Owner complaint record
2015 Ford F-150 Problems and Recalls: What Owners Report
This page shows the problems 2015 Ford F-150 owners reported to NHTSA, the federal agency that tracks car safety: 1,683 complaints sorted by system, the mileage they started at, the check engine codes owners named, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 3, 20261,683 complaintsFederal file of Aug 25, 2026
+11% vs 2014
381 complaints, 23% of the total
half of the powertrain reports that give a mileage came before this
45 mention an injury, 13 a fire
The powertrain leads the 2015 Ford F-150 record at 23%, with braking system close behind. Of the powertrain reports that give a mileage, half came before 81,000 miles. The costliest part on our cost list is the brake master cylinder, $72 to $191 for the part alone.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate. Use it to decide what to inspect before buying, not to grade the car.
The powertrain leads the complaints, most of them rough shifts, and Ford recalled 2015 to 2017 trucks for an unexpected downshift into second gear. Brake complaints come next, mostly a soft pedal, and the 3.5L EcoBoost trucks have a recall for a master cylinder that can leak fluid into the booster.
2015 Ford F-150 overview
The 2015 F-150 came with a 3.5-liter V6, 2.7- and 3.5-liter turbo V6s and a 5.0-liter V8, all with a six-speed automatic, in rear-wheel or part-time four-wheel drive.
The 2015 F-150 was all new, with a high-strength aluminum-alloy body on a high-strength steel frame that cut up to 700 pounds. It brought a new 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 with standard Auto Start-Stop, plus features such as a 360-degree camera view.
Owners filed 11% more complaints about the 2015 than the 2014 (1,520), and the powertrain leads both years. The 2016 drew 2,023, with powertrain named most.
- Power
- 385 hp at 5,750 rpm
- Torque
- 387 lb-ft at 3,850 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Not direct
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 365 hp at 5,000 rpm
- Torque
- 420 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 282 hp at 6,250 rpm
- Torque
- 253 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Not direct
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 325 hp at 5,750 rpm
- Torque
- 375 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
Fuel economy from EPA fueleconomy.gov; power and torque from Ford media technical spec sheets and ford.com engine pages (Wayback copies), read 3 Oct 2026.
Is the 2015 Ford F-150 reliable?
The 2015 Ford F-150 ranks 6th of 16 F-150 model years for owner complaints, and the powertrain draws the largest share. The four checks below are what the federal record can say; none of them is a reliability score.
- 6thCompared with other F-150 years1,683 complaints, the 6th most of 16 model years (2013 has 2,975).By model year
- 23%The system named mostPowertrain, in 381 complaints. Half of the powertrain reports that give a mileage came before 81,000 miles.Problems by system
- 14Recalls14 recall campaigns cover the 2015 Ford F-150.Recalls
- 50Crashes, injuries, fires50 complaints mention a crash, 45 an injury and 13 a fire.
A complaint count is not a failure rate: the record doesn't say how many were sold, so a popular year draws more reports.
2015 Ford F-150 problems by system
Every complaint to NHTSA names the part of the car that gave the owner trouble, such as the engine or the steering. The cards below sort the 1,683 complaints about the 2015 Ford F-150 that way, largest first: open one to read what owners wrote, when it usually starts, and what to check.
Powertrain23%381 complaintsHarsh or unexpected shifts
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What owners describe
While driving as you try to maintain speed at a lower rpm the trans feels like shaking or makes a noise of rattling, and also hard down shifts from 5th to 4th to 3rd gear, I have it looked at at 2 dealerships and one said nothing wrong and the second one said the rattling noise was the skid guard wasn't tight enough supposedly they did tight it but noise is still there
While driving the vehicle a grinding noise emanated from somewhere near the front wheels. The was also the feeling of a shutter or a shake from the same area. This was felt in the steering wheel. After taking it to the Ford dealer, we were told they took a fluid sample from the transfer case and found it contaminated with metal. At 44,576 miles, we had to replace the transfer case.
FLNYMONCRead 4 more owner reports+4
While driving 60 on a 2 lane rural highway, the cluster lights up with 'hill assist not available' and engine loses power and truck starts shaking even when stopped. Turned truck off and back on and worked fine. Happened once more and now check engine light is on.
I bought this truck brand new from the dealer 8-2015. As of august 1, 2019 the truck stated vibrating between 50 mph and 75 mph while driving on the highways. I am getting a vibration from what appears to be my drive axle. It is most prominent when letting off the throttle and coasting from 75 mph to 50 mph. You can feel it in the steering wheel and you can also hear it.
Vehicle transmission slams or bangs when shifting from 4 to 5 gear. It also hangs in 4th gear when at speed that is near the speed required to shift up from 4th or 5th gear.
My f-150 has had 2 turbos in 1 year go bad on it, causing me to not be able to accelerate at highway speeds. Losing gas mileage and coolant also. My tire sensor has also gone bad on the truck and caused me to over inflate it.
When it starts
Usually starts around 81,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 50,250 and 128,262.
What to do
Feel each shift, light and hard throttle, for a jolt or a sudden downshift.
Our guideBad Transmission Symptoms: Seven Causes Ranked from $6.19 to $7,100Braking system18%298 complaintsSoft pedal, fluid leaks
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What owners describe
I was driving to work at ~65mph during rush hour and the brakes failed. First a warning light about low brake fluid then followed immediately by complete brake failure. I was lucky and got to the shoulder and coasted until stopping. The truck has been at the dealership for almost a month (still don't have the vehicle back).
Spongy brakes and pedal goes low. A vehicle report was completed with the truck running connecting to Ford via my cell phone. A issue was detected. Then run again. Detected again. Then run again a hour or so later and not detected. I see a recall inquiry has been open on 2015-2016 f150 with the v6 3.6l engine. Mine is a 5.0v8.
TXTXFLMORead 4 more owner reports+4
Complete brake failure, all brake fluid leaked out with no sign of a leak. While driving on highway received a low brake fluid error on the dash and upon pressing the brakes they went all the way to the floor 2015 Ford f150 king ranch with 51,000 miles.
I lost all break function while traveling 40 mph and had to use my e-brake to come to a stop. Ford and my local Ford dealership admit that the issue was a defective brake fluid master cylinder.
Got the brake fluid warning and then within 5 minutes the brakes were gone, the pedal went straight to the floor while driving. Complete loss of braking thereafter need to be towed to dealer.
When driving at night in the far left lane going 72 mph with the adaptive cruise control on, the truck randomly slammed on the brakes and the red crash indicator flashed although there was nothing in front of the truck. If someone was behind me, it is likely they would have rear ended my vehicle. There seems to be a defect in the auto cruise control,although Ford believes this behavior is normal.
When it starts
Usually starts around 50,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 33,200 and 68,900.
What to do
Hold hard pressure on the pedal for ten seconds; it should not sink.
Our guideBrake Warning Light: What It Means and Is It Safe to Drive?More: ABS light on · Warped brake rotors
Engine16%262 complaintsStalling, power loss
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What owners describe
The truck completely lost power on a major interstate. The engine kept running, but no power to maneuver putting me and my family's safety in jeopardy. I was lucky it did not stall in a different place, or there could have been a major accident. It turned out to be a bad electronic throttle body. Ford dealer replaced it at a cost of $500.
New 2015 f150, accelerates and decelerates on its own. Brakes create loud noise. Wiring harness as it relates to the shifting of the truck was replaced within the first six months as well. Auto off frequently refuses to restart. Loss of complete power on highway.
MOTXMOAZRead 4 more owner reports+4
Brakes went out while driving. Brake fluid keeps disappearing. Brake fluid has leaked into the intake and caused massive amounts of smoke from the exhaust, the master cylinder failed at only 42k miles.
Since december 27th 2018 the oil pressure switch has gone out 3 times. The second time 3 or more qts of oil leaked out. Low oil pressure light came on when starting up in driveway.
2015 Ford f-150. Consumer writes in regard to faulty evap blocking valve and request an investigation on defect part in vehicle model. *as *js
When accelerating , there is a loud chirping noise coming from the engine. The exhaust manifolds have warped. Very annoying sound and loss of power. Seems to be a common problem among other owners of the 3.5 eco boost. Very disappointing.
When it starts
Usually starts around 62,225 miles. Half of owners reported it between 44,000 and 87,750.
What to do
Accelerate hard on the highway and feel for a loss of power.
Our guideEngine Power Reduced: Meaning, Causes and How to FixElectrical system10%160 complaintsWarning lights
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What owners describe
Engine block heater recall #19s11 Ford NHTSA # 19v-278 it has been over a year now waiting for replacement part...keep calling Ford and they say parts are in, but I called dealer and they say not till october of this year, they keep putting it off.
The adaptive cruise control slams on the brakes after just passing the end of a semi or large truck. It happens intermittently but has continued over the last 14 months. We have taken the vehicle to the dealer 4 times and they were unable to fix the problem. We traded the vehicle in this last week it still has the same problem .
VAMSRead 2 more owner reports+2
New 2015 f150, accelerates and decelerates on its own. Brakes create loud noise. Wiring harness as it relates to the shifting of the truck was replaced within the first six months as well. Auto off frequently refuses to restart. Loss of complete power on highway.
Started my truck using remote start. Roughly 45-55 secs later, I get in my truck and the rear passenger area is filled with smoke. I shut off vehicle. I smelled burned electrical wires. I wasn't able to detect anything out of the norm. Roughly 5-7 mins later, my back glass shattered. Truck was stationary.
When it starts
Usually starts around 51,650 miles. Half of owners reported it between 21,500 and 69,500.
What to do
Watch the dash for warning lights on the test drive.
Throttle and speed control8%134 complaintsShifting and throttle problems
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What owners describe
When driving at night in the far left lane going 72 mph with the adaptive cruise control on, the truck randomly slammed on the brakes and the red crash indicator flashed although there was nothing in front of the truck. If someone was behind me, it is likely they would have rear ended my vehicle. There seems to be a defect in the auto cruise control,although Ford believes this behavior is normal.
When passing a large truck on a 4 lane road, adaptive cruse detected a collision and applied full braking. This occurred as I was in the trucks full shadow. Again last week while on the expressway and passing a semi, my vehicle detected a collision and applied full braking, again while in the semi's shadow.
SCVARead 2 more owner reports+2
Vehicle w/ less than 3,800 miles. Placed vehicle in drive and the rpms spiked and vehicle took off. Hard braked to gain control of vehicle the tires continued to spin on road surface. Forced the vehicle into park until the rmps dropped to normal range than placed into drive again, but with out incident.
While trying to pass a dump truck on the interstate with adaptive cruise on, vehicle slammed on the brakes, and causing the vehicle behind me to slam on theirs to avoid hitting me.. I noticed that there had been a recall for this before in 2015, but I never received any notice of this.. It is a very serious road hazard!!
When it starts
Usually starts around 44,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 18,000 and 74,800.
What to do
Use the cruise control on the test drive and feel for surges.
What repairs cost on the 2015 Ford F-150
Part prices for the problems 2015 F-150 owners report most. They are shelf and mail-order prices for the part alone, so a shop bill adds labor and its own markup.
Five brands, from Dorman up to Motorcraft. Recall 20V332 covers a master cylinder that can leak fluid into the brake booster on certain 2015 trucks, free at the dealer; check the VIN first.
Check master cylindersPrices on this page are our own research, not the store’s, and store prices change daily.
Prices read on RockAuto on Oct 2, 2026, for the parts listed as fitting this car; regular stock only, closeouts left out.
Check engine codes owners report
19 owners name P2112 (throttle actuator stuck closed) in their complaints, the code named most for this car.
Complaints whose text names the code, one count per complaint. Tap a code to read our guide; grey codes have no guide yet.
When problems show up on the odometer
Throttle and speed control complaints start earliest, typically around 44,000 miles. Powertrain complaints start latest, around 81,000 miles.
Dot: typical mileage. Bar: the middle half of reports. From the mileage owners wrote on the form.
Ford F-150 complaints by model year
2015 is shown in dark. The powertrain is named most in 14 other F-150 years.
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2015 is shown in dark. The powertrain is named most in 14 other F-150 years.
When owners filed
Complaints about the 2015 Ford F-150 have kept arriving since 2015, with peaks in 2018 and 2019. A peak often follows a recall or a news story, not a new fault.
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2015 Ford F-150 recalls
14 recall campaigns cover the 2015 Ford F-150. A recall list is by model year; whether one car had the work done is in its VIN record.
2015 Ford F-150 crash tests and investigations
NHTSA crash tests rate the 2015 Ford F-150 five stars overall, the same for 4x2 and 4x4. Its defect office has opened five investigations into four problems that cover this model year.
Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars: 5 is the safest result, 1 the least safe.
Frontal stars compare cars of about the same weight; side stars compare every vehicle. Rollover stars show how top-heavy the car is: NHTSA puts the 2015 Ford F-150’s chance of rolling over in a single-car crash at 19%.
Safety equipment NHTSA recommends
Optional means some trims have it and some don’t. Check the car you are looking at.
Federal investigations
Before you buy a used 2015 Ford F-150
Owners of the 2015 F-150 most often describe rough shifts and a brake pedal that sinks or feels soft. The VIN shows both the transmission and the master cylinder campaigns.
- 1Feel every upshift and downshift
Rough shifts lead the file, and a recall covers a drop into second.
- 2Push the brake pedal hard and hold it
A soft pedal is the main brake complaint.
- 3Check the VIN for open campaigns
Transmission and master cylinder recalls apply.
- 4Pull hard from a stop
Owners describe a loss of power.
- 5Note any warning light
Warning lights appear across several systems.
Oil and service for the 2015 Ford F-150
This is what Ford's manual says the 2015 F-150 needs: which oil to use and how much, the fluids for the transmission and the cooling system, and when each job is due. The truck tracks oil wear itself and shows an oil change message on the dashboard, but Ford says never to go past a year or 10,000 miles.
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity
- 7.7 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity
- 6.3 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-30
- Oil capacity
- 6.0 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-30
- Oil capacity
- 6.0 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
Service schedule
From the Ford 2015 F-150 Owner's Manual, read Oct 2, 2026. Normal schedule.
Common questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Ford F-150?
Owners name the powertrain most (381 complaints), then braking system (298) and engine (262).
Is 2015 a good year for the Ford F-150?
The complaint record can't grade a car, but it shows what to check: the powertrain complaints that lead this year, the mileage they start at, and whether the recall repairs were done.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Ford F-150?
Yes. NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2015 Ford F-150: engine (3), seat belts (3), latches/locks/linkages (2), forward collision avoidance, structure, steering, brakes, suspension, power train. A dealer can tell from the VIN whether one car got the repairs.
At what mileage do 2015 Ford F-150 problems start?
Throttle and speed control complaints start earliest, around 44,000 miles. Powertrain complaints come later, around 81,000 miles.
Which F-150 years have the most and fewest complaints?
The 2013 and 2018 model years have the most in the file, and the 2025 and 2024 the fewest, though newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 7 sources
Owner quotes are changed from all capitals to normal case only. Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.