2016 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
Engine stalls or loses power while driving
- 183owner reports
- 55,100median miles
- $800median quote
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Aug 19, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
1038 of the 2,057 complaints on this car are about the engine. 183 of those describe stalling. Only brake wear is reported more often on this car.
Narrower sheets: Engine stalls at idle or a stop (30 reports)
Tick what matches of 183 reports
Stalling on other F-150 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Stalling reports are some of the most alarming on the site. The engine quits while the car is moving, sometimes on a highway and sometimes at a stop. Many owners say it restarted right away and the dealer found no stored code, which is part of why these complaints pile up before anything gets fixed.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the throttle body (35 reports), the battery (11 reports), the alternator (4 reports) and the ignition coil or plugs (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
4 recalls on the engine cover the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
A loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear.
The incorrect location could put the heater too close to hot engine components, possibly resulting in a damaged cable.
During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.
All 14 recalls on the 2016 Ford F-150, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the F-150
Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up. Open, led to recall 26V-237.
Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up. Closed jan 30, 2026.
Low-pressure fuel pump failure. Closed sep 19, 2025, led to recall 25V-455.
Unintended transmission downshift. Closed jul 29, 2024, led to recall 24V-444.
Loss of motive power. Closed oct 31, 2024, led to recall 24V-635.
Unexpected transmission downshift. Closed oct 22, 2019, led to recall 19V-075.
Reduced power during hard acceleration. Closed apr 7, 2014.
Fuel tank strap failure due to corrosion. Closed aug 19, 2011, led to recall 11V-385.
Fuel tank strap corrosion/rust. Closed may 23, 2011.
Cng regulator leak. Closed feb 27, 2009.
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head. Closed jan 4, 2006.
Engine compartment fires. Closed aug 2, 2006, led to recall 05V-388.
Ford f-series dual fuel tank leakage. Closed nov 4, 1999, led to recall 93V-125.
Automatic transmission control. Closed aug 27, 1998, led to recall 97V-147.
Failure transmission park engagement/loc. Closed sep 16, 1997, led to recall 97V-147.
Idle air spd ctrl vlv malf. Closed aug 31, 1994.
Idle air spd ctrl vlv malf. Closed jul 30, 1993.
Transmission fluid fires. Closed jul 5, 1991.
What owners paid
16 of the 183 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $320 to $2,300.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 30,000 and 81,400 miles, from the 110 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2016 Ford F-150 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
SOME 2015-2016 F-150, C-MAX, EDGE, MKS, TAURUS, AND FLEX AND 2016 EXPEDITION, EXPLORER, ESCAPE, FUSION, MUSTANG, MKZ, MKX, NAVIGATOR, TRANSIT AND TRANSIT CONNECT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L, 2.5L, 3.5L OR 3.7L GASOLINE ENGINE AND BUILT ON OR BEFORE ...
SOME 2016-2017 EXPEDITION AND NAVIGATOR VEHICLES BUILT ON OR BEFORE 08/12/2016 AND 2016 F150 VEHICLES BUILT ON OR BEFORE 08/09/2016 EQUIPPED WITH SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO MAY EXHIBIT AN INTERMITTENT CONCERN WHERE THE AUDIO CUTS OUT AND THE RADIO DISPLAYS A NO ...
What owners wrote
“Transmission stuck in 1st gear, 3rd gear, or unable to shift and total loss of power after sudden braking to stop. This has happened over 6-8 times in my time of ownership. Starting between early 2021-2022. Vehicle currently has 76000 miles. Temporary resolution was to turn vehicle off and back on again. There have been reports that sometimes that does not work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ng3HJdyyoM”
Filed Feb 16, 2023 · 76,000 miles
“The cam phasers fail intermittently causing shuttering/stalling randomly while driving. A large amount of people have had this same issue. Truck will intermittently rev up while in gear. If you're not on the brake, you will move forward/backward. Tons of check engine lights etc”
Filed Feb 15, 2022
“Engine block exploded with less than 100,000 miles while moving forward after a stop sign, dropped all water through a side of an engine, lost power unable to move from road blocking traffic. Once token into a shop, melted metal was found on the engine cover, and a big hole was found on the engine head. A lot of engine smoke (CO2) was released and got into the cabin getting me sick and feeling dizzy for a whole week”
Filed Dec 10, 2021 · 100,000 miles
“While the engine is idling, whether in park, drive, or reverse the engine intermittently loses RPM and shuts off. The dealer claims they can not duplicate the issue. No messages appear other then the car is on battery power. This has been going on for about the last 20000 miles.”
Filed Dec 8, 2021 · 20,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 183 reports involved a crash and 4 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. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 339 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 159 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 128 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 107 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 105 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 95 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 92 reports
- Rear window shatters or explodes 90 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 82 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 57 reports
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 41 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 35 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 33 reports
- Windshield wipers stop working 33 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 32 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 30 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 29 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 27 reports
- Turbo failure or loss of boost 25 reports