IllustrationRandom downshift to first gear while traveling down the highway at 70mph resulting in wheel lock-up and engine redline.
2009 Ford F-150
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Ford F-150 are lower than the model-year median of 676.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all F-150 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
870–25K
5525–50K
4850–75K
3475–100K
39100–150K
26150K+
289 reports with mileage · 35 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
28 crash reports8 fire reports11 injury reports
Power Train complaints
33 reportsMy vehicle occasionally gets stuck in a low gear. It has also stalled in a busy intersection. I have taken it to be diagnosed at an independent service center that specializes in transmissions and was told that the problem was the lead frame which has been recalled on later models of my vehicle.
HARD TO STEER
THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT BETWEEN TRANSFER CASE AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS HELD BY A DRIVE SHAFT BRACKET/BEARING WHERE THE TOP OF IT IS WELDED TO THE FRAME CROSS MEMBER. DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE POORLY WELDED BRACKET CAME LOOSE. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURE THE WELD WAS POORLY DONE AND HAD NO PENETRATION INTO THE METAL. THE…
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THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT BETWEEN TRANSFER CASE AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS HELD BY A DRIVE SHAFT BRACKET/BEARING WHERE THE TOP OF IT IS WELDED TO THE FRAME CROSS MEMBER. DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE POORLY WELDED BRACKET CAME LOOSE. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURE THE WELD WAS POORLY DONE AND HAD NO PENETRATION INTO THE METAL. THE METAL WAS NOT TORN AT ALL AND BROKE COMPLETELY CLEAN OFF WHICH DICTATE A VERY POOR JOB ON THE WELD ITSELF. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THIS PART IS BASICALLY A DUAL SHARP BLADES AT THE WELD BREAK, CONNECTED TO THE DRIVE SHAFT AT FAST RPMS WOULD TAKE LITTLE TO NO TIME TO PUNCTURE AND IGNITE THE NEAR BY FUEL TANK. AS I WAS TRAVELING AT SLOW SPEEDS I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE RIGHT AWAY. IF THIS BREAK OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I FEEL THAT IT WOULD HAVE EASILY PUNCTURED THE FUEL TANK AND IGNITED THE FUEL CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FIRE AND PROBABLE EXPLOSION THAT COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH.
TRUCK STALLED AND LOST TRANSMISSION POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY HIGHWAY. WAITED 20MIN ON SHOULDER AND TRUCK STARTED AND RAN FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED PERIODICALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH NO ERROR CODES FOUND DURING DIAGNOSTICS RELATED. NOW HAPPING MORE FREQUENT AND YESTERDAY THE TRUCK STALLED AGAIN AND NOW WILL NOT START. RESEARCH…
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TRUCK STALLED AND LOST TRANSMISSION POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY HIGHWAY. WAITED 20MIN ON SHOULDER AND TRUCK STARTED AND RAN FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED PERIODICALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH NO ERROR CODES FOUND DURING DIAGNOSTICS RELATED. NOW HAPPING MORE FREQUENT AND YESTERDAY THE TRUCK STALLED AGAIN AND NOW WILL NOT START. RESEARCHED AND FOUND A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ABOUT FORD PCM/TCM FAILURES WHICH DESCRIBED MY SYMPTOMS PERFECTLY. NEXT ISSUE IS AT 55MPH THE TRUCK TRIED TO GO INTO 4-LOW, WHICH SHUT THE TRUCK DOWN ON THE HIGH WAY AND ALMOST WENT OFF THE ROAD. ERROR CODE FOUND DURING DIAGNOSTICS WAS THE "COMMUNICATION TO TRANSFER CASE SHIFT MOTOR"
WHILE TRAVELING TO WORK BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THEN MY ABS & BRAKE CHECK SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON HAS NOT TURNED OFF. TRUCK IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE
HAD TO REPLACE COMPLETE DRIVE SHAFT BECAUSE OF BAD CARRIER BEARING, TWICE
I HAVE A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR THERE'S A HUMMING SOUND THE FASTER I GO THE LOUDER THE NOISE GETS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD F-150. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE, IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO A NEIGHBOR'S RESIDENCE WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT WAS SHAKEN UP AND TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER BY THE PARAMEDIC. THE VEH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD F-150. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE, IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO A NEIGHBOR'S RESIDENCE WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT WAS SHAKEN UP AND TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER BY THE PARAMEDIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND IT ROLLED BACKWARDS AFTER REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN REVERSE. THE MANUFACTURER WA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND IT ROLLED BACKWARDS AFTER REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN REVERSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILLAGE WAS AT 95,000.
Official recalls
211V049000 · Structure:body:door
Feb 1, 2011
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
09V150000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
May 5, 2009
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.