49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - January 2016
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2011 Ford F-150 airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2011 Ford F-150 have filed 10 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2007 F-150 | 24 |
| 2008 F-150 | 26 |
| 2009 F-150 | 11 |
| 2010 F-150 | 16 |
| 2011 F-150 (this page) | 10 |
| 2012 F-150 | 29 |
| 2013 F-150 | 23 |
| 2014 F-150 | 25 |
| 2015 F-150 | 25 |
6crashes
7injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 Air bag warning light illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B141B and/or B141C
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗COMM-TRANS LUND: SOME 2009-2011 MODELS MAY HAVE THE AIR BAG INICATOR FLASHING WITH A STORED TROUBLE CODE. THIS IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report two opposite and equally serious problems: airbags deploying without any impact, and airbags failing to deploy in actual collisions. One owner's passenger-side airbag fired during normal highway driving, causing facial injuries, temporary blindness, and unconsciousness—his vehicle was totaled. Five other owners sustained injuries in crashes because airbags did not deploy: whiplash, torn ankle ligaments, and injuries severe enough to require surgery. Speeds ranged from parking lot speeds to 70 mph.
A third pattern: airbag warning lights come on and off randomly with no diagnostic codes. One owner noted the issue appeared after seat adjustment and mentions wiring under the seat as the likely culprit. Another light came on after an oil change.
One particularly troubling case involves a spontaneous deployment paired with electrical shorts—melted wires, starter failure, and fire risk. The dealer and Ford acknowledge the short but claim they cannot confirm whether it caused the deployment.
Ford's response has been slow. In the spontaneous-deployment case, the company referred the matter to legal and gave no timeline. In the non-deployment cases, Ford either refused to inspect the vehicle or offered no assistance. Owners report multiple vehicles with identical patterns, suggesting this is not rare.
Same Ford F-150 airbags reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Spontaneous airbag deployment without impact
Passenger-side or driver-side airbag deploys during normal driving with no collision or trigger event. One owner reported facial injuries, temporary vision loss, and loss of consciousness from the deployment.
When: During highway driving; low-speed driving; at 20,000 miles in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deploys without warning or impact; Facial injuries and propellant inhalation in one case; Temporary vision loss; Loss of consciousness
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to determine cause; one vehicle declared total loss by insurance
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford stated reviewing under legal council; no timeline or resolution offered; one case involved independent investigation and black box data collection
Airbag failure to deploy in collision
Airbags do not deploy during crashes that should have triggered them. Five separate crash incidents reported where occupants sustained injuries due to lack of airbag deployment.
When: Various mileages including 160,000 and 21,000 miles; at 70 mph, 40 mph, 58 mph, and low-speed crashes
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during frontal collision at 70 mph; No deployment during side impact/rollover at 58 mph; No deployment during 40 mph frontal collision; No deployment in low-speed parking lot crash; No deployment in severe crash with culvert and tree impacts; Occupant injuries including whiplash, sprained ankle, torn ligaments, surgery required for pedestrians
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles towed; manufacturer refused inspection in at least one case; one vehicle declared total loss
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer refused to inspect vehicle; no recalls mentioned; one case referred to legal department for investigation
Airbag warning light malfunction—intermittent or constant
Airbag warning light illuminates on dash without clear cause and may cycle on and off intermittently. One owner notes wiring under seat appears to be involved based on internet research.
When: After seat adjustment; intermittently over days or weeks
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light comes on after seat adjustment; Light turns off and back on intermittently; No diagnostic codes reported
Repairs/costs cited: Owner identifies possible wiring issue under seat based on research; light resets but recurs
Airbag warning light after routine maintenance
Airbag warning light comes on while driving vehicle home after oil change, suggesting electrical connection disturbance during service.
When: After oil change service
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates
Airbag system electrical wiring short circuit
Electrical short in wiring harness associated with airbag system deployment coincides with melted wires and vehicle starter failure. Dealer and manufacturer uncertain whether wiring fault caused the spontaneous deployment.
When: During highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not start; Melted wires in electrical system; Fire risk noted by owner; Occurs simultaneously with spontaneous airbag deployment
Repairs/costs cited: Melted wires detected; electrical short present; dealer refused to work pending Ford legal review
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford reviewing under legal council; dealer awaiting instruction
Passenger airbag random on/off cycling with no diagnostic codes
Passenger airbag warning light cycles randomly on and off with no stored diagnostic trouble codes. Owner also reporting separate brake and timing chain issues on same vehicle.
When: Recurring issue over time
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag light turns on and off randomly; No diagnostic codes stored
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had airbags trouble with your 2011 Ford F-150?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2011 Ford F-150?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 64,499 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Ford/F-150.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.