Your vehicle report
2009 Ford F-150
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 324
- Received Jan 2009 to Jul 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ford F-150 transmission unexpectedly downshifts or jerks52 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking49 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Rear door latch fails to open or close16 complaints · 4.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #11V049000Ford is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 F-150 vehicles manufactured from january 18, 2008, through november 30, 2009. The interior door handle housing embossment retaining the interior door handle spring may fracture during normal usage resulting in insufficient spring force to return the handle to the fully stowed position.
- Recall #09V150000Ford is recalling 8,735 my 2009 F-150 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the brake stop lamp switch may be improperly adjusted. This may result in a delay in brake stop lamp illumination when the brake pedal is depressed. In situations of very mild brake application, the brake stop lamps may not illuminate.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 28 crashes, 8 fires, 21 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
- Tires blow out or tread separates
- Power steering rack leaks fluid
- Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 22 |
| 2010 | 40 |
| 2011 | 23 |
| 2012 | 34 |
| 2013 | 22 |
| 2014 | 32 |
| 2015 | 26 |
| 2016 | 31 |
| 2017 | 26 |
| 2018 | 19 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 324 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 transmission unexpectedly downshifts or jerks | 52 | 16% | 38.3× | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 49 | 15% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 16 | 4.9% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 10 | 3.1% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 9 | 2.8% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 9 | 2.8% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 8 | 2.5% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 8 | 2.5% | – | |
| Power steering rack leaks fluid | 8 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 2.2% | – | |
| Spark plugs blow out of cylinder head | 6 | 1.8% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 6 | 1.8% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 1.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #11V049000February 1, 2011280,946 vehicles affected
structure: body: door
Ford is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 F-150 vehicles manufactured from january 18, 2008, through november 30, 2009. The interior door handle housing embossment retaining the interior door handle spring may fracture during normal usage resulting in insufficient spring force to return the handle to the fully stowed position.
In the event of a side impact crash, the door handle spring Can fail causing the door latch to open.
Remedy
Owners will be initially notified and instructed to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln/mercury dealer if any interior door handle is loose or fails to return to the stowed position after activation for replacement of the affect module. Once parts become available, owners will be renotified and instructed to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln/mercury dealer for inspection of each interior door handle. Depending on the results of the inspection, the dealer will either add a spring embossment reinforcement or replace the interior door handle module free of charge. The safety recall began on february 10, 2011. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA recall #09V150000May 5, 20098,735 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
Ford is recalling 8,735 my 2009 F-150 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the brake stop lamp switch may be improperly adjusted. This may result in a delay in brake stop lamp illumination when the brake pedal is depressed. In situations of very mild brake application, the brake stop lamps may not illuminate.
Delay or loss of brake stop lamp function may increase the risk of an accident.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and have the brake stop lamp switch removed and reinstalled which will provide proper adjustment. The remedy will be performed free of charge. The recall began on may 13, 2009. Owners may contact Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332 or through the internet at www.ownerconnection.com.
Other model years
- 1991 304
- 1992 470
- 1993 586
- 1994 676
- 1995 626
- 1996 324
- 1997 2,758
- 1998 1,381
- 1999 1,044
- 2000 1,075
- 2001 1,236
- 2002 821
- 2003 423
- 2004 2,029
- 2005 1,112
- 2006 585
- 2007 488
- 2008 369
- 2009
- 2010 843
- 2011 2,194
- 2012 1,784
- 2013 2,992
- 2014 1,539
- 2015 1,745
- 2016 2,093
- 2017 1,463
- 2018 2,325
- 2019 1,343
- 2020 742
- 2021 1,040
- 2022 602
- 2023 418
- 2024 195
- 2025 109
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2009 Ford F-150.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN