2016 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
Rear window shatters or explodes
- 90owner reports
- 41,000median miles
- $700median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Apr 20, 2026 · checked Sep 29, 2026
90 of the 2,053 complaints on this car describe rear window shattering.
Tick what matches of 90 reports
Rear window shattering 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: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Owners in this group describe rear glass that shatters all at once, often with a bang, and often with nobody near it. Many say it happened while the car sat in a driveway or a parking lot.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the rear glass (82 reports) and the defroster grid (52 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on this problem covers the 2016 model year as of Sep 29, 2026.
What owners paid
8 of the 90 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $623 to $1,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 25,291 and 60,000 miles, from the 59 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Itâs a known problem that the wiring for the defrosters causes the rear window to shatter. I was driving down the road and I heard a loud bang. It took me a few minutes to realize my rear window just exploded.”
Filed Sep 25, 2022
“Rear glass window spontaneously shattered. Sounded like a big boom. then smelled burning. Turned on rear defrost prior to driving.”
Filed Sep 23, 2022
“My sliding rear window shattered while having the rear defrost on for the second time in two years. This time my son was rear-facing in his car seat while it happened. There were no warnings. My ears hurt and I've had a headache since and hope my son isn't experiencing the same. This is an extreme safety issue.”
Filed Sep 6, 2022
“2016 F150 47,000 miles. Rear glass shattered for no apparent reason, impairing rear vision. This is a known documented problem for thousands of owners have complained to Ford with no resolve unless it is under warranty.”
Filed Feb 23, 2022 · 47,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 90 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 Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 339 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 183 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 159 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 125 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 106 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 105 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 94 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 91 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