Reliability report · 2016 Ford F-150 · Updated July 2026 · ~$2,950/yr fuel · what it costs to keep →
The 2016 F-150 carries one of the highest complaint totals of any F-150 year in our data (1,687) and a 14-recall sheet — including a transmission recall issued in April 2026 whose final fix isn't available until about July 2026.
It's a capable truck with well-documented weak points; buy on condition and recall history, not on badge.
Evidence: 1,687 NHTSA complaints · 14 recall campaigns · 5 mechanic & forum sources
Canary status
Squawking
What that means: One of the highest complaint totals in our data and a 14-recall sheet — including a 2026 transmission recall whose final fix arrives around July 2026. Capable truck, well-documented weak points.
1,687
Federal complaints
14
Recalls
Tested variant: 2016 Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x2 (NHTSA VehicleId 10239)
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) →Ranked by the cost of ignoring them. Every claim carries its source.
Power train is the top complaint category. Owners report hard 1-2 shifts, slipping, and the serious one: an unexpected downshift into 2nd gear at speed caused by a transmission range sensor signal loss — now recall 26V-237 (April 2026). Interim letters went out May 1, 2026; the software fix is expected around July 2026. Check the recall status before buying, and re-check after July if it shows incomplete.
Recall software remedy (from ~July 2026)
$0
Sources: NHTSA complaint and recall databases, 2016 F-150 · Mechanic channel and owner signal (13th-gen F-150)
Brake fluid leaks into the booster: longer pedal travel, harder stops. Recalls 20V-332 and 22V-150 replace the master cylinder — and the booster if it's already leaking — free. Verify by VIN on any EcoBoost truck, and treat a spongy pedal as this defect until proven otherwise.
$0
Recall remedy
The 13th generation's signature noise: a diesel-like rattle on cold start or at idle from worn cam phasers. Not recalled — out of warranty this is a $1,500–$3,000 timing-system job. Mechanic channels rank it among the top issues for 2015–2020 trucks. Arrive for a cold start when inspecting.
Sources: Mechanic channel and owner signal (13th-gen F-150)
$1,500–$3,000
Out-of-warranty timing job
Bent actuation cables or frozen latches (recall 17V-652); water shields are installed free. Cold-climate trucks were most affected — test every door latch, especially after a cold night.
$0
Recall remedy
Recall 18V-894 plus its botched-repair follow-up 19V-278. If the truck has a block heater, confirm both campaigns were addressed — the follow-up exists precisely because first repairs didn't always take.
$0
Recall remedy
The serious one: an unexpected downshift into 2nd gear at highway speed.
Free fixes at any Ford dealer. Run the VIN — “completed” isn’t always completed.
The purchase price is what you negotiate. These are the numbers you live with afterward — each one sourced, none of them blended into a fake total.
Fuel
21 MPG combined (19 city / 25 highway) for the RWD, 2.7L turbo on the EPA federal fuel-economy test.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (EPA) — EPA’s federal fuel-economy test, recomputed with current gas prices. EPA record 37039 (F150 Pickup 2WD).
Other builds EPA lists: 4WD, 2.7L turbo 20 MPG · 4WD, 5.0L 17 MPG · RWD, 5.0L 18 MPG · 4WD, 3.5L turbo 18 MPG.
$2,950/yr
at $4.15/gal · 15,000 mi/yr · 55/45 city/hwy · pulled Jul 12, 2026
Crash losses
Insurers lose about 24% less on this vehicle than on the average car. Lower collision losses tend to show up in what you pay for coverage.
Source: HLDI — the insurance industry’s loss-data institute — HLDI collision losses, 2015–16 models, published December 2016 (report R-16). 100 = the all-vehicle average. Series read: Ford F-150 SuperCrew 4WD.
Other series: Ford F-150 SuperCrew 75 · Ford F-150 SuperCab 4WD 70 · Ford F-150 SuperCab 81 · Ford F-150 62, where 100 = average.
76 vs 100
24% below average
Theft
Stolen about 21% more often than the average vehicle. Worth pricing comprehensive coverage before you buy, not after.
Source: HLDI — HLDI whole vehicle theft losses, 2016–18 models, published May 2019 (report WT-18). 100 = the all-vehicle average. Series read: Ford F-150 SuperCrew 4WD.
Other series: Ford F-150 SuperCrew 162 · Ford F-150 SuperCab 4WD 79 · Ford F-150 SuperCab 113 · Ford F-150 101, where 100 = average.
121 vs 100
21% above average
Repair risk
What this specific year is known to need. Pulled from the issues above — the repairs owners actually report, at the costs they report them. Averages from other sites blend every year together; these are this year’s own numbers.
Source: this report — 01 Known issues.
The canary watches your VIN — new recalls and the mileage where known issues start.
Watch my VIN — freevincanary.com/ford/f-150/2016