Some Owners Voice Frustration Over 2020 Ford F-150 Recalls

Hot on the heels of the latest recall issued by Ford Motor Company and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), some owners of the 2020 Ford F-150 are expressing frustration over yet another recall. I wrote about the latest 2018-2020 Ford F-150 recall earlier this week. But statistics show that the 2020 F-150 doesn’t have that many recalls when you look at the national average per vehicle and when compared to other F-150 model years.

According to the website fordproblems.com over the last 37 model years the Ford F-150 has been recalled a total of 136 times. That website ranked each F-150 model year by the number of recalls. That site found the 1997 Ford F-150 as having the most recalls with 26 reports. The 2020 Ford F-150 has four total recalls as of now which ranks that model year near the bottom.

So the concerns of the 2020 F-150 heading a troublesome path seem unfounded.

What Is Involved In A Vehicle Recall?
The NHTSA describes a recall as any order “issued when a manufacturer or the NHTSA determines that a vehicle, equipment, car seat or tire creates an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet minimum safety standards.” When a recall is issued, Ford dealerships will accept your vehicle for corrective measures or perform the needed maintenance at no cost to the consumer.

The recall numbers often involve “fuzzy” math as it’s based upon the number of vehicles sold. So when you see higher numbers for a top-selling vehicle like the Ford F-150 which has hundreds of thousands of units sold each year, the recall math can look skewed. The average recall rate across all vehicles sold in the United States since 2013 is .79, which means each year, for every 100,000 cars that are sold, there is fewer than one campaign to pull the vehicles off of the road because of an issue caused by the manufacturer. This stat is provided by the insurance website Thebalance.com.

So, what does this all mean? Well, it means, that as of now, the 2020 Ford F-150 is actually pretty reliable and does not have that many recalls when you look at the big picture and the national average, or even the vehicle’s overall history.

What Are The Current Recalls for the 2020 Ford F-150?
There are currently four national recalls for various trims of the 2020 Ford F-150. Here’s a summary of each one:

2020 Ford F-150 Front Seat Recall
Recall number: 19V633000
Issued on August 28, 2019 for front seat recliner assembly. The recall states: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms.

Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

The resolution for this recall involves dealers inspecting the seat structure and replacing when needed at no charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

2020 Ford F-150 Spare Tire Recall
Recall number: 19V90300
Issued on December 18, 2019 for issues with 17-inch spare tires.
This recall states: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 trucks equipped with 17-inch spare tires. The spare tire could have been damaged when it was installed on the rim.

The resolution is a simple one as dealers will inspect the spare tire and replace when necessary, at no cost to the customer. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S55.

2020 Ford F-150 Battery Cable Recall
Recall number: 19V805000
Issued on November 12, 2019 for a problem with the electrical system and battery cables. The recall states: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) 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 resolution involves Ford dealers inspecting the positive battery cable for excess adhesive. The cable/BMS/PDB joint may have to be replaced if determined by the dealer. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S40.

2020 Ford F-150 Daytime Running Lights Recall
Recall Number: 20V097000
Issued on February 21, 2020 for issues with exterior lighting. This recall states: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from the "Autolamps" switch position to "Headlamps On." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

The resolution on this latest recall is a simple one for Ford dealers. They will reprogram the body control module (BCM) to correct the issue. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.

So there you have it. The 2020 Ford F-150 is proving, historically, to be quite reliable as it relates to national recalls. I think there was some fatigue level amongst owners as these four recalls seemed to come one after the other and it felt like there was a piling on effect. However, it is every car manufacturer’s responsibility to issue safety recalls. And all makes and models have recalls. It’s inevitable. Good job to Ford for staying proactive on these and making things right as quickly as possible for consumers of the best-selling vehicle in America.

Be sure to check Torque News Monday morning for some breaking news I have on Ford trucks. Also, check out my most recent story on the upcoming electric F-150 pickup. And leave your comment if you've had more issues with your F-150.

These stats were compiled from several websites include the NHTSA, fordproblems.com and cars.com.

Jimmy Dinsmore has been an automotive journalist for more than a decade and been a writer since the high school. His Driver’s Side column features new car reviews and runs in several newspapers throughout the country. He is also co-author of the book “Mustang by Design” and “Ford Trucks: A Unique Look at the Technical History of America’s Most Popular Truck”. Also, Jimmy works in the social media marketing world for a Canadian automotive training aid manufacturing company. Follow Jimmy on Facebook, Twitter, at his special Ford F-150 coverage on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can read the most of Jimmy's stories by searching Torque News Ford for daily Ford vehicle report.