Diagsheet

2016 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet

Airbag warning light or recall

  • 34owner reports
  • 46,419median miles
  • 16involved a crash

Newest report Aug 13, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

34 of the 2,036 complaints on this car describe airbag.

Tick what matches of 34 reports

8
7
10
5

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the occupant sensor (10 reports).

Recalls and investigations

One recall on the airbags covers the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

16V-110Feb 25, 2016
Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 F-150 trucks manufactured April 27, 2015, to November 22, 2015, and equipped with Multi-Contour Seats (MCS). The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) that calibrates the air bag deployment level may incorrectly classify an adult as a child when the seat massage feature is activated.

Risk and remedy
Risk: If an adult is incorrectly classified as a child, the passenger frontal air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Classification System Module (OCSM) with new software, free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S05.

NHTSA investigations into the airbags on the F-150

EA10-001opened Jan 13, 2010
Airbags · model years 2004 to 2006

Inadvertent airbag deployment. Closed apr 25, 2011, led to recall 11V-107.

NHTSA summary
ODI opened this investigation based on reports of inadvertent airbag deployment.Data provided by Ford indicated that the airbag clockspring jumper wire, which is situated inside the steering wheel assembly, was installed in a manner that would allow it to rub (abrade) against a sharp metal edge on the nearby horn plate.Because the horn plate is electrically grounded the abrasion of an airbag wire on the sharp edge could cause a short circuit condition.As a result the airbag light may illuminate and/or the airbag may inadvertently deploy.Inadvertent deployments are most likely to occur during the airbag system's self-diagnostic test that initiates when the ignition switch is turned on.Ford modified the vehicle design in late January 2006 adding a protective tape over the sharp metal edge of the horn plate.Ford made additional design changes on MY 2007 vehicles to the horn plate, the clockspring jumper, and the connector layouts to further address this issue.ODI identified 318 deployment incidents with 121 alleged injury reports from subject vehicles.All but one of the incident and injury reports occurred in vehicles built before the January 2006 modification.In addition, there was one incident and alleged injury reported in the MY 2006 Mark LT vehicles that share the same design. In letters dated February 21 and April 11, 2011, Ford announced a recall of all of the approximately 1.3 million MY 2004-2006 F-150 vehicles built prior to January 24, 2006, the date the initial vehic
PE09-046opened Sep 24, 2009
Airbags · model years 2005

Inadvertent airbag deployment. Closed jan 19, 2010, led to recall 11V-107.

NHTSA summary
FORD REPORTS THAT THE INADVERTENT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS ARE MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY THE AIRBAG HORN MOUNTING PLATE'S SHARP METAL EDGE THAT EVENTUALLY CAN CHAFE/CUT THE AIRBAG CLOCKSPRING JUMPER WIRE LEADING TO A SHORT-TO-GROUND CONDITION.ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY TWO (182) OF THE 230 REPORTS WERE FOR AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS RESULTING IN 56 INJURIES WITH REMAINING 48 REPORTS FOR AN AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION CONDITION.INJURIES INCLUDE ABRASION, CONTUSION AND CUTS TO THE ARM/HAND/FACE AND/OR UPPER BODY REGIONS.ONE OWNER REPORTED A BROKEN TOOTH AND TWO OWNERS REPORTED BEING KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AS A RESULT OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.IN ADDITION, MY2004 AND MY2006 F-150 VEHICLES ALSO CONTAIN THE SAME DESIGN THAT RESULTED IN AN ADDITIONAL 89 REPORTS WITH 37 AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS AND NINE INJURIES. FORD MADE AN INTERIM DESIGN CHANGE TO THE HORN MOUNTING PLATE IN JANUARY 2006 AND THEN MAJOR CHANGES TO THE HORN MOUNTING PLATE, AIRBAG MODULE AND CLOCKSPRING JUMPER WIRE DESIGNS IN JUNE 2006 FOR THE MY2007 VEHICLES.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA10-001) TO INCLUDE MY2004-2006 F-150 VEHICLES AND TO FURTHER EVALUATE THE CONDITION.
RQ98-006opened Mar 18, 1998
Airbags · model years 1994

Inadvertent air bag deployment. Closed aug 15, 2000, led to recall 93V-155.

NHTSA summary
There is no summary currently available

None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 17,000 and 82,000 miles, from the 19 reports that gave a mileage.

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1018
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420
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126

What owners wrote

“Was involved in a head on collision involving 2 cars; one which was hit in the front driver wheel panel and the other was directly head on and the air bags did not deploy. Resulting in major seatbelt bruising and knee injury.”

Filed Aug 13, 2026

“The passenger occupancy sensor is not working correctly, giving an airbag indicator on the dashboard. It is not recognizing when a person is in the seat. This causes a huge safety risk if airbags don’t deploy in a collision.”

Filed Dec 18, 2025

“All push button controls on steering wheel are not functioning. Appears the Steering Wheel Clock Spring is going bad. Which in turn affects airbag, steering, cruise control ect.”

Filed Nov 14, 2025

“The F-150 was involved in a car crash. It hit a street sign, an electrical pole and then a tree. The front bumper is split and insurance just devalued it a total loss. I am hereby reaching out to you, to let you know that none of the airbags in the truck went off. I have picture that I can provide to further confirm!”

Filed Aug 6, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 16 of 34 reports involved a crash and 19 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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