Is the 2016 Ford F-150 reliable?

The 2016 Ford F-150 has 2492 complaints filed with NHTSA (1.4x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: below-average. Most common issue: TRANSMISSION problems.

What are common problems with the 2016 Ford F-150?

Top problems: TRANSMISSION (518 complaints, avg repair $500); ENGINE (338 complaints, avg repair $500); BRAKES (336 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2016 Ford F-150?

Yes, there are 14 recall(s): ENGINE, ENGINE, SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER, SEATS, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION, ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. Contact any Ford dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

Is the 2016 Ford F-150 often stolen?

Theft risk tier for the Ford F-150: above-avg. HLDI insurance loss data suggests higher-than-average theft claims for this model.

How much does it cost to insure a 2016 Ford F-150?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2016 Ford F-150 is approximately $1,567/year (sedan-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2016 Ford F-150

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2016 Ford F-150 has 2492 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.4x the segment average of 1726. The most common issue is transmission problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2015 ford f-150. while driving approximately 40-60 mph, the floor of the vehicle and the steering wheel vibrated. the failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion and idling. the failure began the day after the vehicle was newly purchased. the contact took the vehicle to t. There are 14 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 34 fire reports filed.

34 fire reports 48 crash reports 46 injuries

2492

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

518 complaints

21%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-60 MPH, THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND IDLING. THE FAILURE BEGAN THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS NEWLY PURCHASED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO T
• VEHICLE ENTERED "LIMP MODE" AT SPEED ON INTERSTATE, LOSS OF POWER. THIS OCCURRED AT 5K MILES AND AFTER BEING REPAIRED, OCCURRED AT 12K MILES. BOTH TIME DIAGNOSED BY FORD DEALER AS A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY ACTUATOR.
• WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, VEHICLE'S LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE ILLUMINATED, VEHICLE'S SPEED DROPPED TO COASTING LEVEL AND HAD TO PULL TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY WITH NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THERE IS LOSS OF POWER AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. OIL LEVEL W

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-60 MPH, THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND IDLING. THE FAILURE BEGAN THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS NEWLY PURCHASED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2016 Ford F-150

Based on 1,361 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 44K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

493

30-60K

388

60-100K

282

100-150K

153

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

In line with typicalmedian 34K mi · 266 reports

0-30K

126

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

In line with typicalmedian 20K mi · 134 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 27K mi · 101 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

FUEL SYSTEM

In line with typicalmedian 46K mi · 49 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

SPEED CONTROL

In line with typicalmedian 39K mi · 48 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

DOORS/LATCHES

In line with typicalmedian 50K mi · 23 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (14)

ENGINE18/12/2018

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.

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.

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.

Above-average theft risk

Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2016 Ford F-150

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,567

Full coverage / month

$131

Liability only / year

$611

vs US avg

-6%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x

× theft risk1.06x

× safety rating1.00x

× vehicle age0.92x

= Full coverage estimate$1567

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford F-150 Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

36 months

Transmission fluid

30K mi

Engine coolant

100K mi

Spark plugs

100K mi

Cabin air filter

20K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2016 F-150, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Videos About the 2016 Ford F-150

Videos hosted on YouTube — embedded via official player

2016 Ford F-150 - Review and Road Test

Kelley Blue BookDec 2014

How reliable is a $15k 5.0 liter 2016 Ford F150 4X4?

Express Car ReviewsMar 2025

Why I Bought a 2016 F-150 5.0L XLT Sport (and why I believe it’s the best year for the F-150)

Kurt SchwoererMar 2025

2016 Ford F-150 4x4 SuperCrew FX4 Review - AutoNation

AutoNationDec 2016

BUY or BUST? - Ecoboost Ford F-150 High Miles Review!

TopLineRacerJun 2024

Videos are hosted on YouTube and embedded here via YouTube's official player. BestCarRank does not host or produce these videos. Watch counts and channel information are pulled from YouTube's public Data API.

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2492 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-60 MPH, THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND IDLING. THE FAILURE BEGAN THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS NEWLY PURCHASED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: MY 2016 F150 HAS ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ("ACC") THAT APPLIES BRAKES IN THE EVENT A VEHICLE IS DETECTED IN LANE AHEAD IN ORDER TO MATCH SPEED AND MAINTAIN SAFE DISTANCE. F150 ALSO HAS COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM THAT INCREASES SENSITIVITY OF BRAKES IF IMMINENT COLLISION IS DETECTED. 2015 FORD F150
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: MY 2016 F150 HAS ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ("ACC") THAT APPLIES BRAKES IN THE EVENT A VEHICLE IS DETECTED IN LANE AHEAD IN ORDER TO MATCH SPEED AND MAINTAIN SAFE DISTANCE. F150 ALSO HAS COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM THAT INCREASES SENSITIVITY OF BRAKES IF IMMINENT COLLISION IS DETECTED. 2015 FORD F150
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ON 3/21/16 I PURCHASED A 2016 FORD F150. ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP MY FEET AND LEGS STARTED ITCHING AND I BROKE OUT IN A RASH AND MY LIPS, FACE AND TONGUE WENT NUMB. LATER ON THAT NIGHT MY HANDS AND FEET BURNED ALL NIGHT LONG. EACH TIME I'VE DROVE IT SINCE THE SAME THING HAPPENED, EACH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 14 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)