What's Wrong with the 12th Generation (2009–2014) F-150?

F-150 owners have made 1,456 complaints about the 2009–2014 model years. Using our PainRank™ system we've ranked it second to last in overall reliaibility, with significant engine and windows concerns.

Compare With Other F-150 Generations

Common 2009-2014 Ford F-150 Problems

Some of the worst issues 12th generation F-150 owners have to deal with.

  1. Swollen and Stuck Lug Nuts

    Most lug nuts are one piece of hardened steel, but Ford chose a design that puts an aluminum cap over a steel core. The cap is notorious for swelling and delaminating when it gets hot, and it’s also a great place to trap moisture and promot…

    Continue reading article "Swollen and Stuck Lug Nuts"

  3. 3.5L EcoBoost Shakes

    Ford promised a direct-injected EcoBoost engine capable of producing power while achieving better fuel efficiency. But owners generally categorize the engine as under-powered, prone to catching on fire, and subject to shaking, shuddering an…

    Continue reading article "3.5L EcoBoost Shakes" Black arrow pointing to charge air cooler system

  4. MyFord Touch Complaints

    Ford's customer satisfaction has been in steady decline since 2010. MyFord Touch was also released in 2010. This is not a coincidence. The system was Ford's attempt at an all-in-one, in-dash communication and entertainment system. What owne…

    Continue reading article "MyFord Touch Complaints"

What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

12th Generation (2009–2014) F-150 Key Numbers

  1. 6 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 1,456 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 93rd in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 94 eligible generations.

Recent 12th Generation (2009–2014) F-150 News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Ford is recalling the 2011-2013 F-150 because it can suddenly downshift, causing whiplash and at least five crashes.

    The 6-speed transmission is dropping into 1st gear due to a communication breakdown between the transmission output speed sensor and the powertrain control module (PCM). This can happen at any speed and without warning. Ford believes they can fix the issue with an update to the PCM software.

    Hmm, where have we heard that before?

    keep reading article "F-150 Recalled for Suddenly Dropping Into 1st Gear"

  2. Leaky master cylinders are causing a sudden loss of pressure in the F-150’s braking system.

    Brakes really thrive under pressure, it’s what pushes the pads against the rotors and keeps your brake pedal from falling to the floor. You know, little stuff like that. In a twist, it’s Ford that finds themselves under pressure from a California lawsuit looking for an expansion of a previous master cylinder recall.…

    keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Ford Should Expand a Previous F-150 Master Cylinder Recall"

  3. Master cylinder leaks are allowing brake fluid to leak into the brake boosters of nearly 271,000 F-150 trucks.

    That stops the boosting and --- not surprisingly --- your ability to come to safely come to a stop.

    Ford says the problem only affects the front wheels, so rear braking isn't affected. But that wasn't enough to stop 9 accidents, however, which have all been attributed to the sudden loss of stopping power.

    The recalled trucks are from the 2013 and 2014 model years. They all have the 3.5-liter GTDI engine and were built between 08/01/13 and 08/22/14.

    keep reading article "Leaking Master Cylinder Recall for Early 12th Generation F-150 Trucks"

  5. The government has closed their investigation into F-150 electric vacuum pump failures, but that's only because Ford has agreed to repair them under a "customer satisfaction program".

    Ford opened customer satisfaction program 15N05 that **extends warranty coverage for the electric vacuum pumps in 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. The satisfaction program extends warranty coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date.

    "All affected F-150 trucks are eligible for the program through July 30, 2016, regardless of mileage."

    You say customer satisfaction program, I say recall. Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to I suppose.…

    keep reading article "Investigation Closed Into Vacuum Pump Failure in F-150 Brakes"

  6. F-150 owners can't stop their brake pedals from suddenly falling to the floor. That means they also can't stop their trucks.

    The problem is an empty master cylinder resevoir that's hard to detect because there's never any corresponding brake fluid leaks. It's like a magic trick that no-one finds amusing.

    A new investigation hopes to pull back the curtain:

    "The no-leak symptom is what makes NHTSA believe the fluid is moving from the master cylinder to the brake booster. In addition to that, some owners told NHTSA that Ford dealers have said the same thing."

    The investigation covers 2013-2014 F-150 trucks equipped with 3.5-liter engines. If the problem is confirmed, it should prompt a recall.

    keep reading article "Master Cylinder in F-150 Brakes Under Investigation"

  7. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed their investigation into engine problems in the 2011-13 F-150 after Ford sent a technical service bulletin to dealers on how to fix the problem.

    NHTSA had received 95 complaints about the 3.5L EcoBoost engine in F-150 trucks misfiring. The misfires would only happen under humid or rainy conditions.

    The EcoBoost engine uses twin turbochargers that compress air to increase the engine's power, and what Ford found was condensation building up inside of the air cooler tubes. When the condensation is high enough, up to three cylinders can misfire.…

    keep reading article "Engine Investigation Closed for the 2011-2013 F-150"