Used Ford F-150 problems: recalls and what to check before you buy

The F-150 is the truck most used-truck shoppers end up looking at. iSeeCars calls it the best-selling Ford vehicle for more than 30 years, which means plenty of choice and plenty of trucks with unknown histories. This guide does not rank model years as good or bad. Instead it shows what the public records say, so you can judge the specific truck in front of you.

How many recalls can one model year have?

Recalls are not a sign that a truck is bad, because every big manufacturer issues them. But the F-150 has sold in huge numbers, and the list for some years is long. Two examples from the sources we read:

• 2018 model year. A query of NHTSA’s recalls data returned 19 recall campaigns listed against the 2018 F-150. Some of those campaigns cover other Ford models as well, and the count changes as new recalls are filed.
• 2024 model year. Cars.com’s recall page for the 2024 F-150, which draws on NHTSA data, shows 11 recalls. We could read the first ten.

Treat the numbers as a snapshot. What matters for you is not the total for the model year but whether the truck you are buying has any recall that was never repaired.

Examples of F-150 recalls

The table gives a feel for the kinds of problems that were recalled. It is a sample, not a full list, and it covers only the model years named. Recall numbers are NHTSA campaign numbers.

One detail worth noticing: the 2018 entries numbered 26V373 and 26V375 were filed in 2026 because earlier repairs were done incorrectly. A truck can have a repair on record and still have a newer open recall for the same area. Check the current status, not an old receipt.

What about reliability ratings?

Opinions on F-150 reliability vary by year and by powertrain, and survey data is not a guarantee for any single truck. One data point from Edmunds: it reported in December 2022 that Consumer Reports named the F-150 Hybrid the least reliable vehicle in its annual list, with a reliability score of 4 out of 100 for that model, based on a survey of members covering 17 trouble spots. In the same article Edmunds said its own long-term 2021 F-150 Hybrid had gone over 15,000 miles with only a touchscreen module replaced under warranty. Both can be true, because a survey describes many trucks and one test truck describes one.

The takeaway is to look at the exact generation, engine and transmission you are considering, read owner reports for that combination, and then verify the individual truck.

How to check a used F-150 before you buy

1. Get the VIN. NHTSA says it is on the lower left of the windshield, and also on the registration and insurance card. Copy it from the truck itself, not only from the ad.
2. Run the NHTSA recall lookup. A clean result reads “0 unrepaired recalls associated with this VIN.” The lookup shows only unrepaired recalls, so a repair the previous owner already had done will not appear. Recalls more than 15 years old are usually not shown, and a very recent recall may not list every VIN yet.
3. Use the VIN, not the license plate. NHTSA warns that a plate search can return a previous owner’s vehicle.
4. Ask for paperwork. Request the dealer repair orders for any recall work, plus oil, transmission and brake service records.
5. Pull a vehicle history report. The federal NMVTIS reports cost up to $4 each and cover title, odometer data and certain damage history.
6. Take a long test drive. The Bureau of Justice Assistance suggests hills, highways and stop-and-go traffic. In a truck, also try it with the A/C on, and listen for noises when shifting and braking.
7. Pay for an independent inspection. The FTC advises it even when a dealer says the truck is certified or already inspected.

For a general walk-through that works for any vehicle, see our used car inspection checklist. To understand what the recall lookup does and does not show, read how to check a car for recalls.

Questions to ask the seller

• Has any recall work been done, and can you show the repair orders?
• Was the truck used for towing or hauling, and how often?
• Where was the truck serviced, and are there records for the oil and transmission?
• Has it been in an accident or had any body or frame repair?
• Is it sold as is, or with a warranty? On a dealer lot, the FTC Buyers Guide on the window must say which.

If the seller cannot answer, that tells you something too. A truck with a documented history is easier to price and easier to resell later.

Keep your own records once you buy

Whatever you buy, you will want the paper trail to carry on. In Badger you can enter the truck, use the VIN and recall check to see open NHTSA recalls, and log every service and repair so the next buyer sees the history. The service history PDF in Pro is built for exactly that.

Common questions