VehicleVerdict

2020 Ford F-150 problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

One of the years to avoid

The 2020 Ford F-150 carries two red flags at once: 850 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA — 1.6× the F-150 norm — and an open NHTSA defect investigation (subject: Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance). It is one of the F-150 years to avoid. Complainants reported 26 injuries in total across these filings.

Transmission leads the complaint categories with 310 reports (37% of the total).

850

NHTSA complaints

11

Recalls

1

Investigations · 1 open

30

Crash-involved

5

Fires reported

26

Injuries

0

Deaths

NCAP overall

How does 2020 compare to other F-150 years?

See all F-150 years to avoid →

What are the most common 2020 Ford F-150 problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Transmission31036%
Engine13115%
Other8510%
Electrical System8210%
Visibility & Wipers637%
Driver Assistance526%
Brakes223%
Body & Structure223%
Fuel System142%
Speed Control142%
Latches & Locks111%
Airbags101%
Steering81%
Suspension81%
Tires & Wheels71%
Seats40%
Lighting40%
Seat Belts30%

Does the 2020 Ford F-150 have recalls?

11 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

26V373000LightingJune 9, 2026 · 91,198 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V097. When the headlight switch is turned from "Autolamps" to "Headlamps On," the Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) may remain fully bright instead of dimming to parking lamps as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

Consequence

Daytime Running Lamps that do not dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will reprogram the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 6. 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.

25V442000Driver AssistanceJune 27, 2025 · 200,237 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

Consequence

A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

24V852000OtherNovember 8, 2024 · 27,678 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence

Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

22V250000Visibility & WipersApril 14, 2022 · 652,996 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.

Consequence

Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available 3rd Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S26.

20V575000Driver AssistanceSeptember 23, 2020 · 620,246 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.

20V467000Electrical SystemAugust 10, 2020 · 431 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 vehicles. An incorrect attachment nut may have been used to attach the battery positive (B+) power supply cable to the starter motor, possibly affecting the electrical conductivity, resulting in excess heat and electrical arcing.

Consequence

Electrical arcing can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the starter motor B+ power supply attachment nut, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S40.

20V197000TransmissionApril 3, 2020 · 55,158 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package. The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually be in a different gear than the gear shift position selected by the driver.

Consequence

If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S18.

20V097000LightingFebruary 21, 2020 · 166,196 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from the "Autolamps" switch position to "Headlamps On." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

Consequence

DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.

19V903000Tires & WheelsDecember 18, 2019 · 33 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 trucks equipped with 17-inch spare tires. The spare tire could have been damaged when it was installed on the rim.

Consequence

The damage can cause the tire to rapidly lose air pressure or detach from the wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spare tire, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S55.

19V805000Electrical SystemNovember 12, 2019 · 135,725 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and braking or steering assist. The engine could also stall.

Consequence

Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S40.

19V633000SeatsAugust 28, 2019 · 639,137 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Consequence

A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Open NHTSA investigations

RQ21002

Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance

On September 23, 2020, Ford Motor Company (Ford) filed a noncompliance recall report under 49 CFR Part 573 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-575), recalling 620,246 Model Year (MY) 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles for a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 111, Rear Visibility. Ford's recall described the noncompliance as insufficient electrical conductivity within the printed circuit board (PCB) internal to the camera leading to intermittent rearview camera operation. The supplier of the cameras was Magna Electronics.According to Ford's chronology in the Part 573, during the period February-April 2020, Ford identified and monitored warranty claims pertaining to intermittent or inoperative rearview cameras. Ford reviewed supplier product changes, focusing on changes introduced by the supplier in the October-November 2019 time frame. The Part 573 stated that the issue was brought to Ford's Critical Concerns Review Group (CCRG) for review on May 12, 2020.On July 7, 2020, NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Testing Center (VRTC) informed the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of a trend of MY 2020 Escape vehicles with rearview camera malfunctions. ODI contacted Ford the next day, providing five Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging inoperative rearview cameras. On July 15, 2020, Ford met with NHTSA to discuss the rearview camera issue. In a subsequent August 24, 2020 meeting, ODI and NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) met with Ford to discuss the recall status and additional VOQs. Ford presented rate and scope data for many of its MY 2020 products during the August 2020 meeting indicating high failure rates for certain models.This RQ is being opened to investigate both the timeliness and scope of Ford's rearview camera recall (20V-575), and Ford's compliance with reporting requirements.The subject reports referenced in the opening resume are identified by the following ODI reference numbers which can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov: 11349813, 11344126, 11342696, 11341486, 11340254, 11337274, 11331444, 11330875, 11329235, 11316960, 11343521, 11341884, 11337226, 11344018, and 11339573.

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND IN THE PARK POSITION IT SUDDENLY ROLLED DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE BEFORE CRASHING INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER DIERS FORD LOCATED AT 2445 N BROAD ST, FREMONT, NE 68025 WHO…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Transmission · February 22, 2021 · crash

The contact owned a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle burst into flames. The contact stated that the vehicle had been parked for six hours. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The contact stated that the vehicle burned down…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · July 14, 2024 · fire

Somehow my daughter engaged park assist. She put her foot on brake and with it still on the break truck began reversing and do not stop till we ran over a mailbox. We even tried to turn wheel.

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Other · July 22, 2025 · crash

The contact owned a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that his employees had driven the vehicle to a work site. While at the work site, the vehicle caught fire while the engine was off. An employee stated that flames appeared to have come from the vehicle's dashboard. An attempt was made to…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · August 28, 2024 · fire

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear window had shattered while parked in the driveway at the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Visibility & Wipers · August 18, 2021

2020 Ford F-150 — common questions

Is the 2020 Ford F-150 reliable?

NHTSA data argues against it: 850 complaints put the 2020 model at #21 of 56 F-150 years, and a defect investigation remains open. It is one of the F-150 years to avoid.

What are the most common 2020 F-150 problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are transmission (310 complaints), engine (131 complaints), other (85 complaints).

Does the 2020 Ford F-150 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns affecting the 2020 Ford F-150. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Is the 2020 Ford F-150 under NHTSA investigation?

Yes — an investigation remains open (Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance). An open ODI action means NHTSA is actively assessing a possible defect.

Which Ford F-150 years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the F-150 years to avoid are 2013, 1997, 2011, 2018, 2016, 2012, 2004, 2015, 2014, 2017, 2019, 1998, 2001, 2005, 1999, 2000, 2021, 2010, 2002, 1994, 2020. The cleanest record among F-150 years belongs to 1976.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.