By the time a new vehicle rolls off the line, everyone has done as much as they can to ensure it’s safe and reliable. However, unforeseen issues still come up, often after owners have driven the vehicle for some time. When there are safety risks like this, companies have to issue a recall for service.
Have any recalls been issued for the 2015 Ford F-150?
As of August of 2020, there have been 12 in total, including:
- Brake master cylinder may leak into booster
- Damage to block heater cable may cause fire
- Fire after seat belt pretensioner deployment
- Doors may open while driving
- Unexpected braking using adaptive cruise control
To help you understand the potential recall risks of the 2015 Ford F-150, we’ll break down these recent recalls.
Brake Master Cylinder May Leak into Booster
NHTSA Recall ID: 20V332000
Ford issued a recall in June of 2020 for the brake and hydraulic system for the 2015 Ford F-150. The recall relates to those trucks with a 3.5L Ecoboost engine. In them, the brake master cylinder may develop a leak, allowing brake fluid to get into the brake booster.
When a leak like this occurs, it can change the function and feel of the brake pedal. It may require a user to apply increased pressure to get the vehicle to stop. It may also reduce the front brake function. This may limit the vehicle’s ability to stop fast enough, increasing the risk of a crash.
To fix this problem, Ford notified owners and had dealerships replace the brake master cylinder. Dealers also inspected the brake booster to determine if a replacement was necessary.
Damage to Block Heater Cable May Cause Fire
NHTSA Recall ID: 20V098000
In February of 2020, Ford issued a recall related to the engine of some 2015 Ford F-150 vehicles, specifically those with a 3.5L GTDI engine and block immersion heater. The affected vehicles had the block immersion heaters moved from their originally installed location.
When replaced, these heaters were positioned improperly and were too close to the engine. This can result in a damaged cable.
The damage to the cable can lead to a short. This can increase the risk of the car overheating and the wiring melting, both of which can increase the risk of a fire occurring.
Ford issued a repair that required dealers to inspect the location of the block heater and its cable. If they were improperly positioned, the dealers fixed this and replaced the cable as necessary.
Fire After Seat Belt Pretensioner Deployment
NHTSA Recall ID: 18V568000
In August of 2018, Ford recalled the 2015 F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles for a problem related to the seat belt. The front seat belt pretensioner can deploy improperly during a crash, leading to the creation of sparks that can cause materials in the car to ignite.
The key risk here is that owners could face a fire in the car due to materials igniting, which can be life-threatening.
To fix this recall, Ford notified owners of the risk. They then removed the B-pillar insulation material and the wiring harness tape. Dealers then installed a heat-resistant tape in place of it to reduce this risk.
Doors May Open While Driving
NHTSA Recall ID: 17V652000
Ford issued a recall in October of 2017 for the latches and locks on the vehicle because they can open while the driver is operating the vehicle. The recall stems from doors on the vehicles having a bent or kinked actuation cable. In some cases, the door latches may freeze if water enters into the latch and temperatures drop.
In either of these situations, the latch fails, which can cause the door to open while it’s being driven.
This risk, which impacted over 1.1 million vehicles across Ford’s truck lineup, resulted in dealerships fully inspecting all door latches. They also inspected door latch actuator cables. If there was any damage to them, they replaced them.
They also installed water shields over the door latches to prevent water from getting into this area.
Unexpected Braking Using Adaptive Cruise Control
NHTSA Recall ID: 15V614000
In September of 2015, Ford issued a recall for the forward collision avoidance feature on the 2015 F-150. It applies to only those vehicles manufactured between March 18, 2014 and August 6, 2015.
In these cars, the adaptive cruise control feature may detect an obstacle in its path and unexpectedly apply the brakes when no object is present. Ford did not note why this occurred when issuing the recall.
If the vehicle determined an object was present, it would apply the brakes to stop the car to prevent the crash. However, this sudden movement can increase the risk of an accident and injury occurring.
To fix it, Ford had dealerships reprogram the cruise control module using an updated adaptive cruise control radar software. This eliminated the problem. There is no cost to the owner for this repair.
How Do You Handle an Open Recall on the 2015 Ford F-150?
Not sure if your 2015 F-150 has an open recall? To find out, visit the NHTSA website and enter your VIN.
If any show up, contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 to find out where to go and how to get the repairs taken care of right away.
