AutoUtility currently tracks 533 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2020 Ford F-150. Powertrain & Transmission issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 228 complaints (42.8% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 17 filings cite a crash, 3 cite a fire, 11 report one or more injuries. The 2020 Ford F-150 belongs to the 13th Generation (P552) platform.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
228 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
101 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
67 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
58 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
17 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
11 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"While driving I will get a wrench symbol with a bunch of codes pop up u0121:00:28 u0131:00:28 u0137:00:28 u0164:00:28 u0199:00:28 u0200:00:28 u0212:00:28 u0252:00:28 u0256:00:28 u1012:00:28 p0557:00:28 p1935:00:68 p193e:00:28 I have also had it jerk while driving ( went down into first gear) while..."
"Severe transmission shifting delays, unresponsive when accelerating. Shutters and skips when coming to a stop."
"Transmission shifts from a higher gear to 1st when going over 60, also transmission has a hard time shifting skips 2nd, 4th, and sometimes 6th gear."
"Went to speed up as I was approaching a ramp going uphill and almost towards the top the truck decided to down shift to first gear going about 45 mph. No accident occurred as no one was around me."
"There has been harsh shifting observed, both cold and warm. Often when downshifting and slowing to a turn or stop, there is a violent slamming into gear. I have also observed slipping in 3rd gear and making harsh shifts that appear to skip gears by the indicator. This is not a constant but..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Ford F-150 | 1425 | 40 | 14 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Ford F-150 | 1732 | 50 | 14 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Ford F-150 | 1101 | 37 | 18 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Ford F-150 | 1883 | 58 | 19 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Ford F-150 | 985 | 14 | 9 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Ford F-150 Current Page | 533 | 17 | 11 | Current |
| 2021 Ford F-150 | 1234 | 18 | 29 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Ford F-150 | 880 | 28 | 23 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Ford F-150 | 595 | 25 | 12 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Ford F-150 | 243 | 26 | 10 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Ford F-150 | 122 | 8 | 12 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Ford F-150 | 0 | 0 | 1 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 93 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 182 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 55 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 36 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CHEST CLIP, BUCKLE, HARNESS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PARKING BRAKE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,TIRES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2020 Ford F-150
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2020 Ford F-150 is Powertrain & Transmission, appearing in 228 records (42.8% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Engine & Cooling (101) and Electrical System (67).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 533 consumer defect complaints and 11 safety recall campaigns for the 2020 Ford F-150.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Ford F-150, 17 filings cite a crash, 3 cite smoke or fire, and 11 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2020 Ford F-150 (1 currently open).
Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.