was happening. This happened on September 25th while we were in Omaha Nebraska.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
1. Vehicle sat in a storage unit for 2 weeks. Battery registered adequate voltage when picking up vehicle 2. Started vehicle, engaged 4 Auto due to rain 3. Drove 16 miles in light to moderate rain at speeds of 30-60MPH 4. Made multiple stops at stoplight in town. When waiting at a red light, my foot was on the brake pedal for about 20 seconds, the pedal then jolted up a small amount. The dash immediately displayed several warning lights and messages: Antilock Brake Fault, Antilock Brake System Fault, Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power Fault, Electronic Parking Brake Fault, Hill Start Assist Fault, Precollision Assist Fault, Service Advance Trac Warning, Advanced Front Lighting Features Fault. 5. The light turned green and I proceed to the next light to turn off the main road and park in a neighborhood to call a tow truck. 6. In the process of slowing down for the turn, I applied pressure to the brake pedal, and it went to the floor with no resistance. Brakes were 95% gone. 7. Luckily there were no cars or pedestrians in front of me and I was moving under 30 MPH. This could have been CATASTROPHIC! I was able to use the transmission to downshift to slow the truck down. I was also able to apply extreme pressure to the brake pedal to barely slow the truck. When pressing hard on the brake pedal, I could here one or both of the rear tires sporadically screech, as if they locked up a small amount. 8. Finally was able to pull into a neighborhood and call a tow truck to bring truck to dealership. 9. When turning vehicle on to load onto tow truck. The vehicle started as no normal, with no warning lights and normal brake operation. Awaiting further diagnosis from dealer. 10. I have lost all trust in this vehicle if the brake sporadically give out without warning. Luckily this did not happen while going 80MPH on the highway and needing to make an emergency stop. Or while offroading on a shelf road with a 100 foot cliff on the side. Easily could be dead due to this failure.
Intermittently, the instrument cluster does not turn on upon startup. Speedometer and all other gauges within that screen go dark.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Component Affected: Powertrain / Engine / Transmission Bellhousing Description of Defect: The vehicle is experiencing a severe mechanical defect in the drivetrain assembly, characterized by a loud metallic rattling, scraping, and "tin can" clinking noise originating directly from the transmission bellhousing area immediately upon engine startup. This exact mechanical failure perfectly matches the root cause outlined in Ford Special Service Message SSM 53878. The defect is caused by the torque converter studs physically striking the engine-to-transmission separator plate (spacer plate) near the starter motor. Safety Risk & Incident: This structural contact creates a high risk of localized component deformation, starter motor binding, or catastrophic powertrain failure. The defect has already resulted in a severe drivetrain failure while towing a load on the highway, creating an immediate traffic hazard and requiring the vehicle to be pulled over and towed. Clear video evidence has been captured documenting the precise bellhousing failure noise on this 2026 model year vehicle. Dealer/Manufacturer Response: Ford Corporate (Case CXH-09264120-F2W2T6) and authorized Ford dealerships are explicitly refusing to perform an inspection or authorize necessary warranty repairs. The manufacturer is denying coverage solely because SSM 53878 formally specifies 2021–2025 model years, despite the 2026 5.0L V8 powertrain architecture and the physical defect being identical. An independent manufacturer-authorized inspection by a Regional Ford Field Service Engineer (FSE) is demanded to resolve this unaddressed safety defect.
Knocking noise coming from engine. Only 1900 miles
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Vehicle: 2026 Ford F-150, White 1. Component or system malfunction: The steering system appeared to malfunction while I was driving, causing serious concerns about my ability to safely control the vehicle. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request, subject to its location and availability. 2. Safety risk: I experienced a near-accident while driving because of the steering problem. I believe this malfunction presents a significant risk of losing control of the vehicle, potentially causing serious injuries to myself and other motorists. 3. Dealer confirmation: The vehicle was taken to the Ford dealership for diagnosis and repairs and remained there for approximately three weeks. I received repair history records, but I have not received sufficient documentation confirming that the steering problem was permanently resolved. 4. Manufacturer or other inspections: The vehicle has been examined by the Ford dealership's service department. Whether Ford Motor Company independently inspected the vehicle is UNKNOWN. No police or insurance inspection has been confirmed. 5. Warning lights or symptoms: The steering malfunction became apparent while I was driving. Whether warning lights or dashboard messages appeared is UNKNOWN. Incident summary: I leased this 2026 Ford F-150 as a new vehicle, although it already had approximately 1,009 miles at delivery. Shortly afterward, I experienced a serious steering-related malfunction that nearly caused an accident. Despite the dealership's involvement and repair attempts, I remain concerned about the vehicle's safety and do not feel safe driving it. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this potential steering safety defect.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
9/28/2026 - Driving at approximately 35 mph and the truck jerked hard forward while moving. Weather was sunny and clear and dry. 10/1/2026 - Driving at approximately 45 mph and the truck jerked hard forward while moving. Weather was sunny and clear and dry. 10/13/2026 - I put the shifter in R and backed up. When I went to put it back in D the gear did not engage into D even though the column showed the truck in drive. Note: I was also no longer in R since it wouldn't move backwards either. I kept pressing the accelerator to DRIVE forward and nothing happened for about 10 seconds and then the truck violently jerked forward causing whiplash to myself and my front seat passenger. The weather was clear and dry.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I'm calling to report what I believe may be a safety issue involving the panoramic sunroof on my 2026 Ford F-150 Raptor. I was driving at approximately 9:45 in the morning when the front panoramic sunroof glass suddenly and violently shattered. There was an extremely loud explosion-type sound, and essentially the entire front glass panel disintegrated. I did not see any rock, debris, or other object strike the sunroof before this happened. There was no warning beforehand. The glass broke violently enough that pieces went across the exterior roof and caused additional scratches and damage. Fortunately, I had the interior sunshade closed. My concern is that if the shade had been open, shattered glass could have entered the passenger compartment, and the sudden explosive sound itself could potentially cause a driver to react or lose control. The truck is a 2026 F-150 Raptor with only approximately 6,000 miles. My Ford dealer has referred me to my insurance company, and insurance is handling the immediate repair, but I want this incident formally reported because I believe NHTSA should be aware of the possibility of a sudden panoramic-glass failure. I have photographs taken immediately after it happened showing the completely shattered panel and the resulting damage, and I would be happy to provide them
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .