Know Your Truck

2009–2014 Ford F-150 common problems and fixes

2011–2013 trucks were recalled for sudden downshifts into first gear; EcoBoosts add timing chain stretch, intercooler misfires and brake vacuum pump failures, and electric power steering and throttle body problems are common.

What owners should know

Covers 2009–2014 · 3.5L EcoBoost, 5.0L V8, 3.7L V6, 6.2L V8 (2011–2014); 4.6L and 5.4L V8 (2009–2010) · Updated 2026-10-05

The 12th-generation F-150 started with 4.6L and 5.4L V8s. For 2011 Ford replaced them all with a new 3.7L V6, the 5.0L "Coyote" V8, a 6.2L V8 and the first 3.5L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, with a 6-speed automatic. Most trucks from 2011 on also got electric power steering.

We counted 9,142 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for 2009–2014 F-150s (retrieved October 5, 2026; each complaint counted once): 4,331 from 3.5L EcoBoosts, 2,256 from 5.0L V8s, 641 from 5.4L V8s, 581 from 3.7L V6s, 360 from 4.6L V8s and 252 from 6.2L V8s, identified by VIN. The other 721 had a missing VIN or one that didn't match an F-150 engine. We left out 33 whose VIN belongs to another vehicle. 2011–2014 trucks have far more complaints than 2009–2010. Complaint counts show what owners report most often, not how many trucks have a problem.

At a glance

  • Sudden downshifts into first gear led to recalls of certain 2011–2014 trucks.
  • 3.5L EcoBoosts are known for timing chain stretch, intercooler condensation misfires (mostly 2011–2013) and brake vacuum pump failures.
  • Electric power steering failures and clunks are common on 2011–2014 trucks.
  • Throttle body limp mode (a wrench light and loss of power) is widely reported.

Transmission

The 6-speed automatic comes up in more complaints than anything else: about 1,800 mention downshifts or first gear. Owners describe the transmission suddenly dropping into first gear at speed, which can lock up the rear wheels. Ford recalled certain 2011–2013 trucks (19V075000), then 2014 trucks (24V444000), and issued a follow-up for 2013 5.0L and 6.2L trucks whose software update was incomplete (19V433000).

3.5L EcoBoost

  • Timing chains: 131 complaints mention timing chains, nearly all EcoBoosts. Owners describe a rattle on cold starts and cam timing codes; have the cause confirmed before replacing chains.
  • Intercooler condensation: about 260 EcoBoost complaints describe shudders, stumbles or misfires under acceleration or in wet weather, or mention the intercooler; 203 are from 2011–2012 trucks. Water collects in the intercooler in humid weather. Ford's bulletins (the latest, 13-8-1, for 2011–2012 trucks) changed the intercooler parts and engine software once a dealer confirms that's the cause.
  • Brake vacuum pump: about 190 EcoBoost complaints describe a hard brake pedal or mention the vacuum pump, 139 from 2011–2012 trucks. Ford's program 15N05 covered the pump on certain 2011–2012 EcoBoosts for 10 years or 150,000 miles; that coverage has run out.

Steering

About 720 complaints mention power steering, heavy or lost steering, or a clunk; 330 are from 5.0L trucks, the most of any engine. The electric power steering can fail suddenly, making the truck very hard to steer, and many owners describe a clunk in the steering over bumps, which is often the intermediate steering shaft. Have it diagnosed; only a failed rack needs a new rack.

Throttle body and stalling

About 250 complaints mention the wrench light or the throttle body, and about 750 mention a wrench light, throttle body, limp mode or reduced power. Owners describe a low-power limp mode, sometimes stalling the truck in traffic. A failing electronic throttle body is a common cause, but sensors, wiring and connectors can do the same thing, so have the codes read before replacing it.

Before you buy

  • Check open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls with the VIN, especially the transmission downshift recall.
  • On EcoBoosts, listen to a cold start for timing chain rattle and press the brake pedal right after starting.
  • Turn the steering lock to lock and drive over bumps, feeling for clunks.
  • Bring our used truck inspection checklist.

Researched from owner forums and NHTSA complaints and written by Know Your Truck. These are patterns in what owners report, not a guarantee about any particular truck.

Sources (12)

Common failures & how to fix them

Parts and video buttons search for your 2009-2014 Ford F-150. Always confirm a part fits using your VIN. Brakes, steering, fuel and airbag work affects your safety, so if you're not sure, have a qualified mechanic do it.

  • Sudden downshift into first gear (2011–2014)

    Dealer job

    Signs: The transmission drops into a low gear at speed, locking up the rear wheels or causing a lurch, sometimes with a wrench light.

    Fix: Covered by Ford recalls: 19V075000 for certain 2011–2013 trucks, 19V433000 for 2013 5.0L and 6.2L trucks whose first recall software was incomplete, and 24V444000 for certain 2014 trucks (a lost output shaft speed sensor signal). Check the VIN; if it still happens after the recalls, have the dealer diagnose it.

    May be covered free by recall 19V075000 / 24V444000. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

  • EcoBoost timing chain stretch

    Best left to a shop

    Signs: A rattle for a few seconds on cold starts, then a check engine light for cam timing.

    Fix: Have it diagnosed first: read the codes (cam/crank correlation codes such as P0016 to P0019) and have a shop check cam timing with a scan tool using Ford's workshop procedure; a brief cold-start rattle can also come from the cam phasers or turbo wastegates. If chain stretch is confirmed, the timing chains, guides, tensioners and often the cam phasers are replaced as a set. Changing the oil on time with the oil Ford specifies is what you can do; owners believe it reduces chain wear.

    Shop: 3.5 EcoBoost timing chain kit▶ How-to videos

  • EcoBoost intercooler condensation misfire (2011–2013)

    Dealer job

    Signs: Shudder, misfire or stumble under hard acceleration, mostly in humid or rainy weather, sometimes with a flashing check engine light.

    Fix: Have the misfire codes read first; worn plugs and coils cause misfires too. For 2011–2012 EcoBoosts, Ford's bulletin 13-8-1 (which replaced earlier versions) applies only if the misfire repeats in humid or damp conditions under hard acceleration after highway driving, confirmed with the engine computer's misfire data; otherwise the dealer follows the normal misfire diagnosis (ignition, compression, injection). When it does apply, the fix updates the engine software and the intercooler parts. Owners report fresh spark plugs gapped to Ford's spec also help.

    Shop: 3.5 EcoBoost spark plugs▶ How-to videos

  • EcoBoost brake vacuum pump failure (2011–2014)

    Moderate DIY

    Signs: A hard brake pedal, often at startup, and a whining pump behind the driver's headlight.

    Fix: Have a shop confirm the vacuum pump has failed (a whining or silent pump and low vacuum) rather than the booster or a hose. Ford's Customer Satisfaction Program 15N05 covered the electric vacuum pump on certain 2011–2012 EcoBoost trucks for 10 years or 150,000 miles because intercooler condensation could get into it; that coverage has now run out. A failed pump is replaced.

    Shop: F-150 EcoBoost brake vacuum pump▶ How-to videos

  • Electronic throttle body limp mode

    Easy DIY

    Signs: A wrench light and sudden loss of power, sometimes stalling.

    Fix: A wrench light and limp mode have many causes (throttle body, accelerator pedal sensor, wiring and connectors, low battery voltage, or the engine computer), so have the codes read before buying parts. Owners on the F150 EcoBoost forum often trace it to the electronic throttle body; if codes and testing confirm it, replacing the throttle body is an easy job with basic tools.

    Shop: F-150 electronic throttle body▶ How-to videos

  • Electric power steering failure or clunk (2011–2014)

    Hard DIY

    Signs: Steering suddenly gets very heavy with a warning message, or a clunk felt in the wheel over bumps.

    Fix: Check the VIN for recall 14V316000 (2014 trucks built May 26 to June 19, 2014). Otherwise have the steering diagnosed before replacing parts: read the steering module codes, check the battery and connections, and inspect the intermediate steering shaft, which often causes the clunk. If the electric steering rack itself has failed, it's replaced as a unit.

    May be covered free by recall 14V316000. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

    Shop: F-150 electric power steering rack▶ How-to videos

  • Window regulator breaks

    Easy DIY

    Signs: A pop or grinding in the door, then the window drops or won't go up.

    Fix: Check whether the motor still runs before buying parts. A broken regulator is replaced, usually as a regulator and motor assembly; owners report about an hour per door once the panel is off.

    Shop: F-150 window regulator▶ How-to videos

Each year in this generation

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared with the typical truck of the same kind and model year. Open a year for its recalls and complaints.

Going to look at one?Bring our free inspection checklist, with these known problems added →