YearToAvoid

2021 Ford F-150 Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 223 Electrical System complaints for the 2021 Ford F-150, 22% of all 1,012 complaints filed for the year. Five related recalls exist, mostly covering the integrated trailer brake controller and body control module software. Median mileage at failure is 38,000.

Electrical System complaints
223
22% of 1,012
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
38,000 mi
Related recalls
5

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Integrated trailer brake controller loses connection with the trailer mid-tow, causing trailer brakes to stop working while the truck brakes still function.
  • Digital instrument cluster shuts off and restarts while driving, temporarily disabling the speedometer and warning lights.
  • Battery drains fully after the truck sits parked for a couple of days, sometimes requiring replacement.
  • Intrusion alarm triggers repeatedly overnight while the truck is parked and locked, with no identified cause.
  • False "trailer disconnected" alerts appear on the dash even when no trailer is attached, tied to a network fault code.
  • ABS and pre-collision warning lights activate intermittently, sometimes paired with reduced brake response.

When 2021 Ford F-150 electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 16, 2021, latest Sep 24, 2026.

2021 Ford F-150 electrical system complaints: complaints filed per quarter272021 Q12021 Q42022 Q32023 Q22024 Q12024 Q42025 Q32026 Q2
223 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2021 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q3 (27).

Electrical System recalls for the 2021 Ford F-150

  1. NHTSA 26V104000Feb 20, 2026Electrical System4,381,878 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Exterior lighting:tail lights

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

    Risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 25V348000May 23, 2025Electrical System10 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:back up lights

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Onboard Scales feature that were repaired incorrectly under recall 24V443. An over-the-air software update to the body control module (BCM) may have disabled both reverse lights.

    Risk: Inoperative reverse lights may fail to alert others that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S57.

  3. NHTSA 25V132000Feb 28, 2025Electrical System10,952 vehicles

    Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 22V-193. Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.

    Risk: Loss of trailer brake functionality can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S18.

  4. NHTSA 24V443000Jun 14, 2024Electrical System159 vehicles

    Electrical system:body control module:software

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Onboard Scales feature. An over-the-air software update to the body control module (BCM) may have disabled both reverse lights.

    Risk: Disabled reverse lights cannot alert others that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 26, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S38.

  5. NHTSA 22V193000Mar 25, 2022Electrical System391,836 vehicles

    Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles. Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.

    Risk: Loss of trailer brake functionality could result in extended stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S17.

Electrical System complaints by F-150 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2010189 (22%)
  2. 2011252 (12%)
  3. 2012179 (10%)
  4. 2013332 (11%)
  5. 2014166 (11%)
  6. 2015186 (11%)
  7. 2016196 (10%)
  8. 2017137 (10%)
  9. 2018185 (8%)
  10. 2019107 (8%)
  11. 202090 (12%)
  12. 2021223 (22%)
  13. 2022181 (30%)
  14. 202397 (24%)
  15. 202485 (45%)
  16. 202527 (26%)

Frequently asked questions

How many electrical complaints does the 2021 Ford F-150 have?
NHTSA lists 223 Electrical System complaints for the 2021 F-150, which is 22% of the 1,012 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2021 F-150 electrical system?
Yes. Five recalls tied to the electrical system apply to the 2021 F-150, covering the integrated trailer brake controller software and the body control module, including one campaign reported in 2026.
At what mileage do electrical problems usually show up on the 2021 F-150?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 38,000 miles for Electrical System complaints on the 2021 F-150.
Did the electrical issues cause any crashes or fires?
NHTSA records show 1 crash and 1 fire among the 223 Electrical System complaints for the 2021 F-150, with 0 injuries reported.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.