Manufacturers do their best to produce safe, reliable vehicles that you can count on. Despite those efforts, problems can still arise. Worse yet, the issues do not always become apparent until the cars, trucks, and other vehicles hit the road.
When that happens, they have to issue a recall and let owners know to bring their vehicle in for service.
How many recalls were issued for the 2015 Ford F-150?
In total, 12, some of which include:
- Potential sparks from the front seat belt pretensioner
- Chrome handles can cause doors to unlatch in a collision
- Bent actuation cable may cause door to open while driving
- Underbody shields missing/not properly secured
Thankfully, in this article, we’ll cover in detail each of the 12 recalls issued for the 2015 Ford F-150. You can then follow the provided steps to have the problem fixed by a qualified repair professional.
Improperly Crimped Seat Belt Pretensioner Cables
NHTSA Recall ID: 15V867000
Upon discovering a manufacturing defect on their seat belt pretensioner cables, Ford promptly issued a recall. The crimped edge of the assemblies was not properly formed, creating a weak point in its structure. This problem only applies to F-150 SuperCrew trucks built from January 22 to March 17 of 2015.
If not repaired, the seat belt could fail to protect the wearer during a collision, resulting in minor to severe injuries.
When you bring your truck in to fix this issue, your repair tech will inspect the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle. Then, they will replace the affected pretensioners and retractors, if needed.
Potential Sparks From the Front Seat Belt Pretensioner
NHTSA Recall ID: 18V568000
Seat belt pretensioners should deploy without any fanfare, keeping the occupant firmly in their seat. Unfortunately, some of the F-150s make a show of the affair, releasing sparks in every direction. In response, Ford created a recall for their Regular Cab and SuperCrew F-150s built from 2015 to 2018.
Ignoring this recall could result in sparks igniting the seats, carpet, and other nearby materials. Even your clothing and other personal items are at risk of catching fire, which is definitely not what you need in the aftermath of a collision.
Repairs include removing the wiring harness tape and insulation in the B-pillar and installing heat-resistant tape.
Inadequate Mounting of the Left Rear Inflatable Seat Belt Buckle
NHTSA Recall ID: 17V526000
Seat belts need to attach securely to their mounting points to effectively restrain occupants. Ford noticed that this was not the case for their 2015 to 2017 F-150s due to the left rear inflatable assembly hooking to the mounting bracket poorly.
Without being fixed, the pretensioner can come apart during a crash. Thankfully, the repair is simple, only requiring a precise placement of a rivet through the assembly.
Chrome Handles Can Cause Doors to Unlatch in a Collision
NHTSA Recall ID: 17V331000
Though the factory chrome door handle covers dress up the F-150 quite nicely, they also introduce a weakness to the system. When equipped, the doors may unlatch in the event of a side-impact accident, causing them to fly open.
The models affected by this recall include 2015 to 2017 F-150s across all trim levels, including the Lariat. To repair the issue, techs remove the chrome handles and replace them with black or body-colored ones.
Bent Actuation Cable May Cause Door to Open While Driving
NHTSA Recall ID: 17V652000
When in good working order, the door actuation cable and latch allow you to open and close the truck doors with ease. On certain 2015 to 2017 F-150s, this is not possible since the cable is kinked or bent in vital locations.
Further complicating the issue, water can seep into the latches and freeze if temperatures drop.
As a result of these issues, your door can pop right open with the slightest push. If that happens while driving, you could end up getting into an accident as you struggle with it.
Techs can repair this issue by performing an inspection and replacing any damaged actuation cables. They will also install a water shield over both latches to keep them from freezing.
Poorly Riveted Steering Upper Intermediate Shaft
NHTSA Recall ID: 15V279000
While driving your truck, the steering wheel components undergo a lot of stress when turning the wheels. Everything must have solid attachment points to avoid breakages that could result in a loss of control.
Sadly, 2015 F-150s built from March 19 to March 30 have a weak spot in their steering where the rivets attach to the upper intermediate shaft.
If the poorly attached rivets come loose while driving, the intermediate shaft will separate from its flex coupling. This will immediately leave you unable to steer your truck to safety. Ford techs can remedy this issue by replacing the intermediate shaft as a whole if deemed necessary after an inspection.
Water and Debris Could Damage Engine Block Heater
NHTSA Recall ID: 18V894000
An engine block heater makes it possible to use your F-150 to the fullest extent, even when temps drop well below freezing. Their wiring needs to stay in good condition even in cold, wet weather.
In the 2015 to 2019 F-150s (even at the Platinum trim level), the block heaters have cables with splice connectors that are exposed. This means water will eventually come into contact with them, which will lead to corrosion issues.
If you want to prevent further damage, you will need to remedy the issue right away. Otherwise, the wiring could short out, melt, and even catch on fire. Thankfully, the solution is simple. A technician just has to inspect and replace the cable that goes to the block heater.
Damage to the Engine Block Heater Cable
NHTSA Recall ID: 19V278000
While repairing the previous recall (18V894000), the work may have resulted in damage to the splice connector on the block heater cable. This is a possibility on F-150 trucks built from 2015 to 2019 across all trim levels.
Techs will need to look over all the wiring in the system to check for overheated or melted spots. Then, to protect you from the risk of fire, they will need to replace the damaged cables in full to correct the problem.
If they cannot get a hold of the correct cables at that time, they will disconnect the block heater until they can complete the repairs in full.
Engine Heat Could Damage Block Immersion Heaters
NHTSA Recall ID: 20V098000
It’s important for the block heater wiring to sit away from the engine so that they do not overheat. For 2015 to 2017 Ford F-150s equipped with the 3.5L GTDI power plant, the block heater may be located too close to the engine.
If that is the case with your truck, then the wiring on the block heater is at risk of overheating, melting, and catching fire.
When you bring in your truck for recall repairs, the tech will check the location of the block heater and inspect the integrity of its cables. They will then move the heater to a better spot and replace any wiring that looks melted or otherwise damaged.
Underbody Shields are Missing or Not Properly Secured
NHTSA Recall ID: 15V251000
All along the underbody of your truck, you should find heat shields secured over the fuel lines and other sensitive components. If your 2015 F-150 was built on January 30th or January 31st, however, then the heat shields might be loose or missing altogether.
Without these shields firmly in place, your fuel lines, vapor lines, and similar parts could start to melt or otherwise degrade. This significantly increases the risk of a fire breaking out beneath your truck.
Your tech can fix this problem by either securing your shields better or installing new ones if yours are missing.
Potential Master Cylinder Leak into the Brake Booster
NHTSA Recall ID: 20V332000
Braking systems require adequate fluid levels to activate the brakes on demand, and slow or stop your vehicle. If any leaks are present, then your stopping power is toast. This may be your reality if you have a 2014 to 2017 F-150 with a 3.5L EcoBoost powerplant.
On these trucks, the master cylinder may allow fluid to leak into the brake booster, which can leave the system without enough pressure.
If ignored for too long (especially if you do not top off the fluid), you may notice extra pedal travel, softer brakes, and reduced stopping power.
The repair requires that a technician swap out the master cylinder for a new one and inspect the brake booster to make sure it is not damaged. If it is, they will replace it as well.
Adaptive Cruise Control Braking Errors
NHTSA Recall ID: 15V614000
The adaptive cruise control system works by detecting and avoiding obstacles in the roadway. If the system is not accurately doing so, then it may actually cause a collision to occur.
A vast number of 2015 F150 trucks have this issue, which puts their occupants at risk of serious injury. These affected trucks were built between March 18th, 2014until August 6th, 2015.
When the faulty adaptive cruise control incorrectly detects an obstacle, it may apply the brakes for no apparent reason. Fixing this issue requires reprogramming the module with new software.
How Do You Handle an Open Recall on a 2015 Ford F-150?
Not sure if your Ford F-150 has a recall? Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site and enter the VIN (or the year, make, and model) into the form and hit submit. The system will then alert you if your truck is due for service.
If a recall comes up, take note of whether they are still pending and call the Ford customer service line at 1-866-436-7332 to learn the next steps. They will let you know where to go and what to expect during the recall services.
Be aware that driving your F-150 in the meantime is not recommended, since some recalls may reduce its ability to keep you or your passengers safe.
Recall work is performed free of charge by a qualified professional who follows the correct repair steps to remedy the problem.
However, you will still have to make an appointment and bring your vehicle in to restore its integrity. The repair shop will do all they can to get the replacement parts by your appointment date so that you’re back on the road as quickly as possible.
