2017 Ford F-150 problems owners report most
2017 Ford F-150 problems are documented in public: owners have filed 1,130 complaints with NHTSA, the earliest in 2017 and the most recent in 2026. Sorting those by the component the filer named puts the powertrain clearly first, at 325 of the 1,130 complaints, 29 per cent of everything filed.
A complaint is not a repair bill and not a defect finding. It is one owner telling the regulator something went wrong. What makes the count useful is the concentration: when one component takes 29 per cent of everything filed on a car, the pattern is doing more than chance.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 325 | 29% |
| ENGINE | 272 | 24% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 136 | 12% |
| STRUCTURE | 105 | 9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 102 | 9% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 81 | 7% |
Against the 2016 car, this model year has drawn 36 per cent fewer complaints (1,130 against 1,774). Both years are led by the powertrain, so this is a fault that carried over rather than one introduced with the 2017 car.
Of those complaints, 37 describe a crash and 19 describe a fire. Filers reported 32 injuries.
Recalls on the 2017 Ford F-150
A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator found a safety defect, and the repair is free at a franchised dealer however old the car is. There are 18 recalls on this model year. Your own car may be covered by some, all or none of them, so check the VIN rather than the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.
The risk. When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S45.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
The risk. A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S11.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk. A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S27.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the doors opening while driving although they appear to be closed.
The risk. A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S33.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 and Mustang vehicles. The air bag inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may rupture in the event of a crash.
The risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S26.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250 and F-350 trucks equipped with a crew cab. The left rear inflatable seat belt buckle assembly may be inadequately attached to its mounting bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
The risk. If the left rear inflatable seat belt buckle separates from it's mounting bracket, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assembly, replacing the attaching rivet as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed October 18, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C12.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles originally produced with black or body colored exterior door handles that may have been subsequently equipped with a chrome exterior door handle cover accessory kit purchased from a Ford dealer. These accessory door handle covers may cause the doors to unlatch in a side impact collision. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
The risk. If the doors unlatch and open in a side impact collision, the occupants have an increased risk of injury.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the accessory covers and refund the purchase price. The recall began July 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 17C09.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 trucks equipped with an eight-inch productivity screen. In these vehicles, the instrument cluster may lose power after the initial vehicle start-up in cold ambient temperatures. Several gauges, including the transmission gear position indicator, may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect."
The risk. If the transmission gear position indicator fails to illuminate, the driver may be unable to tell the transmission shift position, increasing the risk of a crash or injury from unintended vehicle movement.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C01.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles equipped with a manual driver's seat back recliner mechanism. In the event of a crash, the seat back frame may not restrain the occupant due to having inadequate welds. As such, these vehicles may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202a, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
The risk. If the occupant is not adequately restrained in the event of a crash, they have an increased risk of injury.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began on June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C08.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 vehicles equipped with ten-speed transmissions. The pin that attaches the transmission shift linkage to the transmission may come out, preventing the transmission from responding to movement of the shift lever.
The risk. The disconnected linkage may cause the vehicle to not move forward or backward as selected by the driver with the shift lever. Additionally, despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the roll pin with an updated part, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S36.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.
The risk. Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'Park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'Park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S09.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. The seat belt anchor may not be adequately welded to the seat cushion frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages," and 207, "Seating Systems."
The risk. The seat belt buckle weld may fail, preventing the occupants from being properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger manual seat track, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C17.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2017 F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid into the brake booster.
The risk. A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel and feel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, possibly requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake master cylinder and inspect the brake booster, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Ford issued owners an interim notification on June 30, 2020. The recall began on October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S31.
Tenneco Automotive (DRiV) is recalling certain MOOG K500359 ball joints, for aftermarket installation on 2015-2018 Ford F-150 trucks. The ball joint may have a misaligned dust boot and may be missing alignment hole and installation warning tag, which may lead to improper alignment of the ball joint.
The risk. An incorrectly installed ball joint may cause the ball joint stud to break, which can compromise front wheel control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. DRiV will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary replace the ball joint, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Tenneco Automotive customer service at 1-877-489-6659.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
The risk. A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter notifying customers of the safety defect were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed April 29, 2022. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-332. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S11.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
The risk. A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S37. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 22V-150.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150 vehicles. A loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear.
The risk. Unexpectedly downshifting into second gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 15, 2026.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 17V053. The instrument cluster may lose power after initial vehicle start-up in cold ambient temperatures. Several gauges, including the transmission gear position indicator, may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect."
The risk. An instrument cluster that fails to display critical safety information, such as gear position or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix. Dealers will update the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.
In owners own words
These are complaints filed about the powertrain, quoted as written. They are one persons account rather than a diagnosis, and they are here because a symptom described by a driver is easier to recognise than a component name.
On two occasions, my 2017 F150 failed to restart after the auto stop/start shut the engine off. April 29, 2022, I stopped at a crosswalk to allow pedestrians to cross. My truck auto stop engaged and the engine stopped. I took my foot off the brake peddle to continue driving and my truck would not restart. Error messages flashed telling me to restart my truck. After attempting to restart my truck, nothing happened. All electronics continued to work (radio, air conditioning, power windows, etc.); however despite numerous attempts to restart the truck, it would not restart. Three pedestrians had
This lead frame issue is never ending. Well over a decade without a proper remedy. I’m very familiar with it. but this one nearly ended my life. After the near collision I called my mechanic and bought a new ford lead frame from a dealership. It’s doing fine now, it’s been 1 year. the incident caused my truck to go into park or possibly reverse at highway speed just as I passed a semi truck and returned to the right lane. If the trucker had not been paying attention it would have been bad. There was nothing I could do. . On top of this, he was under the impression that it was intentional. So
Bought vehicle used 9 months ago and had no problems, warning lights or malfunctions prior to incident 3/9/2022. Driving 50 mph in 5pm rush hour when automatic transmission of 2017 F-150 suddenly decelerated. It downshifted hard on its own and slowed to 25 mph on a busy one-lane interstate entrance ramp. It then lurched forward violently and accelerated back to 45mph. Fortunately, the driver behind me was alert and did not slam into me. The gear selector indicator became non-illuminated, transmission gear display disappeared, plus orange wrench check engine sign appeared on dash display. Th
Similar to the 10-14 f150 recall for the 6r80 transmission lead frame failure. Driving down the freeway at speeds of 50-70 in 6th gear truck has down shifted into first causing loss of control. Transmission then disengages entirely and loses power mid driving. After turning truck off and waiting, starting the truck it returns to normal. failing speed sensor and lead frame are the cause in this transmission from Ford called the 6R80 in year models 10-19 however recalls were only ever issues for the 10-14 generation for repairs of less than 10 years of age or 150,000 miles. My truck is the gene
Noticed 6months after purchase on our way to Juneau Alaska from Arizona. I was driving my 2017 F150 and pulling a 8’x12’ toy hauler trailer on freeway doing 65 mph, I merged lanes to get off the freeway on off ramp. I took my foot off the accelerator got about half way down ramp and the transmission did major downshift to like second gear. Didn’t know what to expect so I just changed it from tow haul mode to drive mode on the end of the shifter handle. It seem to make it the rest of the way to Juneau Alaska. Just thought it was a weird one time thing. Didn’t really have any issues again till
I have the Ford F1 50 2017 model, 10 speed transmission. I about it new. In early December 2024 well on a road trip went down shifting the transmission started jerking, feeling like it was having trouble finding the correct gear. This continues to occur with subsequent driving of my vehicle. This was dangerous because it was occurring when trying to accelerate and pass other vehicles with a safe margin. This safety factor was definitely impaired. The speed was not properly controlled and the whole vehicle was jerking strongly. Luckily there were no oncoming vehicles but if there were this
Every component, by complaint count
The full breakdown of what owners named when they filed. Components below the top ten are grouped out of this table.
| Component | Complaints | Share of all complaints |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 325 | 29% |
| ENGINE | 272 | 24% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 136 | 12% |
| STRUCTURE | 105 | 9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 102 | 9% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 81 | 7% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 65 | 6% |
| STEERING | 51 | 5% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 47 | 4% |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 41 | 4% |
What parts cost for the 2017 Ford F-150
Prices read from one AutoZone store for this exact year, make and model, covering 8 kinds of part and 244 products. AutoZone year, make and model catalog prices. Engine, trim, transmission and VIN fitment are not confirmed. They are what the shelf said on the day, not a quote.
| Part | Listed | Range | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery | 17 | $99.99 to $379.99 | $219.99 |
| Brake rotors | 48 | $72.99 to $749.99 | $145.99 |
| Brake pads | 67 | $32.49 to $185.99 | $69.99 |
| Engine air filter | 10 | $20.99 to $97.99 | $26.99 |
| Wiper blades | 39 | $10.59 to $51.49 | $26.99 |
| Cabin air filter | 8 | $17.99 to $47.99 | $24.99 |
| Oil filter | 15 | $5.99 to $18.99 | $13.99 |
| Spark plugs | 40 | $1.69 to $47.99 | $13.49 |
The cheapest way to keep it serviced
Taking the lowest listed price in each routine maintenance category, the filters, plugs and wipers for this car come to $57.25 in parts. That is parts alone, before labour, tax and the oil itself, and it assumes the cheapest option fits your engine.
Battery. 17 products listed, from the Econocraft Group Size 48 / H6 Battery H6-E at $99.99 up to the OPTIMA Yellow Top Group Size 94R / H7 Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) Battery DH7 at $379.99. A refundable core deposit of $22.00 is charged on top and returned with the old part. AutoZone's own labels account for 11 of them, starting at $99.99.
Brake rotors. 48 products listed, from the PowerStop Disc Brake Rotor AR85164 at $72.99 up to the Baer Systems Disc Brake Rotor Set 2261043 at $749.99. AutoZone's own labels account for 9 of them, starting at $111.99.
Brake pads. 67 products listed, from the R1 Ceramic Series Premium Brake Pads 2310-1602-00 at $32.49 up to the EBC Brakes Organic Performance Brake Pads ED93034 at $185.99. AutoZone's own labels account for 13 of them, starting at $44.99.
Fitment is by year, make and model only. Engine, trim and transmission were not selected, so confirm the part number against your own car before buying. Prices change and vary by store.
How other model years compare
The same nameplate across the years we hold. Complaint counts fall naturally for newer cars because fewer of them have been on the road for long, so read the column as a rough signal rather than a ranking. In this set the 2018 Ford F-150 has drawn the most complaints and the 2020 Ford F-150 the fewest.
What to check on the transmission and driveline
Powertrain reports usually describe a shift that arrives late, lands hard, or hunts between gears, often worse when the car is cold or towing. Some describe a shudder at a steady cruise rather than a bang between gears.
Buying a used 2017 F-150
Drive it from cold. A transmission fault that hides once warm is the most common thing a short test drive misses. Take it to highway speed, let it settle into top gear, then slow and accelerate again to make it downshift under load.
If you already own one
Get the fluid condition checked before anything else, and ask for the transmission control software level at the same time. Several of these complaints were answered by the manufacturer with a reflash rather than a rebuild, which costs a fraction as much.
- Test drive from cold, not after the seller has warmed it up.
- Ask whether a transmission software update exists for the VIN.
- Check the fluid condition and when it was last changed.
- Get any rebuild quote itemised into parts, fluid and labour.
Where the 2017 Ford F-150 problem data comes from
Every figure on this page is counted from complaints and recalls published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, read October 12, 2026. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by the agency before publication. We count each complaint once per component it names, so a complaint naming two components appears in both rows.
- NHTSA recalls and complaintsRead October 12, 2026
- NHTSA record for the 2017 Ford F-150Read October 12, 2026
Something changed since we read this? Tell us