2021 Ford F-53 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 2021 Ford F-53, 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
- Suspension526.3%
- Electrical315.8%
- Brakes315.8%
- Other / unspecified210.5%
- Powertrain (other)210.5%
- Driver assistance210.5%
- Exterior lighting15.3%
- Steering15.3%
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
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
22S62 - Loose Rear Stabilizer Bar Bracket Bolts. The rear stabilizer bar attachment brackets may break and separate from the vehicle during usage. NOTE: This is a safety risk that I do not want to take. Ford Pro has not been able to locate a Ford Repair in the local area(within 100 miles) that can do this repair. NOTE2: The offical notice was issued in Jult 2024 from Ford, P,O, Box 1904, Dearborn, MI 48212-1904.
Front bump stops for suspension fell of in first 5k miles. I had them replaced and less than 1k miles later one of them is falling off again. This is a common issue with ford F53 RV owners, regardless of final RV maker (mine is Tiffin, but Thor and Fleetwood owners all are having this issue). According to the service ticket this was a revised part. This is a real safety issue as the front springs are now steel on steel in a bump scenario and could cause an driver to loose control..
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
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F53. The contact stated that the automatic headlight switch failed to turn on. The contact was unable to view the instrument cluster. The contact had to utilize the windshield wipers for the automatic headlights to operate as needed. The contact covered the electric eye while activating the headlights. The contact called and notified an unknown local dealer of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F53. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he had not experienced any failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.
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
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F53. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the electronic braking system independently engaged, causing all the rear tires to shake without warning. The contact pulled off to the shoulder of the highway with white-colored smoke coming from the rear end of the vehicle. The contact called for assistance, but the contact was instructed to drive the vehicle in 20-minute increments until he arrived at a service center. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer where it was determined that the electronic brake had overheated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle would not be covered under warranty. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket by the contact. The failure mileage was 2,981.
I have a 2021 Ford F-53 Mobile home. The "AdvanceTrac" and Traction Control Warning Lights intermittently come on during normal driving conditions. This has occurred on multiple trips. Online Blogs show this problem is occurring on other people's automobiles. Ford does not have a RV Service center available to even diagnose this problem until late July. It is currently May. My only option is to let the new RV sit or drive it under these conditions which could be dangerous.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-53. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the chassis was lowered down. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact looked underneath the trailer and noticed that the chassis had lowered down. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the dealer declined to diagnose the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,166.
The contact owns a 2022 Tiffin 36 LA RV built on a 2021 Ford F-53 chassis. The contact stated while the RV was parked, the hydraulic slides opened independently to 4-6 inches. The contact closed the hydraulic slides; however, the failure reoccurred daily. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The RV was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.
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
I have a 2021 Ford F-53 Mobile home. The "AdvanceTrac" and Traction Control Warning Lights intermittently come on during normal driving conditions. This has occurred on multiple trips. Online Blogs show this problem is occurring on other people's automobiles. Ford does not have a RV Service center available to even diagnose this problem until late July. It is currently May. My only option is to let the new RV sit or drive it under these conditions which could be dangerous.
When trying to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle will occasionally lunge a couple feet, then stop moving. This makes the vehicle extremely hazardous when trying to pull into traffic or make a left hand turn with oncoming traffic. It is a transmission issue, as the engine runs fine. I have a picture of the Driver Information Center when this failure occurs that indicates a major transmission problem. The vehicle is still under warranty but no Ford dealer will look at it in the year and a half I have been trying to get it fixed. I have a Ford Pro customer service person assigned to the case but he can't tell what dealer to take it to for repairs. When this condition happens, the vehicle can not move. So it can't be driven to the dealer when this condition. The only way I discovered to clear this problem is put the transmission in Park and shut off the engine. Then restart the engine and put the transmission back in Drive. This is very time consuming when in the middle of an intersection with a speeding semi truck bearing down on you. So I rarely drive this $150,000 motorhome. It's a death trap and according to Ford, it cannot be fixed.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
The slightest gust of wind turns off the traction control which disables cruise control and other important features. If this happens, you have to pull off the road, turn the vehicle off and restart to reset all of the features. Ford is well aware of this and has yet to determine a fix.
My Motorhome is on a f-53 chassis and i am getting the Advanctrac Warrning that Advance trac is disabled and the cruise control shuts down. The cruise control stopping and no advance trac is a big safety problem
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F53. The contact stated that the automatic headlight switch failed to turn on. The contact was unable to view the instrument cluster. The contact had to utilize the windshield wipers for the automatic headlights to operate as needed. The contact covered the electric eye while activating the headlights. The contact called and notified an unknown local dealer of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.
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
Advance Trac Light comes on. Loosing CC/Sway/Hill Hold
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 .