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CarComplaints.com Notes: We aren't rating the 2015 F-150 as "bad" yet, but there is an early trend of complaints about the transmission shifting roughly.

9.3

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
25,900 miles
Total Complaints:
9 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (7 reports)
  2. replace throttle body (2 reports)
2015 Ford F-150 engine problems

engine problem

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2015 Ford F-150 Owner Comments

problem #9

Aug 082019

F-150 Lariat 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,747 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving on a mountain highway (~7000 ft elevation) in Colorado, my 2015 Ford F150 suddenly lost speed and vibrated wildly before stopping in the middle of the highway. Various warning lights illuminated (check engine, hill assist not working, check manual, etc.) and I had to turn off my truck and re-start to pull off the road. The problem happened 3 more times within 2 hrs but this time I was able to track additional metrics (but I moved over to a secondary road with little to no traffic). The 3 additional stall events were triggered between RPMs of 1000 and 2000. As I approached 2000 RPMs and/or climbed a slight hill, I could feel the truck begin to lose throttle and if I did not back off on the gas peddle, the truck would stall.

I am having my truck towed to a Ford Dealership but I am at 36,747 miles and just beyond my warranty. I will follow up after I have a diagnosis, repair, and/or complaint.

- Todd R., Evergreen, CO, US

problem #8

Nov 242018

F-150 XLT 5.0L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,250 miles

I was on a cross country road trip, Florida to Ohio, in my 2015 F150 (5.0 V8, 58,000 miles) and the hill start assist/traction control lights started coming on when I was about half way through the trip. I kept driving, as nothing else seemed to be a problem.

When I was half way through WV, more dash lights started flashing (oil life, oil pressure, service engine soon, etc) and then all dash lights went off and the truck lost all power. I could no longer accelerate. After a moment, it started working again but now my cruise control wouldn't turn on and my tire pressure dash gauge wasn't showing my tire pressure, so I made my way to the nearest exit and pulled over to shut the truck off and let it cool down for a few minutes while I checked the oil. Everything seemed to be fine, so I started driving again.

After a few miles, once I was back on the highway, going highway speeds, it did it again, and this time when it powered down, the ABS break system went on and created a terrible grinding noise and brought me to a stop on the side of the highway. I limped it on the side of the highway, trying to find an exit (I was in the middle of nowhere, WV), and the truck repeatedly did the lights flashing/power down/breaks applied several more times at low speed. The nearest exit was about 10 miles, so I had to continue to do this for some time. Once I was at an exit, I disconnected the battery for about 20 minutes, added some oil (my oil life had been getting low and I was at the lower end of the oil level), and re-set the oil life tracker. When I re-connected the battery and started the truck, everything seemed fine, but now the check engine light was on. I found an autozone and had them check the codes and only got one code, P25B0, but their computers didn't say what that code was. I decided to just risk it and keep driving, so that I could get home. I had no issues the rest of the trip until I was about 15 minutes from home, and it started doing the same thing again. I was close enough to home to get off the highway and take back roads home. It did it a few more times and then quit doing it.

I set up an appointment at the dealer the following day and took the truck in, as I needed to take it in any way to have recall work done. They have had my truck for 3 days and said that they can't get the problem to occur and all diagnostic testing has come back with no issues, so they are releasing the vehicle back to me. So, $141 later (for running diagnostics testing), nothing has been fixed. This seems to be an issue with the 2015 F150s (oddly enough, when my mail came the next day there was a letter from an attorney that mentioned this issue...so my guess is that they are trying to start a class action suit against Ford), but Ford doesn't seem to be doing anything about it. This was a very dangerous situation, as my truck basically stopped while I was on the highway going 70 mph, and could have called a serious accident. Ford, figure out what's causing this and make it right before you have blood on your hands!!

- jnpurdy1306, Norton, US

problem #7

Jun 182018

F-150 Lariat 3.5lV6 Eco

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,500 miles

2015 Just died when driving. Luckily on side roads when it happened the 1st time. After running fine for a few days, it happened again 3 more times over the weekend progressively happening more frequently.

Took it in for service and they replace the throttle body after getting a P2112 code and looking up TSB 16-0139.

Very scary as it could have died in the middle of an intersection or on the highway!

- Rob F., Sherwood, OR, US

problem #6

Aug 092017

F-150 Lariat Eco Boost

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have a 2015 F150 that is in the dealership for the third time and they keep telling me the problem cannot be duplicated. The wrench symbol comes on and the vehicle stalled. Most recently it stalled during a merge and a semi came within seconds of rear ending me. The technician even drove and said it was not drive-able. Two days later dealer calls and says they can't find the problem.

- Ron M., Troy, US

problem #5

Apr 192017

F-150 XLT 3.5L Ecoboost

  • Automatic transmission
  • 19,000 miles

Stall first happened on I84 in Utah - pick up lost power we pulled onto shoulder and restarted. On the way home near Boise ID a second problem developed where my trailer brakes stayed on and I had to disconnect plug to move forward - unplugged and drove last 400 miles without trailer brakes.

Checked it with RV repair and they said the built in trailer controller was faulty and sending power to brakes at all times. Contacted Robberson Ford in Bend Oregon and they ordered new part. Back ordered part and it took 6 weeks for part to be delivered. In the meantime drove pick up on 45 mile round trip and it stalled six times - dangerous had to pull off two lane and restart engine.

Called Ford and they said to bring it in - I tried the next day and it stalled 3 times in one mile. I had it towed to Ford. The next day the trailer part was delivered and Ford replaced module and also replace the electronic throttle body. They told me it was just parts failures and shouldn't happen again. Said the trailer module failure and the ETB failure were not related. The only thing I did differently on this trip is I used the AC outlet to charge my tablet.

Ford had a thing they called "customer satisfaction program" for an extended warranty on the ETB but is ended Jan 2015 and I bought my pu in December 2015 - service said I had the new ETB.

Obviously like others I bought a new vehicle to have more confidence against failures. So I am cautiously going to start using the truck and hope for the best.

- Steve G., sisters, OR, US

problem #4

May 172016

F-150 Lariat 3.5L Ecoboost

  • Automatic transmission
  • 22,369 miles

While driving home from work and exiting a off ramp, when the brakes where applied the truck shut off and lost all power. No engine lights or warning lights came on nor could I steer or apply the brakes. This has happened 3 times since I have owned the truck (currently have 54,000 kms). The truck started up after several cranking attempts and I was able to drive it home with the wrench light on in the dash, once it started. Truck is currently at the dealership for water getting into the electrical, draining off the windshield from the cowling and into the PCM and engine which was full 3/4 liter full of water. Ford cannot guarantee this will correct the problem. Repairs were done under warranty and service manager has been helpful through the process, however this being my 2nd F150 in 2 years to have serious safety issues not sure if I will ever buy another FORD.

- Jay S., Brantford, ON, Canada

problem #3

Oct 062016

F-150 Lariat 3.5L V6 Ecoboost

  • Automatic transmission
  • 17,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine abruptly cut to a rough idle while driving on a busy street. Throttle became totally unresponsive. Instrument panel indicated 'Service AdvanceTrac' warning.

Had this happened when I was in the middle lane of an interstate, it would have been very dangerous.

Vehicle had prior history of occasional 'Service AdvanceTrac' warnings that the Ford dealership was not able to track down because no codes were set. One would think it would be possible to set a code when such a warning pops up. My opinion is that the on board engine software self diagnostics are inadequate.

I am suspicious that not all of my visits to the dealership for this problem were logged by Ford as I was not given a receipt on at least one occasion.

There is a remarkable similarity between this failure on my F150 and similar throttle body failures on other Ford products. To my knowledge there is no recall for this problem in the F150.

- Charles R., Colorado Springs, CO, US

problem #2

Jun 152016

F-150 Lariat 2.7L Turbo V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles

So, the initial incident occurred sometime I BELIEVE in June? I was turning left onto a side road where I work and the engine just stalled on me, it restarted and kept going. The hill start assist and advance trac lights came on. I drove it to the dealership, was about to drop it off and they said to drop it off in the morning. I went back to work and while messing with the truck I assumed that it was of my own doing and I may have accidently downshifted the gearing, causing the stall (like a standard when it stalls in too low a gear). So I called the dealership and said, don't worry about it. A little while later it happened again, and again, and again so I figured it was time to bring it in. The dealership here in town (not where I bought it) looked at it for a few days but I needed the truck back for the weekend for a trip out of town. I got the truck back and they said they couldn't figure it out. Thought it might be because of "all the after market stuff (radio) I had installed. They believed it was the power converter so they ordered one. I brought the truck back that next Monday and they kept testing it and then replaced the converter when it came in (the 110v converter) I got my stereo stuff reconnected and kept driving it. The engine would not stall, but the warning lights would flash advance trac and hill assist. After a few days, it began to stall again, almost getting me hit pulling onto a road with 50mph traffic. The truck died, and wouldn't "restart" itself. So here I am parked on a 50mph roadway trying to start my truck like a jack ass. It also happened again while pulling OFF of this road into a side street with a big ass RV coming at me, I was able to coast onto the side street and restart the truck. I brought the truck back in and they said that it might be the throttle body. So, I got my truck back today with the throttle body replaced. I go to drive away and my head unit/ display will not illuminate PROPERLY. I thought it was dimmed, it wasn't. So I drive in a circle to bring in back and it turns on like it should. I drive back down the main 50 mph road and while accelerating from a stop light the advance trac and hill assist lights flash again. I take it right back and it is now there getting looked at again. So, what we think might be wrong with it, which still doesn't explain the engine stalling, is that I have running board lights and a tailgate light bar plugged in to my trailer wiring harness connector. This is making the truck react as though there IS a trailer connected. It is a BELIEF that the truck is acting in this manner due to it having a load behind it, which it doesn't. So it may be kicking on or off the hill assist and maybe the advance trac is also reacting to this SUPPOSED trailer being connected??? Ford does not have an option in the head unit or steering wheel buttons to tell the truck, "THERE IS NO TRAILER!!!" when there is something connected to the trailer wiring harness/pigtail. We are waiting to see if the problem can be duplicated WITHOUT the stereo components connected, and without the trailer wiring harness connected. If this is the case, I will have to connect my lights in another manner without using the trailer harness/pigtail as well as the tailgate light bar. My problem however is that I had my stereo and ALL of these lights connected for a couple MONTHS before these issues became a problem, including during a trip from OK to MT and back all without issues. And even if the truck is registering that it is towing a trailer, when in FACT, IT IS NOT, why would the engine CONTINUE TO STALL while turning, or during a hard accelerating forward motion? It doesn't make sense. I have talked with another guy whose brother had this problem with his truck and Ford wasn't able to solve it, I don't want my problem solved by being buried with my kids because the damn thing died while making a turn in front of traffic. My family has been FORD, for MY whole life, would hate to switch because of some bullshit, life threating problem they cant fix.

Update from Aug 18, 2016: So they thought that the problem was all of the aftermarket stuff hooked up to it. All I had was the stereo installed from a professional business, and running board lights and a tailgate light bar. the running board lights and light bar were connected through a Y harness from the trailer pig tail and were disconnected. The stereo was completely "unplugged" from the truck. I drove for about 30 minutes and could not recreate the problem. I had the stereo connected to the wiring that controlled the "heated steering wheel" (which I don't have) and as soon as I left the parking lot the engine stalled, advance trac came on, hill start assist, emergency brake came on, the nav and radio flashed and reset to factory... same issues we had previously. So, today im going to have the stereo "unplugged again" and will drive it for a day or so to see if that's what is causing it. When the stereo was connected to the wiring for the trailer pig tail wiring harness, the engine would not stall. They replaced the throttle body thinking that was a problem, but, it just stalled again yesterday so, I don't think its the throttle body. This will be a lengthy process.

- allen bb, Lawton, OK, US

problem #1

Jul 302015

F-150 Lariat 3.5L Twin Turbo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,577 miles

While driving, the engine would seize/stall at highways speeds. Hard to go over 35 MPH without losing power. Engine did not throw error codes. Took over 6 months for warranty repairs to find a possible cure, not certain if fixed.

- Ben H., Monmouth, OR, US

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