2021 Ford F-150 lighting problems

Related recalls

• Recall 26V104000Feb 20, 20264,381,878 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

  Risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.

• Recall 25V348000May 23, 202510 vehicles
  EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Onboard Scales feature that were repaired incorrectly under recall 24V443. An over-the-air software update to the body control module (BCM) may have disabled both reverse lights.

  Risk: Inoperative reverse lights may fail to alert others that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S57.

• Recall 24V443000Jun 14, 2024159 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 vehicles equipped with the Onboard Scales feature. An over-the-air software update to the body control module (BCM) may have disabled both reverse lights.

  Risk: Disabled reverse lights cannot alert others that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 26, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S38.

What owners say

1. Filed Oct 5, 202699,000 miTNTowedLighting

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the LED daytime running lights was flashing quickly before burning out. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH and then stopped at an intersection, another driver informed the contact that the passenger's side headlight was flashing quickly. The contact towed the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the passenger's side headlight assembly was replaced under warranty. The dealer…

   NHTSA complaint #11768973 · source
2. Filed Sep 25, 2026NELighting

   Should be able to simply repair my daytime running lamps at a reasonable cost. One of them is now dim, causing lower visibility for other drivers. Ford's cost for me to repair was quoted today at over $2,100. Simply put, unreasonable! This is an issue that has effected several vehicles.

   NHTSA complaint #11767015 · source
3. Filed Sep 19, 2026TXLighting

   Daytime Running Light in the headlight assembly overheated and stopped working. Thousands of 2021-2023 F150 owners have had the same issue. This is clearly a mass scale manufacturer known defect and Ford already tried sending an update to lower the LED brightness but the issue still happens.

   NHTSA complaint #11765572 · source
4. Filed Sep 14, 2026OKLighting

   Led headlight drl strip turned blue on one side. Have seen many with this issue in the led module ballast. Safety concern because its a common running light issue that hinders people from seeing the vehicle as easily.

   NHTSA complaint #11764019 · source
5. Filed Sep 2, 2026CALighting

   Ford has a VERY well-documented flaw in their LED headlight assemblies on 14th generation F150s (2021 +). The daytime running lights regularly burn out within several years / 35,000 miles, and each headlight costs over $2000 per side to replace with OEM components! They cannot be repaired; they can only be replaced. Ford specifically excludes these headlight assemblies from their extended warranty as well. The problem is so common that, when you see a 14th generation F150 on…

   NHTSA complaint #11761602 · source
6. Filed Aug 12, 2026FLLighting

   Daytime Running Light failure in headlight assembly. Second time it occurred. Had the first headlight assembly replaced while under warranty. I am now outside of the warranty mileage and the other side's headlight DRL has failed.

   NHTSA complaint #11756461 · source
7. Filed Aug 8, 2026AZLighting

   Both factory LED headlamp assemblies are experiencing premature LED failures. The vertical LED/DRL section has failed on both headlights, and the horizontal LED section has failed on one and is beginning to fail on the other. These are factory-installed upgraded LED headlamps and the LED components are not individually replaceable, requiring replacement of the complete headlamp assembly. The failures occurred before the vehicle reached five years old. Ford was contacted…

   NHTSA complaint #11755692 · source
8. Filed Aug 7, 2026MIElectrical SystemLighting

   The safety daytime running lights are failing prematurely. My car has 32,000 miles and my DRL is burnt out on the passenger side. Online forums confirm that this is happening to many, many people. It’s a safety hazard for other drivers because the cost to repair is substantial and people aren’t fixing them. Ford should fix this as a recall.

   NHTSA complaint #11755402 · source
9. Filed Jul 30, 2026AZElectrical SystemEngineLighting

   *Brake system failure, complete shut down of vehicle. *Vehicle unable to start. *Vehicle was taken directly to Peoria Ford ( 9130 W Bell Rd, Peoria, AZ 85382) via tow truck on XXX Confirmed when dropped off of brake system failure and vehicle not functioning. *Vehicle was inspected on XXX which we were originally told it was the battery. Although the vehicle was in for trailer software recall on XXX and during inspection at that time battery was in good health. *No warnings…

   NHTSA complaint #11753799 · source
10. Filed Jul 30, 2026FLElectrical SystemLighting

    Day Running Lights in headlights fail. The side LED fails completely requiring the entire headlight housing needing to be replaced. This is a common failure and Ford is not doing anything to help the thousands of customers this is affecting. This failure is widely reported online, in forums and chat rooms. Dealer acknowledges it is a part failure but Ford will not pay for replacement even though it is a design or manufacturing problem with this particular year and style of…

    NHTSA complaint #11753682 · source
11. Filed Jul 29, 2026TNLighting

    Passenger side LED Headlight assembly daytime running LED's, the vertical led has gone out in my 2021 Ford f150, while not a major problem, LED daytime running lights increase visibility of other drivers to help in safety. From research, it seems that many of these headlights, the led daytime running lights in the 2021 year model are failing.

    NHTSA complaint #11753461 · source
12. Filed Jun 30, 2026PAElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionLighting

    The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 26V104000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

    NHTSA complaint #11747373 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology