Our report shows that powertrain, electrical system, and visibility/viper problems are the most common.
First introduced in 1975, the Ford F-150 has been a best-seller for more than four decades. While tough, comfortable, and technologically advanced, it certainly isn’t perfect. Consumer complaints about the 2022 Ford F-150 reveal a plethora of issues from powertrain and transmission problems to windshield wipers that don’t work in the rain.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2019 2020 2021 2023
Since the 2022 F-150 was launched in the U.S., well over 400 owners have lodged complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These show that various powertrain, sound, and visibility issues are the biggest problems.
In terms of numbers, electrical system complaints top the list with more than 30% of complaints linking issues to electrics. While problems are varied, a large number of them relate to sound problems. Most sound problems are recorded as being equipment issues (17%) — or sometimes electrical and equipment, or unknown or other. Nearly a quarter of complaints (22.8%) are linked to the powertrain, revealingseveral major problems. Some complaints report that the vehicle rolls forward spontaneously when it is in Park. Sometimes, when the parking brake is engaged as well.Another issue is that the transmission gets stuck, usually in higher gears. This causes vehicles to jerk and surge forward at times. There are also complaints about vehicles accelerating on their own.
Visibility/wiper issues are described in some complaints as a safety risk. Owners of very new trucks say that without warning, they stop working. Some report a shortage of replacement wipers.
There are many other systems and components linked to complaints. They include airbags, backover prevention, engine and engine cooling, exterior lighting, forward collision avoidance, fuel and hybrid propulsion systems, lane departure, latches and locks, both parking and service brakes, seats and seat belts, steering, structure, suspension, tires, vehicle speed control, and wheels.
Owners are also reporting issues with coolant leaks. Read our post on the heat exchanger coolant leak issue.
Additionally, there is an open NHTSA investigation into loss of motive power.
Ford has identified some of the problems that have plagued the 2022 F-150. But even with 12 recalls, they haven’t addressed them all.
Launched in September 2023, the NHTSA investigation is in response to 2021 Ford Bronco owners experiencing catastrophic engine failure. When this happens, drivers experience a loss of motive power and there is no way to restart the vehicle. The NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) added several other Ford vehicles to the investigation including 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles, of which 155,619 were produced.
So far, the investigation has discovered multiple contributing factors that can lead to the fracturing of the intake valves in the subject engines. “Ford acknowledged that a fractured intake valve can result in catastrophic engine failure and a loss of motive power and noted that following a valve fracture, a vehicle typically requires a full engine replacement.” These valves are made of an alloy (Silchrome Lite) that can become excessively hard and brittle when it is machined.
The ODI has subsequently opened as engineering analysis to evaluate further issues.
There are four powertrain recalls, two of which are also listed as being structure issues as well. Others relate to exterior lighting (2), airbags, the electrical system, parking brake, steering, visibility, and wheels.
Two of the powertrain recalls acknowledge that an enormous number of 2021-2022 Ford F-150 vehicles have damaged drive shafts that may fracture. This can cause a loss of drive power or loss of control. Additionally, “unintended movement” may occur while parked if the parking brake isn’t engaged. The first says 184,698 vehicles are implicated and the second, 58,203.
The other two involve faulty bolts. One warns that a loose bolt in the transmission may cause rollaway when the vehicle is in Park. The other states that damaged axle hub splines can cause a vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in Park. This issue can also cause a loss of drive power.
The visibility recall was implemented because the windshield wipers of 483,082 2021-2022 F-150 vehicles could be a problem. The issue is that the front windshield wiper motor may “become inoperative,” which would cause the wipers to fail. More than a year after this recall was announced, owners were complaining that the parts needed for the repair were not available.
While not related, the electrical system recall is due to trailer brakes possibly failing, and the brake recall, is because of unexpected activation of the electric parking brake while driving.
The other recalls warn that:
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| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Power Train | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Equipment:appliance:tv/radio/speakers | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Engine | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Visibility | |
| Vehicle Speed Control |
All 2022 F-150 powertrains feature an innovative 10-speed automatic transmission that has optimized gear spacing. This includes “3 overdrive gears to help maximize shift points to optimize power, low-rpm torque, and fuel efficiency.” But it is clear that this high technology has problems.
Disgruntled owners report that when in a higher gear (usually 7 or 8), the transmission seems to get stuck. But that’s not the only problem.
A Michigan owner says it “stays in higher gears at stops. When starting out it barely moves in response to the gas pedal increase. At about 3,000 RPMs it engages and jerks violently ahead.
“After this happened several times I noticed the transmission gear light was in a higher gear at stop, like 7th gear. Therefore the motor had to rev up to 7th gear speed before it would move adequately. Has to be hard on the transmission when this happens. Also embarrassing and very dangerous should you have to cross a busy roadway quickly.
“It also downshifts suddenly all the way from a high gear to 1st when slowing for an intersection at about 30 mph. This produces a severe jerk, like slamming on the brakes, and a very loud clunk. These conditions occur randomly but when they do occur, they often happen several times in a row then might not happen for a week.
“There are 1,585 miles on the truck. The dealer has had it for 4 days. Verdict, nothing wrong!”.”
“After work, I started the truck and could not get it to go into any gear. The lever was stuck in Park. My model has the fold flat shifter and I keep the shifter folded all the way down when it is parked. It took approximately 30 minutes of turning the truck on and off, opening the door after each power cycle, and folding the shifter up and down before finally it would switch into gear.”
An owner from Colorado heard clicking noises when his F-150 had done about 32,000 miles. It happened when he applied the brakes and then again when accelerating from a stop. It took four trips to the dealer before the problem was diagnosed. In this case, the entire differential needed to be replaced.
While driving, an owner from Ohio was faced with sudden unintended deceleration. And the transmission shifted from 10th gear to 5th gear unexpectedly. The dealer diagnosed a failed CDF drum assembly and replaced it. But the failure reoccurred, with the transmission shifting from 10th gear to 5th gear unexpectedly. This time, the dealer couldn’t duplicate the problem!
An owner from North Carolina also experienced a problem with the accelerator not responding. “It was like the engine failed to power upI looked at the instruments and noticed the transmission was stuck in 8th gear. Suddenly it rolled down to 1st gear and the vehicle literally leaped across the intersection. Fortunately the car in front had moved out normally or the ‘leap’ would have climbed his back.
“I have read of other Ford trucks with this 10-speed transmission sticking in 8th gear when stopping. The hesitation starting into the intersection is dangerous and the sudden leap forward is very dangerous.”
An owner from Illinois states that after parking the vehicle and placing it in Park, “the vehicle inadvertently moved forward approximately 10 inches.”
An owner from Oklahoma has a similar story. After placing the F-150 in Park, engaging the parking brake, and removing the key from the ignition, he went to unload a trailer attached to the vehicle. While removing a tractor from a trailer, “the vehicle independently rolled forward without warning. As the vehicle continued to roll forward, the vehicle jackknifed to the left, which brought the vehicle to a stop.”This bent both the trailer hitch and the trailer frame.
A recent complaint from an owner in Utah describes an abnormal sound coming from the transmission. The vehicle would independently switch gears and would occasionally roll away. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer repaired the transmission, but the failure persisted.
An owner from Alaska reports that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the transmission would only shift from first through fourth gear and the vehicle was hesitating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the TCM software update needed to be performed. It was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted in second gear.
This is a widespread problem that Ford has not been identified as a recall issue. An owner from Tennessee tells it like it is. While backing down the driveway, there was “an unbelievably loud popping sound emitted from the speakers. I immediately slammed on the brakes having no idea what had just happened. This has happened previously but I have not heard (it) in a few months so I thought the problem was corrected. It is the loudest noise I have ever experienced and is extremely dangerous as it happens at different times and is just ear-splitting. My ears are still ringing and it happened at 8:45 am this morning.”
An owner from Georgia states that the “horrifyingly loud rhythmic noise” that came out of the speakers made his ears feel “like they were bleeding and I actually experienced pain due to how loud the noise was. It happened when my truck was parked and I went to start it and the deafening noise hit. No matter what I did, turned the volume down, radio power off, turned the truck ignition off – it still made the noise. I also smelled a very strong burning smell that smelled like burning wires or transmission fluid.”
But the noise doesn’t keep on going. As the Georgia owner states, after restarting the vehicle, the noise stopped. Furthermore, despite lots of comments on the Ford F-150 forum, the dealer claimed to have heard of the problem before.
An owner from Texas states that “a loud static pop sound comes out of the speakers” when starting up the vehicle. “I have no way of turning it off.” But after driving and parking the vehicle, and letting it sit for a few hours, the sound is gone. The dealership can’t help!
Complaints about visibility and windshield wipers range from them stopping or freezing when in use to simply not going on when vehicles are brand new.
An owner from Texas states that while driving at about 45 mph, after selecting the windshield sprayer to clean bugs off the windshield the passenger side wiper fell off after a couple of full rotations of the wipers.
“It appears that the affected wiper came apart where a spline disc that is supposed to be attached to (the) wiper assembly is. I pulled over and secured the loose parts before they slid off (the) vehicle. The disc was still attached to the shaft that operates the wiper.”
An owner from Ohio had purchased the truck less than 30 before the wipers stopped on a very rainy day. He had to pull over and get a tow truck to take me to the dealer. “I was unable to see and almost hit a car parked on the side of the road because I could not see.
“I have talked to Ford and the dealer and they both tell me that this is an ongoing issue with no resolution. They have over 600 customers for the 2022 model year with the same issue with non-working wipers. They told me it could be 2 to 8 months before they start producing wiper motors for repair.
“Shouldn’t this be part of the recall also and maybe a stop sale until they fix this?”
“Three weeks after purchasing an F-150 truck, “I tried to turn on the windshield wipers and they did not work,” an owner from Virginia states. “Later that day I tried again and they worked. Fast forward 3 more weeks and now they do not work at all. Sometimes I can spray windshield wiper fluid but it will not wipe. Other times spraying doesn’t work neither does the wipers.”
An owner from Colorado also reports that the windshield wipers in a brand-new truck wouldn’t work. The dealer said it needed a new wiper motor. But the parts were on backorder with no ETA. “Dealer said, pick up your truck if you need it and we will call you when (the) part arrives.”
There are so many problems with the Ford F-150 that it’s impossible to point to the most likely reason your vehicle might be a lemon. But if you think it is, let Lemberg Law know. We will assess your problems at no charge. It’s good to know that every year, automakers buy back, replace, or pay cash settlements to thousands of lemon owners.
All you have to do is fill out a contact form or call our Helpline. You’ve got nothing to lose because the law makes Ford pay the legal fees for lemon law cases.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
See more posts from Brian Jones
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