2011 Ford F-150 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the 6-speed automatic transmission downshifting unexpectedly, sometimes to first gear, along with sudden loss of acceleration and inoperable gauges. Loss of power steering assist, with the AdvanceTrac or power assist warnings, is the next most common theme, and engine complaints range from stalls under load to timing chain and exhaust manifold noise. Many reports arrive between roughly 60,000 and 180,000 miles, and several describe the transmission behavior as intermittent and recurring after prior software or recall work.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission downshifts to first gear unexpectedly

   • 670 complaints (31%)
   • median 108,642 mi at 8.0 yrs old (497 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 33 quotes)
   • filed 2011–2026

   Complaints describe the 6-speed automatic dropping into first or a lower gear without warning while driving, often with a bang or clunk, the rear wheels locking and the speedometer or tachometer dropping to zero. In many reports the vehicle then will not accelerate past a low speed until it is shut off and restarted, and some say the symptom returned after a dealer reprogramming or recall repair. Several owners were told the transmission molded leadframe or an output shaft speed sensor had failed. Reported from roughly 22,000 miles to over 200,000 miles, with many complaints filed between 70,000 and 160,000 miles and at highway speeds as well as at low speed.

   Recall 19V075000Recall 16V2480005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether recall 19V075000 or 16V248000 work was done and keep the paperwork, and have a scan tool check for stored output shaft speed sensor or leadframe codes. A test drive should include steady highway speed and a restart to see whether gears and gauges behave.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving at slow speeds (ie parking lots) the transmission downshifts into first gear with a very large bang noise. This problem is very intermittent. Ford has issued a recall (16s19) which was performed on my vehicle by the local Ford dealership, but it did not resolve this problem. I returned to my local and they keep clearing the transmission's computer in the hopes of relearning my driving habits. This was done twice since the recall was performed, with no improvement.”

   NHTSA complaint #11342055, filed 2020-07, 70,246 miles

   “My dealer and Ford have refused to fix my vehicle under the original customer satisfaction program rules for 19n01, and because of a technicality and fords new extra strict rules, I am being asked to pay out of pocket. I only have 10 days left on the customer satisfaction program and they are giving me the run around. My VIN was recalled for unintended transmission downshift safety issue, which has cause accidents and injuries as well as damage to the vehicle. 19n01 is the NHTSA number. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11407979, filed 2021-04, 107,000 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Loss of power steering assist

   • 408 complaints (19%)
   • median 77,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (355 state mileage)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,722 (median of 48 quotes)
   • filed 2011–2025

   Owners describe the wheel becoming very hard to turn, or the steering seeming to lock or overcorrect, often with a power assist failure or AdvanceTrac message on the dash. Some reports say the assist dropped out during a turn or when the wheel was turned hard, and a few say the vehicle shut down or stalled at the same time. Complaints mention dealers replacing the electric steering rack or module, and some owners were unable to get a diagnosis. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 145,000 miles, with a few at very low mileage, and some owners note it happened more often over time or in hot weather.

   What to check: Turn the wheel lock to lock at idle and note any heaviness, noise or warning message, and ask whether the steering rack or EPS module has been replaced. Check that the AdvanceTrac or power assist light comes on and goes off normally at startup.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle will lock the steering wheel while driving if rotated to make a hard left turn. Once the steering wheel is locked, it takes a tremendous amount force to unlock the wheel. This manouver will only happen while the vehicle is in motion, posing a serious safety concern for the driver and occupants of the vehicle”

   NHTSA complaint #11343604, filed 2020-08, 130,000 miles

   “While backing up and upon turning the service advancetrac light came on and stayed on. I researched and found that Ford has been having problems since 2011 for the electric steering rack and pinion (it was new technology for the 2011 model) going bad and could cause an accident if you lose power steering and there have been TSB's about said problem and no recall has been done regarding this dangerous problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11348537, filed 2020-08, 98,700 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalls or loses power under load

   • 424 complaints (19%)
   • median 52,250 mi at 3.7 yrs old (392 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 23 quotes)
   • filed 2011–2026

   Complaints describe the truck shuddering, bucking or stalling under hard acceleration or while towing, sometimes with the check engine light afterward and reduced power and fuel economy. Some owners report loud ticking or chirping from the engine area, and a few say a mechanic found a broken timing chain or a leaking exhaust manifold. Dealers in the complaints variously pointed to spark plugs and boots, an intercooler shield, or replaced the engine. Typically reported between about 100,000 and 220,000 miles, often during acceleration, towing or uphill driving; cold-start ticking is described separately from the stalling.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for ticking or exhaust chirping at cold start and under load, and scan for stored engine codes. Ask whether the spark plugs and boots have been replaced and whether any cold-start rattle work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am driving and the truck just starts slowing down. I try to accelerate and it struggles to kick in, then it finally does. I have been put in dangerous situations where I've expected my truck to work as it was designed to and it doesn't. Now, it wont start at all.the truck only has a out 132k miles and dealer is asking for $13k for new engine.”

   NHTSA complaint #11303056, filed 2020-01, 132,000 miles

   “Upon hard acceleration, while trying to pass a vehicle, the vehicle shudders, shakes and stalls. The MPH goes down and down even if pressing the gas pedal. I must pull over, put the truck in park and turn off the truck. Avoiding a head on collision is difficult when this happens. After restarting the truck, the engine light then comes on. This has happened on four different occasions. The gas mileage is now inaccurate and it appears that the miles to empty does not match the miles driven. Rivertown Ford (columbus, ga) claims to have no knowledge of this type of situation. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11316460, filed 2020-03, 99,540 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Hard start or no-start with warning lights

   • 70 complaints (3%)
   • median 79,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (59 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   Some owners report the truck failing to start in park or neutral, sometimes with several warning lights on and no clear cause. Others describe door locks that would not release, or wipers and turn signals quitting, with mechanics pointing to the body control module or a neutral safety switch. Several complaints reference a recall for a similar symptom but say their vehicle was not included. Reported from about 100,000 to over 185,000 miles, with the no-start event sometimes occurring suddenly after otherwise normal driving.

   Recall 11V128000Recall 10V6590001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Start the truck several times in park and neutral, and check that all doors lock and unlock from the switch and remote. Ask whether the body control module has been replaced or reprogrammed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When the 2 rear doors are locked, it is haphazard when they will unlock or open, either manually or from the inside. When I have children in car seats in the rear seats and I am unable to open either door it can be a matter of life or death in cases of emergencies. Not everyone is able to crawl from the front seat to the rear seats to get babies out of their car seats. The doors will not unlock with the front door panel controls or the remote key. It does not matter if stationary or in motion, the doors still will not unlock . …”

   NHTSA complaint #11376658, filed 2020-11, 185,000 miles

   “It is know that on most Ford trucks that neutral safety module switch goes out and will not let truck start in park or neutral or any gear settings. With other power drive problems.”

   NHTSA complaint #11330906, filed 2020-06, 150,000 miles
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Rear window shatters, sunroof rail breaks

   • 151 complaints (7%)
   • median 65,248 mi at 5.5 yrs old (140 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $750 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2025

   Owners report the rear window, often the passenger side, cracking or shattering with a loud bang and no impact, sometimes while the rear defrost was on. Others describe the sunroof switch or track failing so the glass will not move or the panel fractures, and water leaking into the interior. Complaints say dealers diagnosed a broken sunroof rail or had no explanation for the rear glass. Reported from about 89,000 to 180,000 miles, with the rear glass failures described as occurring on the road or after using the defroster.

   What to check: Inspect the rear glass edges for cracks and check the defroster grid, and open and close the sunroof fully to look for binding, noise or leaks.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were driving down the highway at 10:30pm going 55mph. All of a sudden, we heard a very loud bang that almost caused me to run off the road, thankfully I didn't. I pulled over to investigate and there was nothing wrong until I looked at the back glass. The back glass on the passenger side was completely shattered. Out of no where. Mind you, there was nothing wrong with this prior. I haven't even had this truck for thirty days yet and this happened. I was especially worried because my 4year old daughter was in the back seat, on the passenger side. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11374213, filed 2020-11, 96,500 miles

   “Turned the back window defrost on since back window and mirrors were iced over. Was driving along when the back passenger window shattered. Have tonneau cover on box and no other cars around. Rear defrost light indicator now doesn't turn on.”

   NHTSA complaint #11364771, filed 2020-10, 180,000 miles

Buying note. On a used example, the transmission is the item to vet first: verify in writing which recall and customer-satisfaction transmission work was completed and how recently the fluid was serviced. A pre-purchase scan for transmission sensor codes and a check of the steering assist at low speed will tell you more than a short test drive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 80 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.