The F-series 13th generation line of pickups was remarkably innovative when it debuted in 2015. This was the first mass-produced aluminum-intensive auto made in the U.S. We’d seen a handful of short-run models and concept cars using aluminum body panels, but the 2015 F-series proved that it was actually a viable option for an everyday pickup.
The end result was a truck that was surprisingly lightweight for its size, and offered plenty of miles to the gallon. The whole lineup proved popular, but the F-150 was the star of the show as a truck that was tough enough for work, but could also take the kids to school every day without burning an entire dinosaur worth of fuel.
We often forget that these trucks got off to a slow start. Car geeks loved the idea of an aluminum truck, but the average truck-buyer didn’t really see what the big deal was. For the first year, Ford dealerships had a lot of F models gathering dust on the lots. But the truck did eventually catch on, and today the F-150 is the most popular truck in North America, selling somewhere around 1 million units a year.
That means that when Ford issues a recall, it has a lot of free repairs to hand out. But with sales numbers like that, it’s not like the manufacturer can’t afford it.
By the time the 2016 Ford F-150 came out, the brand was catching on, and Ford was able to sell 820,799 units in total. The 2016 model in particular remains one of the most sought-after used trucks on the market today.
2016 Recalls
The 2016 F-150’s first year saw two recalls.
16S05
The first 2016 F-150 recall on record started on Feb. 2, 2016. The recall affected an estimated 2,894 potential units, and had to do with the multi-contour seats equipped in certain F-150s manufactured any time between April 27, 2015, and Nov. 22, 2015. The truck’s occupant classification system (OCS), the unit that would determine whether the occupant in a given seat was an adult or a child and calibrating the airbags accordingly, was at risk of incorrectly identifying an adult passenger as a child if you activated the seat’s massage feature.
The danger posed by this defect should be self-explanatory: If the airbag system thinks it’s a child in the seat, and not an adult, then it’s not going to deploy in the event of an accident.
Ford issued the recall with inspection and repairs, at Ford’s expense, beginning on March 11, 2016. Owners were notified to call Ford’s help line at 1-866-436-7332, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236 for further instructions with the recall number 16S05.
16C11
2016’s next recall was another seating-related defect. Affecting an estimated 5,280 Explorers and F-150s featuring manual recline driver seats, the recall had to do with insufficient welding failing to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
On Aug. 18, 2016, Ford began conducting inspection and repairs under the recall number 16C11.
2017 Recalls
Ford issued four recalls in 2017.
17C09
The first recall that year affected an estimated 14,410 potential 2015-2017 F-series trucks, including those produced with black- or body-colored door handles, and equipped with chrome exterior handles. The defect saw doors unlatching in the event of side-impact collisions. This was in violation of FMVSS, and created an additional element of danger in the possible event of an accident.
Starting on July 13 of that year, Ford began conducting inspection and repairs under the recall number 17C09.
17C12
Affecting an estimated 117,423 potential F-series trucks from 2015-2017, this recall concerned, specifically, the left rear assembly for the inflatable seat belt buckle. The concern was that it had been inadequately secured to the mounting bracket, failing to comply with the FMVSS. This was the biggest recall so far for 2016 F-150s, but fortunately for Ford, this was a fairly cheap fix to make, simply involving a basic rivet job.
Notifications were sent on October 18 with the recall number 17C12 for owners to have their trucks inspected and fixed.
17S33
The 2016 F-150’s biggest recall yet affected an estimated 1,101,107 F-series trucks from 2015-2017. In some cases, the doors of these vehicles potentially had bent or kinked actuation cables, or were especially vulnerable to freezing if any water were to get into the latch. This could result in the doors flying open while the car was in motion. Even if everyone is buckled in and all cargo is secured, this could still be very dangerous.
Ford issued the recall number 17S33 on October 12, installing water shields over the door latches, and/or replacement cables where necessary.
17S40
Affecting an estimated 177,264 potential 2016 F-150s and Explorers, this recall had to do with the seat adjuster pivot bolts. The power seat adjustment system had the potential to loosen the front seat cushions from the seat, detaching it entirely in the event of an accident.
Ford notified owners with the recall number 17S40 to have the bolts tightened or replaced starting on Jan. 15, 2018.
2018 Recalls
The 2016 F-150 had two recalls in 2018.
18S27
2018’s first recall for the 2016 F-150 affected an estimated 1,619,112 potential units and involved the seat belts. The front seat belt pretensioner in various 2015-2018 F-150s had a tendency to create sparks on deployment, which could treat the carpeting and insulation like tinder, creating a fire hazard.
Owners were notified with the recall number 18S27 starting on Sept. 28, 2018, to have heat-resistant tape applied and the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape removed.
18S45
Affecting an estimated 410,289 F-series models from 2015-2019 equipped with engine block heaters, this recall concerned corrosion affecting the heater cable’s splice connector. Water and other contaminants had a tendency to corrode the connector prematurely, resulting in a fire risk and an unpredictable domino effect of engine damages.
Ford issued the recall number 18S45 and began repairing units starting the next year.
The 2019 Recall
2019’s only 2016 F-150 recall was a follow-up to recall 18S45.
19S11
This recall affected 131,068 of the F-series models that had been recalled over the block heater cable’s splice connector.
Ford issued recall number 19S11 and began sending replacement cables to dealerships beginning May 31, 2019.
2020 Recalls
As of the time of this writing, the 2016 Ford F-150 has had two recalls.
20S08
Once again, Ford had a block heater cable problem on its hands, this time it affected an estimated 13,854 2015-2016 F-150s with 3.5L GTDI engines and block immersion heaters. The concern here had to do with the heater being placed in an incorrect location, which could result in damage to the cable.
The recall number 20S08 was issued and repairs began on April 6, 2020.
20S31
The second 2020 recall for the 2016 Ford F-150s had to do with the brake master cylinder which had a potential to leak brake fluid into the booster. This recall affected an estimated 292,311 2014-2017 F-150s featuring 3.5L Ecoboost engines.
The recall was issued under number 20S31 with repairs being made starting on June 30, 2020.
How Long Will These Recalls Remain Valid?
Any safety-related recall issued on any car remains valid for as long as you’re driving the car. This applies to new and used cars. Just input your VIN to find any active recalls. If you find any, consider getting in touch with the NHTSA or with your automaker’s customer service line. Either will let you know what steps to take to get the necessary repairs at the automaker’s expense.
There aren’t that many exceptions to this rule. You only have 180 days to get your tires replaced if those are subject to a recall. After 180 days, it’s too easy to take advantage of a recall to get yourself a new set of tires after you ran the last set bald. Tires are supposed to wear down well before the end of your vehicle’s life cycle, so recalls on tires do come with a deadline.
Other than that, the only exceptions will be when an automaker goes out of business or when a replacement part becomes unavailable. Recalls may also become invalid when they are superseded by a follow-up recall. That is, if you receive a notification to have a cable replaced in June, and a second notification for the same in August, you only need to worry about the August recall.
You might even be eligible for reimbursement if you make the repairs yourself before a recall notice is issued.
In some cases owners may be fully reimbursed for the cost of the vehicle, but more often than not a recall is simply going to involve inspection and repair at a dealership.
Recalls remain valid for the lifetime of the vehicle both for regulatory reasons, owing to the NHTSA, and because it’s just good business. Leaving thousands of potentially dangerous cars on the road, with your logo on them, could result in a class-action settlement that winds up costing far more than the repairs would have. And even if an automaker can handle those expenses, the cost to a company’s reputation might be impossible to recover from.
How Does Ford Rate On Recalls?
Ford actually rates somewhat below average when it comes to total recalls. The industry average sees around 1,115 recalls per 1,000 cars, while Ford comes in at 1,139 per 1,000. However, Ford rates above average when it comes to severity of recalls, that is, recalls regarding defects that could result in deadly accidents if not addressed.
For recalls concerning serious consequences, including crashes, injury and fire, the industry average comes in at 88.1%, while Ford sits at 85.3%, which puts the company in the top 10. Volvo sits at No. 1 with just 71.0%. So while Ford may issue a few more recalls than most carmakers, the defects in a new Ford pose fewer risks than those in most automakers.
Also, 1,115 recalls per thousand units sounds a little high, since that means that a car is almost guaranteed to be recalled at some point in its lifetime. But that’s just part of the nature of the business. Recalls do not necessarily point to shoddy workmanship or poor design. Rather, there’s only so much testing a single company can do before launching a new vehicle.
You can run hundreds of tests in the lab, but certain problems won’t become apparent until you have thousands and thousands of vehicles on the road from which to collect data. Some issues might not become apparent until the vehicle has already put 100,000 miles behind it, and others might affect so few units that they will be effectively non-existent until you’ve produced close to a million trucks.
A particularly high recall rate might be a little worrying, but no matter what you drive, you have to expect a recall sooner or later.
