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What 17 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Ford F-450

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (17)Crash / fire / injury (1)Electrical system (5)Body & structure (3)Brakes (3)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Engine (2)Fuel system (2)Latches & locks (2)Fuel System, Diesel (1)Tires (1)Trailer Hitches (1)

2 of 17 complaints match · Latches & locks · clear filters

Jun 17, 2023Body & structureLatches & locks

My F-450 has had the tailgate recall 19S48 completed. However, this did not correct the problem and the tailgate still unlatches and extends without warning while driving. In this latest incident, a cargo trailer I was towing was severely damaged as a result.

NHTSA ODI 11527528

Aug 16, 2021Latches & locks

While towing my gooseneck horse trailer the tailgate opened randomly. I had towed for about 20 miles and got off the freeway and was driving through a parking lot when it happened. When I turned the tailgate struck the horse trailer causing body parts to fall in the roadway which could be dangerous to other motorist. Normally when the tailgate is open a message appears on the dash. No message was received, no buttons on keys or dash were depressed to cause this to occur.

NHTSA ODI 11429287

Working with the data? Download all 17 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2021 Ford F-450 verdict →