Ford F-150 stalling problems: what 1,590 owners reported

Owners of the Ford F-150 filed 1,590 NHTSA complaints that describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. That is 9.4% of all 16,980 complaints on the model. Many of the reports are about the transmission: the truck drops gears, will not shift, or the engine revs without moving the truck. Others describe the engine going to idle at speed or the truck stopping dead.

The complaints cover model years 2012 to 2026, with 2012 and 2013 far ahead of the rest. As of 27 October 2026, NHTSA's recall data in this set lists one recall that mentions stalling, for 2019 and 2020 trucks. If this is not your case, read the full Ford F-150 problem report.

TL;DR

• 1,590 stalling and power loss complaints out of 16,980 on the F-150 (9.4%).
• 2013 has the most reports (337), then 2012 (282), 2018 (172) and 2016 (156).
• 2012 has the highest share of its own complaints: 282 of 1,717 (16.4%). 2019 follows at 13.3%.
• 18 reports mention a crash and 8 mention a fire. The reports list 11 injuries in total.
• The components owners name most are Engine (757) and Power Train (627).
• Recall 19V805000 covers certain 2019 and 2020 trucks: a loose battery cable fastener that could stall the engine.
• Owners also mention other recalls and service programs in their own words; check your VIN rather than relying on this list.

Which Ford F-150 years have the most stalling complaints?

The two oldest years stand out: 2012 and 2013 together account for 619 of the 1,590 reports. By share, 2019 is also high at 13.3%, against 8.9% for 2018 and 7.7% for 2020. The newest years show fewer reports, but they have also had less time on the road, so a low count there does not mean the problem is absent.

What do F-150 owners describe?

Reading the quoted complaints, most describe a loss of drive rather than an engine that simply cuts out.

Sudden gear changes at speed. One 2014 owner wrote: "I was driving about 75mph when my 2014 Ford F150 suddenly downshifted from 6th gear to 2nd." They add that the truck "slid sideways as it slowed down to 65mph" and that the code reader pointed to P0720, Output Speed Sensor (NHTSA complaint 11676404). A 2012 owner describes "gear will automatically drop to the 1st gear and won't go past the 3rd gear" and says the service center noted code P0770, Shift Solenoid E malfunction (11604165).

Revving but not moving. A 2019 owner with the 10-speed automatic reports that the truck "lost power to the wheels – the engine revved but the truck would not move" and had to be towed, after an earlier event where the transmission "failed to downshift from 4th gear at a stop and stalled the engine" (11766994). A 2020 owner describes a "sudden and catastrophic loss of power" on the highway, with the transmission leaving the truck "completely neutralized in traffic" (11772829).

Engine to idle, with dash messages. A 2015 owner says the "Engine unexpectedly goes to idle speed after accelerating up to highway speeds," three times, all after a cold start. The dash showed "Hill Start Assist Not Available" and "Service Advance Trac", with no check engine light and no codes set. Their only remedy was to pull over, shut off and restart (11668099).

No warning at all. A 2021 owner reports the truck "lost power several times," including while pulling onto a busy highway, and that "There have never been any warning lights, symbols, etc. on dash" (11769960). A 2018 owner reports that the transmission "will not shift gears causing the vehicle to stall and then suddenly engaging propulsing the vehicle forward unexpectedly" (11769433).

Fuel pump and electric trucks. A 2022 owner complains about a "fuel pump issue that has been known since Feb 2025" and says that "Should a vehicle stall while being operated due to this issue it could lead to a crash" (11757353). A 2023 F-150 Lightning owner reports a "sudden, complete, and catastrophic loss of propulsion" and says the dealer tied it to Ford recall 24S12 (11761161). These are owner statements; the recall text was not part of this data set.

Stuck in gear after a repair attempt. A 2024 owner says the truck gets "stuck" in N or D and will not move, and that the dealer was supposed to correct it on an earlier visit (11757348).

Across all 1,590 reports, owners name the Engine in 757 and the Power Train in 627. Electrical System and Fuel/Propulsion System are each named in 201, Vehicle Speed Control in 172 and Steering in 98. Of the reports, 18 mention a crash and 8 mention a fire, and the reports list 11 injuries in total.

Is there a recall for stalling on the Ford F-150?

There is one in this data. NHTSA campaign 19V805000 (Ford number 19S40, announced 12 November 2019) covers certain 2019 to 2020 F-150 vehicles. The defect: the fastener securing the Power Distribution Box 12V cable and the Battery Monitoring System eyelets to the positive battery terminal "may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and braking or steering assist. The engine could also stall."

The risk, in the recall text: inoperative systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash, reduced braking and steering effort increases that risk, and the condition could create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire. The fix: dealers inspect the positive battery cable, BMS and PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive, remove any excess, reassemble the joint and retorque the fastener as necessary, free of charge. The recall does not carry a do-not-drive or park-outside instruction.

That recall is about a battery cable joint. It does not cover the transmission shifting or fuel pump complaints above, and I would not assume it applies to years outside 2019 and 2020. Several owners refer to other recalls and service programs on their own trucks (for example 26S28 and 24S12, and a recall one owner says was issued for 2014 trucks). I could not confirm those from the data here, so the safe step is to enter your VIN on the NHTSA recall page and read what comes back.

What should you do if your F-150 stalls or loses power?

• Check open recalls for your exact truck by VIN at NHTSA recalls. Recalls are tied to the VIN, not just the model year.
• If the truck loses power in traffic, I would stop driving it and call for help rather than keep testing it on the road.
• Write down the date, mileage, warning messages, the gear you were in, the speed and whether the engine was cold or warm.
• Ask the dealer to check for open recalls and manufacturer service bulletins that apply to your VIN, and ask for the result in writing.
• Report the problem at NHTSA's safety problem page. Reports are how patterns like the ones in this guide show up.
• Buying a used F-150? I would run the VIN through the recall check first, then look at the report page for that year, such as 2013 or 2019.

How this guide was made

The data comes from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for the Ford F-150, model years 2012 to 2026, as of 27 October 2026. A complaint counts toward the 1,590 when the owner's own text describes stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. The quotes above are shortened but not reworded, and NHTSA's capital letters were converted to normal sentence case. Complaints are unverified owner statements, not diagnoses. The method is explained on the methodology page.