2016 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)
- 41owner reports
- 25,000median miles
- 3involved a crash
Newest report Aug 18, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
434 of the 2,057 complaints on this car are about the brakes. 41 of those describe phantom braking.
Tick what matches of 41 reports
Phantom braking 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: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Phantom braking is a car that brakes hard on its own, often at highway speed, with nothing in the road ahead. About one owner in five mentions a near miss with the car behind.
What got replaced
Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the brakes cover the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
The brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid into the brake booster.
All 14 recalls on the 2016 Ford F-150, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the brakes on the F-150
Brake master cylinder failure. Closed jul 5, 2020, led to recall 20V-332.
Master cylinder external leak. Closed jul 26, 2016, led to recall 16V-345.
Brake vacuum pump failure. Closed apr 28, 2016.
Brake vacuum pump failure. Closed oct 19, 2015.
Loss of brake power-assist. Closed may 9, 2008, led to recall 08V-208.
Speed control deactivation switch fire. Closed mar 22, 2005, led to recall 05V-017.
Dual fuel tank crossflow/leakage. Closed dec 6, 2001, led to recall 00V-424.
Blow back during refueling. Closed sep 23, 1999.
Alleged loss of throttle control. Closed sep 30, 1999.
Loss of throttle control. Closed aug 31, 1998.
Ice formation in the throttle body. Closed may 22, 2000, led to recall 96V-251.
Parking brake failure. Closed sep 23, 1994, led to recall 94V-169.
Parking brake failure. Closed jul 27, 1993.
Fuel expulsion. Closed aug 20, 1993, led to recall 93V-125.
Fuel expulsion. Closed jan 7, 1993.
Loss of brake effectivenes. Closed oct 30, 1992, led to recall 92V-026.
Fuel expulsion. Closed nov 1, 1991, led to recall 91V-146.
Loss of brake effectivenes. Closed oct 31, 1991.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 7,500 and 35,000 miles, from the 32 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice 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 2015-2017 F-150/Mustang, 2015-2018 Edge/MKC, 2016-2018 MKX, 2013-2018 Explorer/Taurus/Flex/MKT, and 2017-2018 Fusion/MKZ/Continental vehicles built on or before 19-Oct-2017 may exhibit an inoperative adaptive cruise control, collision warning, and/or ...
What owners wrote
No report on this problem is short enough to quote in full.
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 3 of 41 reports involved a crash and 1 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
- 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 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
- 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